Girl, Forgotten: A Novel

Who fathered Emily Vaughn’s baby forty years ago? And who beat her to death? These are the questions confronting US Marshall Andrea Oliver on her first day on the job. Andrea also has a personal stake in the investigation. The prime suspect at the time, Clayton Morrow, is her father, currently incarcerated for an unrelated murder. Before he left Longbill Beach on the Delaware coast, Clayton had been the undisputed, charismatic leader of a group of five friends, including Emily.

Could one of them have assaulted Emily? And fatally battered her? Or was the rapist/murderer the creepy, high school civics teacher? Or possibly the current sheriff, son of the then sheriff? Even though the list of suspects is limited, who did what to Emily is skillfully hidden from the reader until the very end. The story switches between Emily’s past and Andrea’s present, each episode filling in gaps, but at the same time further mystifying the reader.

The intricate plot and the complex relationships among the main characters might be difficult to grasp at first, but the effort is absolutely worthwhile. Girl, Forgotten is a top-notch whodunnit. It’s a must read for any fan of classic murder mysteries.