After taking on the streets of fourteenth-century London in A Burnable Book and The Invention Fire, Bruce Holsinger transplants his penchant for uncanny plot devices and social fabrics in flux to 2018 Colorado with his domestic drama novel The Gifted School.

Set in the fictional town of Crystal, “one of the most politically progressive towns in America with one of the least diverse populations,” the book follows four families. The mothers, Rose, Lauren, Samantha, and Azra, bonded with one another eleven years earlier on account of their affluence and the intellect of their children — including the “chess personality” of Lauren’s son Xander and Rose’s daughter Emma’s love of books. They all share the drive to steer their children in the right direction within a society putting a premium on personal success and public image.

But this steering puts all four sides on a collision course with…