The story begins with a seemingly ordinary dinner party in a suburban New York neighborhood. When the hosts, Anne and Marco Conti, leave their infant daughter, Bella, sleeping on the couch to run an errand, their next‑door neighbors, the seemingly perfect couple Colin and Claire, step in to watch the baby. Unexpectedly, Bella disappears while under Colin’s care, and the police quickly focus on the Contis as the primary suspects.
The investigation unravels a web of secrets that each couple has been keeping. Anne, a former lawyer, discovers that Marco has been embezzling money from his firm, while Colin is revealed to be a former police officer with a hidden past involving a violent incident. Claire, who appears flawless on the surface, is actually battling a gambling addiction and has been blackmailing Colin to keep her secrets hidden. As the police dig deeper, evidence surfaces that suggests the disappearance may have been staged, and the true motive could be tied to financial desperation, revenge, or a desperate bid to protect a dark secret.
Without revealing too much, the fast-paced thriller makes everyone involved an equal suspect, and the plot remains unpredictable until the perpetrators and motive is revealed. A great quick read, thoroughly enjoyable.