Secrets of Eden / Chris Bohjalian / 370 pages

Domestic abuse, murder, suicide, angels, and a small-town, Vermont pastor having a crisis of faith are some of the elements comprising Secrets of Eden.  Told in four voices:  Stephen Drew - the pastor, Catherine Benincasa - the prosecuting attorney, Heather Laurent - the well-known (fictional) author of angel books, and Katie Haywood - the orphaned daughter of the deceased, the novel examines the dynamics of spousal abuse and the meaning of faith in a profound, suspenceful, intimate style.