Beautiful Lies, by Lisa Unger

Freelance writer Ridley Jones has lived a charmed life in New York, with loving parents and a promising career. That starts to change after a heroic act puts her in the spotlight and she receives a message that makes her question her whole identity. A sexy new neighbour helps her out, but what are his true motives and who can she trust? The opening preamble, set in 1972, is suspenseful and ominously sets up the story. The opening chapter jumps forward 30 years, reverting to first person in an expository mess. This improves as the action heats up and the tale of corruption and violent exploitation unfolds, but the characters are just not credible and the epilogue is as dully expository as chapter one.