As THE FAIREST opens, two people appear to be lost on a trip to the countryside somewhere. It is unclear if this is a flashback or a fictional scene between characters in a book by author Kara Parsons. As the story progresses, this introduction --- along with various other moments spliced into the novel --- will become quite clear.

Kara is attending a book signing in the upstate New York town of Wedeskyull. The last person waiting for a signed book is a nine-year-old girl who hands her a note that reads: I am a missing child. This of course alarms Kara, and she responds in a way that is unique to her personal history.

"Jenny Milchman has a terrific protagonist in Arles Shepherd, who genuinely cares about her patients, and I hope that this engaging series continues to grow."

Rather than call the authorities or child services, Kara brings the girl to the one person she knows can truly help in this situation: her former therapist, Dr. Arles Shepherd. Arles now lives in a remote cabin in the Adirondacks wilderness as she is still recovering from physical and emotional injuries suffered at the hands of a killer in THE USUAL SILENCE, which kicked off Jenny Milchman’s series.

The spread of land that Arles lives on is called Fir Cove and contains other cabins, one of which is currently being used by a mother and daughter who have just left on a trip. When Kara and the girl arrive, Arles is initially taken aback but quickly agrees that Kara did the right thing by coming to her first. Arles checks out the bookstore for herself but finds nothing suspicious. Kara says that the child, who refuses to provide a name, speaks under her breath in what appears to be a chant or prayer. They are worried that she might have escaped a religious cult, but Arles is the best person to figure out the details they need to fill in these blanks.

An armed man shows up unexpectedly to Fir Cove. Arles vehemently denies ever seeing Kara and the girl, who are hiding in the attic of her large house. He reluctantly leaves, but it’s clear that the child is running away from people who are extremely dangerous and will do anything to get her back. Kara gives her the name “Maeve” just to have something to call her. At one point, while Kara and Maeve are making their way through the woods, they come upon a girl who leads them to a home that protects foster children and those who have been abused.

But it isn’t long before the plot turns, and it’s quite a gut punch. The conclusion is a harrowing one where all questions that have been raised are finally answered. Jenny Milchman has a terrific protagonist in Arles Shepherd, who genuinely cares about her patients, and I hope that this engaging series continues to grow.