Review of PET by Catherine Chidgey

 4 Stars

Remote Sympathy by Catherine Chidgey was one of my favourite books of 2022, so I thought I’d read this one by her.  It came out last summer.  It did not disappoint:  it’s truly compelling psychological suspense.

There are two timelines.  Most of the events take place in 1984 in Wellington, New Zealand.  Twelve-year-old Justine Crieve, like virtually all of her classmates, is drawn to Mrs. Price, their glamorous and charismatic teacher.  Justine is very happy when she is chosen as one of the teacher’s pets.  However when items start going missing in the classroom, including a special pen owned by Justine, she senses that something is not quite right.  Then when her best friend, Amy Fong, is scapegoated as the thief, Justine must decide where her loyalties lie.

The second timeline is 2014.  Justine is visiting her father in a nursing home and meets one of his caregivers who looks very much like Mrs. Price.  This encounter has Justine remembering the events of 30 years earlier.  It is made clear early on that something dramatic happened because Justine foreshadows that “everything went wrong.”

The uncertainty of what is really going on and what will happen creates suspense.  To complicate matters, Justine has epilepsy and her memory of events just before and after a seizure is often foggy.  Her unreliability as a narrator adds to the tension.

Characterization also adds to the uncertainty.  Mrs. Price is enigmatic and that is part of her allure.  There is certainly a dichotomy between her sweetness which seems superficial and some of her behaviour which borders on sadism.  She creates an atmosphere of competitiveness amongst her pupils, though she repeats that they are all family.  When Justine gets to know her teacher better, there are more questions.  What are those pills that Mrs. Price is always taking?  One of Justine’s friends says Mrs. Price is manipulative and that struck me as the perfect adjective.  Because Justine’s mother died recently, Mrs. Price takes advantage of Justine’s vulnerability. 

It is not just Mrs. Price’s actions and words that are unsettling.  The book includes examples of racism, bullying, objectification of women, and colonial mentality.  For instance, Amy, because she is of Asian heritage, is routinely bullied and ostracized; more than once Amy is taunted to kill herself, yet Mrs. Price does nothing.  Body-shaming comments are made about beauty pageant contestants and other girls in the class.   And Mrs. Price teaches that the Aboriginal People were “among the most primitive on earth.”

The book is well-written.  I especially loved some of the symbolism.  The axolotl works well in showing how Mrs. Price treats the children:  just as the students become bored with the amphibian, she becomes bored with one pet and moves on to another.  And the reference to the axolotl’s ability to regenerate (“Resurrecting all the damaged and amputated parts of herself, and living forever”) is a perfect description of a character. 

Though the novel begins slowly, my interest was caught immediately and I found it difficult to pull myself away from it.  I certainly recommend it to those who enjoy psychological suspense. 

Review of A GREAT COUNTRY by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (New Release)

 4 Stars

This book asks about the possibility and price of the American dream.

Ashok and Priya Shah immigrated to the U.S. from India almost two decades earlier.  By working hard, they’ve achieved success, having recently moved to an affluent gated community in southern California.  Deepa, the eldest daughter, insists on staying at her old school with its multi-ethnic students, including her best friend Paco whose mother is undocumented.  However, Maya, the middle child, loves her new school and strives to be accepted by her wealthy classmates. 

One day, twelve-year-old Ajay, the youngest child, flies his homemade drone near an airport and is beaten and arrested as a terrorism suspect.  Because he is on the autism spectrum, though not diagnosed, his reactions complicate the situation.  As the Shahs struggle with the upheaval in their lives, the community at large becomes aware of Ajay’s arrest and the response is not always positive.

Multiple viewpoints are given.  The perspectives of Ashok, Priya, Deepa, and Maya are included regularly so we get to know them really well and understand their actions.  Ajay’s thoughts are also given occasionally, as are those of one of the arresting police officers. 

The Shahs see themselves as model immigrants.  Well-educated, they’ve worked hard and become upstanding citizens:  “they were a law-abiding, tax-paying family who had followed every single rule since arriving in the country with a proper visa and legal invitation to come.”  Despite their success and efforts not to draw attention to themselves, they encounter prejudice.  Ashok thinks about India “where the complex strictures of caste, privilege, and socioeconomic class were [difficult] to escape,” but he realizes he has exchanged these constraints “for the new challenges of being a visible minority and an obvious foreigner.”  He concludes, “America had its own version of a caste system – some visible minorities were on the bottom, hampered by discrimination and historical disadvantages, a constant headwind against their efforts.”

