Unbecoming

Different meanings of the word unbecoming play out in this debut novel of psychological suspense. As the story begins, Grace is working as an assistant to an art and antiques restorer in a seedy Parisian shop and checking the web for news from Garland, TN, her hometown. Grace's tale is gradually revealed. Growing up she was Riley Graham's inseparable pal, then his steady girl. Four years ago, Grace, Riley, and their friend Alls came up with an idea for a foolproof art heist from a local historic home. The heist went haywire. Riley and Alls got prison sentences, and Grace escaped to Europe and changed her name. Now the men have been paroled, and Grace is afraid that they will find her, expose her, and implicate her in the crime. Narrator Catherine Taber's Southern accent is perfect for the narration and the Tennessee characters. She voices New Yorkers and Parisians effectively.