Family secrets keep tension high in latest Abbott novel

Secrets seep through the affluent Lakehaven neighborhood of Austin, Texas, where juggling volunteer duties, shuffling teenagers and scheduling coffee meet-ups appear to be the most pressing concerns in this astute family drama that cleverly evolves into an intricate plot in “Never Ask Me,” Jeff Abbott’s 20th novel and his seventh stand-alone.

Those secrets become almost insurmountable for Iris and Kyle Pollitt and their much-loved teenage children, Julia and Grant, after their neighbor Danielle Roberts is murdered. Danielle’s body is found in the neighborhood park by her son, Ned Frimpong, and Julia while the teens are playing an early morning digital game.

An adoption consultant, Danielle had helped many neighborhood couples seeking international adoptions, including the Pollitts who adopted Grant from a St. Petersburg, Russia, orphanage when he was a baby.

Tension quickly builds as “Never Ask Me” delves into the myriad ways the neighbors are interlocked. Julia is drawn into Ned’s “harmless” prescription drug business while Grant receives emails that tell him his parents are lying to him. Kyle is beaten up after sneaking into Danielle’s home. Iris begins to doubt each of her family members and neighbors while keeping her own agenda quiet. “When people show you who they are, Iris thinks, believe them.”

The suspense heightens as the action smoothly shifts from the current murder investigation and the Pollitts’ lives to an adoption journal that Iris kept during Grant’s complicated adoption, which had far-reaching effects.

What makes a family and the sacrifices each member makes for the other is the heart of “Never Ask Me.” Abbott keeps the tension high, dealing with family issues — teenagers who take on too much emotional responsibility without the maturity to handle complex issues and parents who believe their secrets are private. Abbott’s sense of realistic situations extends when he takes “Never Ask Me” beyond family issues with a series of intelligent twists.

Abbott’s affinity at capturing sharp characters and the details of daily life that, taken out of context, can be frightening shines in the superb “Never Ask Me.”

Oline H. Cogdill can be reached at olinecog@aol.com.

LESLIE ABBOTT PHOTOGRAPHY Jeff Abbott’s 20th novel is “Never Ask Me.”