Her One Regret

At the outset of this deeply felt feminist thriller from Freitas (The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano), gorgeous real estate agent Lucy Mendoza vanishes from a Rhode Island supermarket parking lot, her nine-month-old daughter left wailing in a shopping cart. A few days into a massive statewide search, Lucy’s most shameful secret comes out: she’s fantasized about faking her own kidnapping to escape the motherhood she never wanted. Social media erupts, pundits excoriate her, and those who actually know her—including her husband Sam and her best friend Michelle—fear the revelation might undermine the full-court press to find her. A similar worry galvanizes retired detective Diana Gonzalez, for whom Lucy’s disappearance recalls two cases of missing mothers that bookended her time on the force. Meanwhile, Lucy’s plight resonates with artist Julia Gallo, who feels marooned at home with her nine-month-old son, her creative career seemingly torpedoed while her professor husband chases tenure. Freitas nimbly juggles chapters narrated by Michelle, Diana, Julia, and occasionally Lucy, maximizing suspense at every turn. Occasionally, the characters’ venting about motherhood feels didactic, but for the most part, this rivets. Agent: Miriam Altshuler, DeFiore and Co. (Nov.)