Heartbroken : a Novel

Library Journal Birdie Burke, a harsh, difficult woman, invites her relatives for a vacation at the family's property, Heart Island. This secluded spot in the Adirondacks is the backdrop for a tale of family intrigue and dark secrets, as the stories of three women unfold: Birdie, her daughter Kate, and the sad and confused Emily, who has been drawn into a maelstrom of crime and emotional torment through her relationship with her very troubled boyfriend. As Kate fights to cope with her mother's controlling personality, her own daughter, Chelsea, suffers from a painful lack of self-confidence and falls for a young man she knows only online. VERDICT In Unger's (Darkness, My Old Friend; Fragile) latest engrossing thriller, the author's in-depth portraits of three different women searching for answers to their own set of difficulties will captivate fans of mystery and psychological suspense. This is one of Unger's best novels yet.—Linda Oliver, MLIS, Colorado Springs