By Ray Saadi—Book Editor

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THE EX By Alafair Burke, Harper $26.99

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Jack Harris is a successful novelist whose wife was killed in a mass murder by the 15-year-old son of a New York financier. He never considered dating again until one morning on his daily run, he saw a beautiful woman, whose looks intrigued him. Through an email search he connected with the woman and made a date for a picnic in the park. Only she didn’t show, but a killer did, shooting three people including the father of the boy who killed Jack’s wife. When police charged Jack with the homicides, he enlisted the aid of Olivia Randall, his former fiancée who had jilted him 20 years before and now a very successful trial lawyer. Even though Olivia firmly believes Jack is innocent, evidence keeps turning up to prove he is indeed the killer. Burke delivers powerful court scenes and a surprising ending. 

DEPRAVED HEART By Patricia Cornwell, William Morrow 28.99

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If you’re a diehard fan of Cornwell’s Dr. Scarpetta, you’ll no doubt enjoy this one, especially since her life and that of her beloved niece, Lucy, are both being threatened by some anonymous “depraved heart”. Someone who has been frequently texting videos of Lucy from 20 years earlier that, if revealed, could send her to prison for life. Scarpetta is at a loss for how to discover the culprit and save Lucy’s life and her own.