This debut novel is very impressive for both its characterizations and suspenseful plot. When an adolescent girl, Karen Miller, is patiently "groomed" by a sophisticated pedophile, and then transported across the country, her death is assumed based on evidence planted by the pedophile. She leaves behind an abusive father, a concerned mother and a devastated younger sister. Years later, she has become Gisele, the pampered "daughter" of the wealthy French socialite, Tristan, and she is married with a daughter. There are mysteries within mysteries in this book that include a tragic death, the appearance of former family members and forays into the art world by people who are not always what they seem. The cleverly appropriate title is a gateway into an absorbing novel. ( )

In a modern day scenario lifted straight from Nabakov’s “Lolita,” we are transported to New England where Frenchman Tristan Mouralt has installed his new love, Gisele, a fifteen-year old teenager with stars in her eyes and adventure in her heart. As in the afore mentioned novel a young girl is seduced and plied with sexual favors, had her name changed and poses as the daughter rather than the lover of a man much too old for her amorous attention.
Not an original plot line and one that Europeans are supposed to take as matter-of-fact, as they are deemed to be more opened-minded their counterparts in the States. It is however here that Ryder—in her debut novel—takes us down new found paths in this uniquely told, if somewhat awkwardly titled, mystery.
Settling into the new town, making friends in the art world, one that is familiar to Tristan who is rumored to have a world-renowned collection of impressionist masterpieces, the two make a life for themselves for the next fifteen years. Tristan is surrounded by artists and flim-flam men, rogues and curators and he foists a husband on to Gisele, formerly Karen Miller of San Francisco, an aspiring artist Luke who helps keep up appearances, especially now that Gisele has a daughter of her own, Nicola.
The plan seems to work until Luke has an extra-marital fling while on the West coast on business, with Amanda, a young blonde student. When she follows him, after he tried to break-up, and discovers his real wife is the sister she thought was dead years ago, the drama is ratcheted up a notch as Ryder takes us on a closely contained edgy ride atop a powder keg. When Gisele’s body is discovered you decide if this is a murder or a suicide and which of the culprits just lit the match. BANG!
( )

In a modern day scenario lifted straight from Nabakov’s “Lolita,” we are transported to New England where Frenchman Tristan Mouralt has installed his new love, Gisele, a fifteen-year old teenager with stars in her eyes and adventure in her heart. As in the afore mentioned novel a young girl is seduced and plied with sexual favors, had her name changed and poses as the daughter rather than the lover of a man much too old for her amorous attention.
Not an original plot line and one that Europeans are supposed to take as matter-of-fact, as they are deemed to be more opened-minded their counterparts in the States. It is however here that Ryder—in her debut novel—takes us down new found paths in this uniquely told, if somewhat awkwardly titled, mystery.
Settling into the new town, making friends in the art world, one that is familiar to Tristan who is rumored to have a world-renowned collection of impressionist masterpieces, the two make a life for themselves for the next fifteen years. Tristan is surrounded by artists and flim-flam men, rogues and curators and he foists a husband on to Gisele, formerly Karen Miller of San Francisco, an aspiring artist Luke who helps keep up appearances, especially now that Gisele has a daughter of her own, Nicola.
The plan seems to work until Luke has an extra-marital fling while on the West coast on business, with Amanda, a young blonde student. When she follows him, after he tried to break-up, and discovers his real wife is the sister she thought was dead years ago, the drama is ratcheted up a notch as Ryder takes us on a closely contained edgy ride atop a powder keg. When Gisele’s body is discovered you decide if this is a murder or a suicide and which of the culprits just lit the match. BANG!
( )

Rimbaud was one of the heroes of my late adolescence - Rimbaud, Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley - what bookish teenager wouldn't love their decadent romanticism. I mention this because the title of In Malice, Quite Close is taken from a poem by Rimbaud and the book itself absolutely delivers on the promise of its title in elegance, perversity, and decadent suspense.

Ms. Ryder has a talent for writing characters that you believe in and root for, even when somewhere a tiny voice in your head is shouting denials. The utter logical simplicity of Karen's capture (or escape, depending on your point of view) is relentless and terrifying. It all seems so predictable and so right - what other choice might there have been? Fortunately for the reader, this is only the beginning of a novel rich with detail and suspense.

Fast forward to "now" and the reality of Karen/Gisele's life with her captor - her child, her masks, her inability to connect - and things start to get really ugly. Layered throughout with intelligent musing on art and the artist and the place of both in society and you get a surprisingly intelligent and vivid thriller.

Filled with believable, complex characters and a plot that will keep you guessing, this is one of the best new thrillers I've read this year. I couldn't put it down (even when I wanted to). I'll never read a newspaper article about a missing teenager in the same way again. ( )

In Malice, Quite Close by Brandi Lynn Ryder is one of the tensest books I've ever read. Not only did Ms. Ryder manage to keep me guessing about who-done-it, she kept me guessing about what they'd done. This intricate novel covered decades of time and at every twist there was a turn and where you thought there would be a turn you found a brick wall, except that brick wall turned out to to be a trick wall, except, wait, is that even brick? And who's that guy over there with the shovel?

In the hands of a less gifted writer this book would have been confusing or felt contrived. Instead it was simply breathtaking and heartbreaking and oh so delicious. Highly recommended.

By the way, I'm certainly not a person who judges a book by its cover but this one is exceptional. The picture is haunting but the cover has this weird rubbery / velvety texture that just felt sexy in my hands. Well, and a little creepy too. But mostly sexy.



Also, it is my duty to inform you that I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads Program. ( )