Sun Damage

June 5, 2023
This entertaining psychological thriller from Durant (Finders, Keepers) deploys a delicious arsenal of unexpected plot twists. Ali and Sean have made their way across India, posing as siblings and honing their skills as con artists. Now they’ve landed in the South of France for the busy summer season. It doesn’t take them long to spot Lulu Fletcher Davies, with her first-day-of-holiday sunburn and her “sub-schoolgirl French.” Lulu’s dual surname makes it easy to track her down on Facebook, which provides all the information Sean and Ali need to scam the wealthy young Brit. Their plan goes terribly wrong, however, and after Lulu dies, Ali hastily packs up and runs away to Provence, fearing Sean’s retaliation even more than the police’s. She takes a job and a assumes a new identity in hopes of slipping under the radar, but the longer she’s away, the more she begins to wonder about her former accomplice. Ali’s keenly observant narration (“It’s not true you can’t con an honest person, but it’s easier emotionally when they’re not”) keeps the plot moving briskly along its circuitous route, and Durrant takes witty jabs at the behavior of wealthy vacationers. This is good, Patricia Highsmith–style fun. Agent: Grainne Fox, Fletcher & Co.

June 21, 2023
After enduring childhood in the foster care system, Ali leans into a survival mindset and joins forces with a cunning master scammer, Sean, to con unsuspecting marks for a living. In the South of France, they target Lulu, a British socialite vacationing en route to a posh catering gig. Sean is behaving strangely, but intimidation and loyalty keep Ali in line until she witnesses him kill Lulu. Frightened for her life, Ali seizes the opportunity to flee and poses as Lulu at the luxury rental in the small village where she's expected to cater. There, nine friends and family members have gathered for a weekend of simmering, secrets-fueled drama, which Ali instinctively uses to prime marks. But when growing attachments to the partygoers trigger second thoughts, Ali begins to wonder if she's losing her touch. Several well-crafted twists and a looming showdown with Sean will reveal the truth. The evocative French setting and battle of scammer wits create page-turning appeal.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 11, 2023

In the latest novel from Durrant (Finders, Keepers; Lie with Me), Ali, a professional con artist, teams up with a fellow hustler, Sean. Ali spots Lulu Fletcher Davies, a girl with similar features to herself, at a beach in Sainte-Cecile-Sur-Mer, France. She decides that Lulu would be an excellent target for their next scam and Sean agrees. The con takes a dangerous turn and Ali watches Lulu die at Sean's hands. Traumatized by the events, she flees with Sean's money and all of Lulu's things to go into hiding. She even assumes Lulu's identity and takes over the chef job that Lulu had intended to turn down. Now it is only a matter of time before Sean finds her. This novel has a slow-moving plot with little suspense, but it does portray realistic people, who have flaws and problems in their lives. The main character is relatable, though not exactly likable. VERDICT With a con artist pretending to be someone else, this title has a similar feel to Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale. It's also reminiscent of Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid, in which a single decision can alter one's life.--Victoria Kollar

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.