He Started It

9780451491756|excerpt

Downing / HE STARTED IT

Part 1

14 DAYS LEFT

You want a heroine. Someone to root for, to identify with. She can t be perfect, though, because that ll just make you feel bad about yourself. A flawed heroine, then. Someone who may break the rules to protect her family but doesn t kill anyone unless it s self-­defense. Not murder, though, at least not the cold-­blooded kind. That s the first deal breaker.

The second is cheating. Men can get away with that and still be the hero, but a cheating wife is unforgivable.

Which means I can t be your heroine.

I still have a story to tell.

It begins in a car. Rather, an SUV. We sit according to our rank, the oldest in the driver s seat. That s Eddie. His wife sits next to him, but I ll get to her.

The middle seat is for the middle child, and that s me. Beth. Not Elizabeth, just Beth. I m two years younger than Eddie and he never lets me forget it. I m okay to look at, though not as young or thin as I used to be. My husband sits next to me. Again, later for that, because our spouses weren t supposed to be here.

One seat left, way in the back, and that s Portia. The surprise baby. She s six years younger than me and sometimes it feels like a hundred. With no spouse or significant other, she has the whole seat to herself.

In the very back, our luggage. Stacked side by side in a neat single row because that s the only way it fits. I told Eddie that the first time. Our handbags and computers bags go on top of the roller bags. You don t have to be a flight attendant to figure that out.

Under the bags, there s the trunk compartment. One side has the spare tire. In the other, a locked wooden box with brass fittings. This special little box in this special little place, all by itself with nothing else around, is to hold our grandfather. He s been cremated.

We aren t talking about him. We aren t really talking at all. The sun beams through the windows, landing on my leg and

Samantha Downing currently lives in New Orleans, where she is furiously typing away on her next thrilling book.

Wholly original. Scarily clever. Completely mesmerizing. You will never look at family road trips the same way again. Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A twisty, sneaking tale of greed, lies and betrayal, with each character as conniving as the next and an ending that will make your heart stop.  This one needs to be on the top of everyone's to-read list!" Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl and The Other Mrs.

Fast-paced and whip-smart. If you don t mind spending time in dangerous company then I highly recommend this wild ride of a thriller Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of What She Knew

A thrill ride through the darkest parts of the American landscape funny, scary and twisted until the explosive final page. Michele Campbell, internationally bestselling author of A Stranger on the Beach

"Once you start reading, you won't want to stop. Dark, twisted, original, and so addictive it should come with a warning." Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Sometimes I Lie

Best for people who love Criminal Minds, research scams in their free time, and have a super f*cked up family. Betches 

A twisted mashup of a family drama and a thriller that you won't be able to put down. Pop Sugar

With our need to know ramped up through a series of teasers offering more to come, this tale is virtually impossible to put down Booklist (starred review)

None of the characters are likeable, relatable or reliable, but that is what makes this read so much fun .The short chapters and pace of the story will keep readers turning the pages as they wonder how this family trip from hell will conclude. San Francisco Book Review

"Buckle up and settle in for one diabolically fun road trip." Kirkus

"Deliciously devious." Publisher's Weekly

"Downing is one bold and fearless author, who doesn t blink in