THE CHILD ACROSS THE STREET

4 stars out of 5

So far, I've read eight books by this author - on purpose. So when I got the chance to snag an advance copy of this one, I didn't even think once about requesting it. And even though it comes as no surprise, once again I'm a very happy reader.

Abigail (Abi) Coyle has returned to the childhood home she left some 20 years ago, but not because she misses the place so much. Her father has died and, as the only child, bequeathed her his house (her mother left them years ago, and her father got a divorce on the grounds of abandonment). Abi doesn't want to be here, but she needs to finalize funeral arrangements and check the contents of the house.

On the way there, wheeling her suitcase down the street next to a park, she's startled to hear car brakes squeal. The car quickly moves on - seen only as a brief glimpse - and Abi turns her attention to the side of the road. First, she sees a damaged bicycle wheel; then, something more horrifying appears: the body of a young boy. It appears he's still breathing, and Abi wastes no time calling the proper authorities. The boy is rushed to the hospital, and it turns out to be Ethan, the son of one of Abi's childhood friends.

Dad's home is nothing short of a mess, and Abi vows to avoid being in it as much as possible. But there's nowhere much better to stay, and Abi has left her job in London to come here and can't afford to waste money on overnight lodging. So, she stays in her old bedroom - now musty and dusty - while she begins to sort through all the "stuff" her father has hoarded over the years. At one time, she's certain someone was trying to get in the house, but nothing comes of it. Maybe, she surmises, someone wants to find out how much she knows about the hit-and-run driver who hit the boy (which realistically is practically nothing).

Over a period of a couple of days, Abi meets up with several other childhood friends, including an ex-boyfriend who's now married with kids (much to the chagrin of his wife). Memories start flowing back - most of them more than enough to convince Abi that she wants no part of living in this backwoods community ever again - even when she meets an intriguing new-to-her character who brings a surprise of a lifetime. Still, she's concerned about the accident victim, his family and the identity of that errant driver - clues lead to several possibilities - so she pokes around while the house is being cleaned out and readied for sale. 

My only disappointment, and it's a very minor one, is that I wanted to know more specifics about what happened in Abi's childhood. It's easy to see why she's estranged from her runaway mother, but she has zero use for her father, either - and what he did to deserve her wrath isn't fully explained. Still and all, this is another of the author's don't-want-to-put-down books, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the chance to read and review it. Good job once again!

The Child across the Street by Kerry Wilkerson (Bookouture, July 2020); 322 pp.