Thank you to critic Oline Cogdill for sharing her review of The Tutor by Courtney Psak. You can order a copy of Psak’s thriller through the Webstore. https://bit.ly/47Jweaw
Cogdill’s review was first published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Book review: Looks can be deceiving in Palm Beach-based ‘The Tutor’
‘The Tutor’ by Courtney Psak; Hodder & Stoughton; 304 pages; $17.99
Normally, a mystery that appears to be filled with stereotypical characters and a predictable plot isn’t off to a good start. But, as mystery readers know, looks can be deceiving.
Or in the case of Courtney Psak’s “The Tutor,” the anticipated can quickly spin into the unexpected.
Psak delivers a surprising plot filled with characters who emerge as believable set against the background of Palm Beach.
Rose Grant is the unassuming young widow with a smart 15-year-old son, James. They both miss Ian, who was a good husband and caring father. His death left them both adrift, with Rose losing herself in her artwork. Enter Grant Caldwell, the rich, pampered scion of a family with deep roots in Palm Beach and New York City. Grant and Rose marry quickly, and he seems to be a good fit for Rose and James. Isabel, the titular tutor, is hired to help James and quickly bonds with the teenager.
But Grant’s mother, Evelyn, is against the marriage and appears to hate Rose, though she’s nice to James. Evelyn seems to make it her mission to make Rose uncomfortable enough to want to divorce Grant. In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, Evelyn convinces Grant, Rose and James to move from their Central Park apartment to her large home in Palm Beach. When the plot takes a fatal twist, it is surprising but not unexpected.
Psak, who lives in Palm Beach, shows characters who would be at ease shopping on Worth Avenue and would disapprove of Rose and her background. Each of the characters have deep secrets, and Psak keeps their twists fueling “The Tutor.”
Readers will find many teachable moments in “The Tutor.”