Origin, Diana's latest book, is a fast paced literary mystery taking place in Syracuse, New York in a cold, blustery winter. Diana is at her best with characters who build lives for themselves that are a bit outside the pack. Origin's main character, Lena, is set apart by her childhood. She was raised by foster parents, never knowing anything of her ancestors, and allowed to believe a fantasy about being rescued by apes in a rain forest. The fantasy shapes Lena's youth, leaving her more sensitive to the natural world and observant but also feeling alien from people. Her foster mother does not have the capacity to show Lena the affection necessary to build self confidence. Instead Lena grows up feeling damaged, alone, not expecting much from life. She suffers her husband's cheating ways, never questioning his right to take pleasure from other women, until the day he walks out the door leaving her broken and alone. With his desertion Lena's world collapses, it takes a long time to get back on her feet. Slowly she re-builds a place for herself that feels comfortable and safe. Lena rents a ratty apartment, concentrates on her job as a fingerprint analyst and spends the weekends taking long walks around the city. It is a small life, but it is all she expects. Her work is the one area she feels competent, the swirls of a fingerprint are constant, unchanging, they can be relied upon and are not as unpredictable as people. Lena has little contact with people. She is startled when a distraught mother makes her way to Lena's desk begging for help. The young mother is certain her baby did not die of SIDS. She wants Lena to investigate, she is sure her baby was murdered. The woman's desperation disturbs Lena. Looking into the matter Lena finds a high number of similar deaths. Could someone be killing innocent babies, disguising the murders as SIDS? Finding the answers will take Lena into her own past and put her life in jeopardy. It will be a dangerous search and time may be running out.