So the novel questions whether it is possible for immigrants to achieve the American dream:  “Is America truly a country where people can come from around the world to seek their version of the American dream, or a place where ancient biases and discrimination continue to reign?”  The Shahs belong to a “model minority” considered “smart and knowledgeable” and they have “managed to ascend to a higher rung,” but events show that they are not totally accepted.  It’s as if the message is “thus far and no further.” 

Of course, there are also questions about the meaning of success.  Ashok in particular thinks in terms of economic success, but he and Priya come to realize that material trappings do not guarantee happiness.  The family receives more support from outsiders and the middle-class community in which they lived previously. 

One aspect of the book that bothered me is that it borders on being didactic.  Some of the conversations so obviously touch on topics like immigration and racism:  “’When a community starts becoming successful, that is when the backlash starts.’”  Then there are statements like, “A country whose global advantage was its diversity born of immigration was turning its back on what had made it great.”  And a character’s thoughts become a history lesson:  “[Deepa’s] parents didn’t bother trying to see what life was like for Black people in this country, to understand the legacy of slavery and how it had reverberated through centuries of life in America:  Jim Crow, voter suppression, redlined districts, underfunded public schools.  Entire communities had been neglected when it came to infrastructure, from safe drinking water to access to fresh food and health care.”

Touching on themes of immigration, community, social class, stereotyping, racial profiling, white privilege, upward mobility, and generational conflict, this is a timely book with an important message.

Note:  I received a digital galley from publishers via NetGalley.

Review of A RULE AGAINST MURDER by Louise Penny

 3 Stars

The fourth Armand Gamache book takes place at the Manoir Bellechasse rather than in Three Pines. 

Armand and his wife Reine-Marie are staying at the exclusive resort to celebrate their wedding anniversary.  The other guests are the Finney family; they have gathered for a family reunion.  As expected, one of the Finneys is killed so Gamache and his team investigate.  The story has the feel of a locked-room mystery because the murderer is certainly one of the guests or staff.  What is particularly unusual is the method used to kill; it is even more of a mystery than the identity and motive of the killer.

In some ways it was a relief to have the book set outside of Three Pines because after the first three books, it felt like Cabot Cove.  For those missing the idyllic village, there is a visit where some of the residents make an appearance.  Clara and Peter Morrow once again are central figures.  The character of Peter has always troubled me to some extent, especially his jealousy, and this book does go a long way to explaining the reasons for his personality. 

There is a truly dysfunctional family in this book.  There is little to like about the Finneys; they are totally obnoxious, always making nasty comments to each other.  They hold grudges and resentments.  Behaviours that they adopted as children, as they competed for their father’s love and attention, continue into adulthood.  There are some attempts to show some positive qualities, but I found them unconvincing.  A loving father would be angry with his daughter when some graffiti defames and degrades her?  Why wouldn’t Irene Finney tell her adult children about her chronic pain that made even touch painful?  Surely saying something loving wouldn’t increase that pain?  And Marianne Finney is so intelligent and creative and successful, but names her child Bean so a grandmother won’t know her grandchild’s gender? 

There are other weak justifications for behaviour.  The killer’s motive is unconvincing since the victim is totally innocent and merely an expedient scapegoat.  And the method of murder takes days to execute so is it supposed to be a premeditated crime or a crime of passion?  And as in A Fatal Grace, there are so many variables that the killer could not control (like ensuring that the victim would be in a particular spot during a storm) so had to have a great deal of luck. 

Readers of Penny’s novels will find it easy to find the usual Penny touches.  There’s the detailed description of food, an overweight character, and the Agatha Christie gathering at the end.  I did find the tea party before the killer is taken into custody a bit over-the-top.  Gamache, again, is almost sanctified.  The climactic scene which also equates him as a Burgher of Calais willing to sacrifice himself for others is a bit much.  Attempts to give him flaws are weak because he always recognizes and admits his errors. 

Everything – except Bean’s gender – is tied up nicely at the end.  Since this book explains much about Peter Morrow, I am wondering whether further books in the series will delve into the backstories of other Three Pines characters.  I think other village residents probably have interesting histories as well.

Review of THE COLLAPSING WAVE by Doug Johnstone (New Release)

 4 Stars

This is the second book in The Enceladon Trilogy; it takes place six months after the end of The Space Between Us.

