The Memory Game, by Nicci French (Penguin, £5.99 in UK)

Jane Martello, nee-Crane, is an architect and in her early forties. She is in the process of divorcing her husband, Claud

Jane Martello, nee-Crane, is an architect and in her early forties. She is in the process of divorcing her husband, Claud. But before doing so, she wishes to design a house for his family, an eccentric collection presided over by patriarch Alan, an Augustus John-like, larger-than-life figure. However, when the site is excavated, some human bones are discovered, and it soon becomes apparent that these are all that remain of teenage daughter Natalie, who disappeared some twenty-five years before. In the course of therapy, Jane remembers seeing Alan killing his daughter; he confesses, and the case appears closed. But Jane remains haunted by certain discrepancies in her recollections of the episode and, when she delves further, unearths a whole new set of conspiracies. In her first novel, Ms French exhibits a firm grasp of technique and shows expertise in dealing with the various strands of her story. A psychological thriller, it lives up to the label by maintaining suspense right to the final twist in the tail. V.B.