THE GIRL BEFORE

New York: Ballantine Books, 2017. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. For Delaney, better known as Anthony Capella, the bestselling author of "The Food of Love," "The Wedding Officer," "The Various Flavours of Coffee" and other novels, his first venture into the crime-thriller novel was successful enough that at least two more psychological thrillers are scheduled. This first, "The Girl Before," features two young women seeking apartments. It spins one woman's seeming good luck and another's mysterious fate through a nightmare of duplicity, depception and death. About 6 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches, 336 pages bound in white paper-covered boards over a white backstrip with red lettering and logo on the spine. The dustjacket's front panel, primarily blue and white, shows a woman silhouetted against the entrance to a building with title in red. Back panel contains six blurbs of "advance praise" for the book. Front cover shows two tiny penpoint-size dots, o/w boards and text are free of significant flaws. Complete, clean and unmarked. No tears, bumping, scratches or rubbing. Not remaindered, not ex-library. Front flap of dustjacket has vertical crease running from top to bottom of flap, o/w dj is free of flaws, wear or damage. Not price-clipped. This may be the start of another master author of crime fiction. A film version of the book is being developed by Academy Award-winning director, Ron Howard.