THE KILLER IN ME

Nina’s not a killer, but she dreams of one every night.

Vermonter Nina Barrows, 17, was adopted by her single, lesbian, lawyer mother before Nina turned 1. Each night for as long as the black-haired, pale-skinned teen can remember, she’s experienced life from the perspective of “the boy,” including his memories of the “Bad Days,” when his father committed suicide. Since she realized these visions were not the norm, Nina has told no one what she’s seen, especially when the boy started hurting animals and graduated to killing people. She deals with it by trying not to sleep. When her plot to stop his next murder before it happens is discovered by her former best friend, strong, smart, handsome, white Warren, she enlists his help. Things go wrong in just such a way that neither is sure Nina’s visions are 100 percent true. Tracking the probable killer to the New Mexico desert, they plan a trip to visit Nina’s birth mother, part Navajo, who also lives out west. They hope to prove Nina’s dreams and expose a serial killer…but Nina learns shocking secrets about her past when she gets too close. Nina and Warren share narrative duties in Harrison’s debut, a tame, unsurprising parapsychological thriller. Neither voice is distinct, and twists are either telegraphed too early or just not twisty enough to increase interest.

An additional purchase even where killer thrillers are king.