Fickle

Book excerpt: This dark, twisting work of digital-age noir is “a riveting mystery . . . An incredibly daring novel and a complete success” (Booklist, starred review). On a winter night in Boston, a man falls to his death in front of a train. The sole witness, a shaken young woman, explains to the police how the man shoved her aside as he made his way to the tracks. But when her blog turns up on the dead man’s computer, the cops begin to look for other connections between them. This dark and intricate tale of obsession and deception is told in the form of a blog written by an elusive narrator known only by her online name, “l. g. fickel.” Deep into the night, every night, Fickel posts about “Mr. Suicide” and the ensuing police investigation. She is joined in her blog chats by a loyal group of commenters. Is Fickel’s tale that of an innocent woman frantically trying to figure out how her online activity has enmeshed her in a murder case, or is she a manipulator, playing an elaborate game as she grinds out her revenge on those she feels have betrayed her? “Noir fans should enjoy the twists and turns that echo such genre classics such as Double Indemnity and The Asphalt Jungle.” —Publishers Weekly