A sympathetic protagonist in World War II-era Seattle grapples with anxiety about her husband, stationed in North Africa, and fear for her own safety, as a serial killer stalks "Rosie the Riveter" coworkers. In The Enemy at Home, Kevin O'Brien's 22nd thriller, Nora Kinney raises two teenagers and supports the war effort--and is eerily convinced that she is somehow linked to the murderer.
Historic and suspenseful, The Enemy at Home portrays wartime life in the U.S. in 1943 in evocative detail--gas and grocery ration coupons, victory gardens, blackout curtains to foil feared enemy bombers, iconic swing-band tunes--while building the mystery of the macabre deaths of the Boeing B-17 airplane plant's women "war workers." Nora's teenage son has become moody and secretive, and her beloved younger brother's edgy demeanor during a surprise visit between navy assignments is disconcerting. A handsome artist rents the garage apartment and, though she welcomes the income, even his pleasant nature arouses Nora's suspicion. Nora is wracked with questions and fears when reports reveal that the bizarre murders involve her brands of lipstick and nylon stockings. Twisting through surprise reveals during the month-long series of crimes, the mystery's resolution invites an appreciation for Nora's resilience, an homage to the traditional depiction of "Rosies." O'Brien (They Won't Be Hurt) skillfully incorporates other portrayals of suspected "enemies at home," including victims of racism and homophobia, and Japanese Americans relocated to internment camps, in this gripping and thoughtful atmospheric thriller. --Cheryl McKeon, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y.