Published by: Mysterious Press

First-time novelist Cornelia Read makes a rousing foray into the genre with "A Field of Darkness." The author succinctly mixes wit and sarcasm, social commentary on the rich and entitlement, and the vagaries of family for a character-rich plot.

Read's approach is pitch perfect. "A Field of Darkness" is never too glib and never loses its plot amid its authentic, spirited characters.

Madeline Dare makes for an unusual, yet very real character whose life is a series of contrasts. An ex-debutante, educated and a fan of NPR, Madeline lives in Syracuse - a "mental dust bowl" - with her loving, blue-collar husband, Dean, a sincerely nice guy with a talent for inventions. She writes fluff features for the local weekly; Dean's job with the railroad frequently takes him out of town. Their squalid apartment is decorated with castoffs, hand-me-downs and antiques; everything she owns is "scratched and warped, ring-marked ... pure jetsam ... thrown overboard on purpose."

While Dean's working-class, bigoted family has few secrets, Madeline's background is more complicated. She comes from old money, but her side lost its inheritance years ago, and there's a sense of the absurd in her family. Dean's parents barely say a word at dinner. But for Madeline's family, "Mealtime conversation was like watching Fellini and Wodehouse drop acid." There's also a history of violence in Madeline's background, going back to Plymouth Rock.

Double murder

Madeline would believe just about any kind of behavior from her eccentric family - except that her favorite cousin, Lapthorne Townsend, could be a murderer. Madeline knows that has to be an explanation when Lapthorne's Army dog tags are uncovered at the site of a 19-year-old double murder. The teenage girls' murders were never solved. To find out what happened, Madeline will muster all of her minuscule journalistic experience and her tenuous family relations.

Set in 1988, "A Field of Darkness" superbly captures the era, small-town ennui and the changing face of upstate New York.

Read has an excellent flair for characters. Madeline's wry outlook on life and her background add texture to "A Field of Darkness." The author also expertly shapes the supporting characters. Dean's calming personality, an observant livestock auctioneer and a flamboyant best friend add to this multilayered plot.

"A Field of Darkness" is one of the best debuts of 2006. Readers will eagerly anticipate Read's next novel.