Ava is awaiting the verdict in her murder trial while Lennox and Heather are prisoners at New Broom, an American military base in Scotland where their ability to telepathically communicate with the Enceladons is being exploited.  Enceladons are being captured and subjected to barbaric experiments.  When Sandy makes contact, they execute an escape plan which ultimately leads to a confrontation between those who see these beings as a threat and those who understand that they could help create a better future for humanity.

As does the first novel, this one employs a multiple point of view structure.  The perspectives of Lennox, Ava, and Heather are given in alternating chapters.  The view of a fourth character, Oscar Fellowes, the antagonist of The Space Between Us, is also added.  He understands that he was wrong and now wants only to learn from and about the Enceladons, though Ava, Lennox, and Heather are mistrustful of him.

The main villain is General Ryan Carson who is charge of New Broom.  He represents all of the worst of humanity, turning “first contact with an alien species into some pest-control exercise,” and insisting that the Enceladons, whom he considers “an existential threat to humanity,” be called illegals.  Arrogant and drunk with power, he has no concern for the law or anyone’s welfare.  He’s willing to manipulate and ab/use anyone, even an infant, in order to achieve his goal of preventing alien domination.  Incarceration and physical and emotional torture are his tools.  He clearly states his belief that “’Might is right, that’s all there is to it.  Humans were designed to take what we can and exploit it.  It’s kill or be killed, eat or be eaten.’” 

Ironically, it is the Enceladons who behave humanely.  They don’t understand war and are unable to lie.  Ava believes they don’t “comprehend how humanity worked.  They were too innocent, open and caring.”  In many ways, the Enceladons are foils for humans.  Oscar points out that humans fear intelligent creatures:  “’We hate that something else will see humans for the monsters we really are.  Seeing humanity from the outside, what we do to each other and our planet, that’s terrifying.’”  Lennox agrees:  “Humans were nasty, craven, violent and selfish, and the Enceladons brought that into sharp relief.”  But of course the Enceldons are perceived as a threat because “they pointed towards a new way of being, and that was threatening to the status quo.”

In The Space Between Us, the limitations of humans are delineated.  In The Collapsing Wave, this idea reappears.  Oscar thinks, “Energy all around him that he couldn’t see with his pathetic human senses.  Birds navigated by sensing magnetic fields, some fish sent electrical messages, dogs lived in a world of scents.  In one way, it wasn’t surprising the Enceladons had telepathy, just another extension of the animal kingdom’s sensory experience.  And here he was, stuck with his limited human brain, trying to understand it.”    

The novel’s theme is stated clearly.  Lennox realizes that “Reality is not things, it’s the connections between things.”  Sandy emphasizes that “Communication is connection, life is connection.”  And Ava agrees:  “Imagine if everyone knew what everyone else was feeling?  Surely the world would be better, we would have more empathy.”   The implication is that our lack of connection is responsible for the “inequality, violence, poverty, hatred, wars, famine, disease, destruction.  Hate, hate, hate, all the way down to the core of what it is to be human.”  It is wonderful to see when people, like Lennox and Vonnie, do achieve a special connection.  Certainly the Outwithers, camped near New Broom, are drawn to the Enceladons “by some dream, a sense it was vital.”  While they wait, they create “a sense of community.”

There are some weaknesses that irritated me.  I found it difficult to believe that New Broom was built in six months and is “not subject to British or international law”?  If the latter is indeed the case, why is there a court martial and why would Mendoza still have a treason charge hanging over him?  Carson with his lack of redeeming qualities comes across as a cartoon-type villain.  And the thriller-style standoff struck me as too over-the-top, though I understand its entertainment value. 

As I read, I often thought of films I’ve seen and books I’ve read.  E.T. the Extraterrestrial came to mind, but so did The Shape of Water.  When reading about Chloe, I was even reminded of Petra in The Chrysalids by John Wyndham, and I wonder whether Chloe will play a pivotal role in the next book.  I taught The Chrysalids many times when I was a teacher, and if I were still teaching, I think I’d use The Enceladon Trilogy. 

Speculative fiction featuring octopus-like aliens is not my typical genre, but this series is so well-written that I’m definitely a fan.  Action-packed with lots of tension because of almost constant danger for the protagonists, it is entertaining.  But more than that, it is thought-provoking.  It left me agreeing that we do indeed live in “a post-truth world now, full of lies and misinformation,” and thinking about our treatment of “refugees fleeing some kind of climate crisis or invading violence” and how “Human exceptionalism had fucked Earth, it was the reason for climate change, imperialism, wars, slavery, capitalism.” 

