“Jason Melby’s Fractured is an exquisitely crafted thriller that rewards patient readers with one of the most unsettling and emotionally resonant narratives I’ve encountered this year. The novel lingers on the fragile edges of grief, identity, and moral ambiguity, all while wrapping its readers in an atmosphere thick enough to taste. The setup is irresistible: Stu Harvey, a man already...

  Simon selected the needle nose pliers for reasons obvious to him. The pliers were more industrial, unlike his dental tools designed for specific applications. The pliers were easier to grip with the rubber handles and fit comfortably in his hand. Crude but highly effective, needle nose pliers served his objective without regard for a certain technique or developed skill...