Little Lamb Lost

“A relentless social worker makes an intriguing amateur sleuth” in this southern crime novel, the first in a “promising new series” (Booklist).   Two-year-old Michael Hennessey is found dead and his mother, Ashley is arrested. The only person who doesn’t believe Ashley Hennessey killed her son is Claire Conover, the social worker who put Michael back in his mother’s home. Claire believes Ashley has recovered from a life of booze and drugs and turned over a new leaf for the sake of her child.   Now Claire just has to prove Ashley’s innocence to the police. There’s no shortage of other suspects. There’s the boyfriend who didn’t like being saddled with his girlfriend’s kid, and Ashley’s alcoholic stepfather with a shady past. And what about the boy’s mysterious father?     But the search for answers is fraught with uncertainty as Claire comes up against her own doubts. Maybe she got it wrong. Maybe Ashley was using again. Maybe reuniting mother and son was a misjudgment Claire would regret for the rest of her life.   Whatever the truth is, one thing is certain: Claire is about to uncover secrets that could ruin lives—or end her own.   “Fenton puts her experiences as a social worker to good use in her promising debut. . . . With her fine ear for regional speech, Fenton may do for Birmingham what Margaret Maron has done for rural North Carolina.” —Publishers Weekly   “A riveting story . . . Little Lamb Lost is highly recommended reading.” —Midwest Book Review   “Well done.” —Library Journal