This Side of Gone: A Vinnie Taylor Mystery

YA author Mitchell (All the Things We Do in the Dark) makes a smooth transition to adult fiction with this pulse-pounding series debut. Vinnie Taylor’s career as an Indianapolis homicide detective ended after she helped bust her colleagues for sex trafficking. She hopes that renting a cottage in rural Wills Harbor, Md., will help her make a fresh start, but finds her cop instincts revived when she spots a teenage boy harassing store clerk Hannah Henk. After Vinnie convinces the boy to back off, she completes her purchases and leaves the store, only to find that Hannah has scrawled, “Please help me. I think he killed Avery,” on the back of her receipt. The plea, combined with a token retainer fee from Hannah, persuades Vinnie to investigate the disappearance of Avery Adair, whose family is closely involved with the region’s organized crime, making local police reluctant to pursue the matter. Soon, Vinnie discovers that Avery might be less innocent than she seems. Despite the familiar setup, Mitchell skirts cliché, sketching three-dimensional characters and bringing the down-on-its-heels town to vivid life. Contemporary noir fans will be eager to hear more from Vinnie soon. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Jan.)