(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Still mourning the loss of Lydia, their matriarch, the MacBride Family gathers at their country home for some peace and quiet.  The arrival of a stranger in the isolated locale is a surprise.  Disconcerted by the presence of an outsider, the MacBrides nevertheless try to make her feel welcome.  Unbeknownst to the family, Darcy Kellaway has a history with the MacBrides.  And not a pretty one.  When Sophie MacBride Woods' 8-month-old baby disappears while under Darcy's care, they realize a fatal error has been made.  What happened to the child?  And who is Darcy, really?  

The Burning Air by Erin Kelly is a complex, well-plotted psychological thriller that asks just how far a person might go to exact revenge on the people who have hurt him/her.  It's a chilling question to contemplate—especially if you're part of the MacBride clan.  The novel explores the idea using complex, interesting characters and a tense, suspenseful story line.  Although the last section seems tacked on, the rest of the tale is fairly taut, making The Burning Air an engrossing page turner.  It's a compelling read, one I didn't love but ended up liking well enough.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of books by Sharon Bolton and Tana French)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find