Like The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is more about human beings than it is about aliens.

Review of THE SWAN'S NEST by Laura McNeal (New Release)

 4 Stars

When I was an English teacher, I taught Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese (especially “How Do I Love Thee?”) and Robert Browning’s dramatic monologues like “My Last Duchess,” “Porphyria’s Lover,” and “The Bishop Orders his Tomb at St. Praxed’s Church”.  And of course I told students about the courtship and marriage of these two 19^th-century poets.  This novel, based on extensive research, is a fictionalized account of that love affair.

Elizabeth Barrett is already a successful, well-known poet when Robert Browning, a younger and less popular poet, writes to her praising her work.  An admirer of his innovative, obscure poems, she is ecstatic.  Robert begs to meet her but she has been confined to her home for almost her entire life because of a debilitating illness.  She keeps delaying their meeting:  “There must never come a day when Mr. Browning saw her as she was, a person, a body instead of a mind.  There must never come a day when she had to see him being disappointed in what she was.” 

Five months later, the meeting does eventually take place.  Romance blooms, but Robert has difficulty convincing Elizabeth to marry him.  She fears her father’s reaction, knowing that he will see the impecunious Robert as wanting to wed her because she has a degree of financial independence.  Elopement means a long, tiring journey for them, especially for Elizabeth because of her precarious health. 

Besides the love affair, the book touches on other topics.  Because some of the Barrett money is derived from a Jamaican sugar plantation, the issues of racism and slavery are discussed.  A subplot deals with Edward Barrett, the family patriarch, refusing to acknowledge the illegitimate child of his son and a black servant.  One of Elizabeth’s brothers is attracted to a woman, but her abolitionist views make her an unacceptable partner.

The differences between the lives of men and women are also depicted.  Women’s lives tend to be narrow and restricted.  Robert, for instance, though he cannot travel in luxury, is able to travel freely.  His sister Sarianna, however, is trapped by her gender, financial dependence, and family responsibilities.  While her brother is away, she is expected to look after her parents.  The sections from her point of view are heart-breaking; she asks herself, “how many times could you look at the same view?  The view that would be hers next year, and the next.”  Arabella, Elizabeth’s youngest sister, is in the same position.  Even though Elizabeth has money of her own, she is expected to do as her father wishes.  Englishmen in charge of plantations in Jamaica are free to have mistresses who are often abandoned to look after any children from these liaisons while “’the men are never punished, unless they are Black.’”

The protagonists are realistic because both are flawed.  Though we might know them as famous poets, Elizabeth has a laudanum/morphine addiction, and Robert proves to be naïve in his lack of preparations for their trip to Italy.  He has to be rescued by a woman!  The villain is certainly Elizabeth’s father who is a stern, controlling tyrant.  He believes he knows what is best for Elizabeth; he even refuses to send her to a warmer climate for the winter despite a doctor’s strong recommendations.  He wants none of his children to marry, probably because he is concerned about the family’s dwindling finances:  “Protecting a smaller and smaller fortune from lawyers and extended family has given him a horror of wills and additional descendants.’”  Elizabeth loves her father but she concedes that “his disapproval of men and marriages never stopped being what it was:  illogical and cruel to everyone except himself, benevolent and protective in his own mind.” 

One aspect that I found problematic is the point of view.  The perspective of various characters is given and that I enjoyed.  It’s just that characters appear and then disappear.  For instance, we are given the perspective of Elizabeth’s sister Henrietta but then she seems to be replaced her younger sister Arabella.  Sarianna is given attention at the beginning, but then she too is given short shrift.  As a consequence, the novel feels disjointed at times. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It is not just about the romance between Elizabeth and Robert; it also depicts the harsh realities of racism and the restrictions women faced at the time.  Whether familiar or not with Elizabeth and Robert’s poetry or love story, readers will find much to enjoy in this novel. 

Note:  Lovers of Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess” should also read The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, a novel based on that dramatic monologue (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2022/11/review-of-marriage-portrait-by-maggie.html). 

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Review of AFTER ANNIE by Anna Quindlen (New Release)

 4 Stars

This quiet novel is a powerful study of grief.

The book covers the first year following the sudden death of Annie Brown in her mid-thirties.  Those who experience her loss most strongly are her husband Bill, her four children, a best friend, and the people she helped care for in her job as a nursing home aide.  The focus is on Annie’s husband, her eldest child Ali, and her best friend Annemarie. 

There is no one way or right way to grieve and that is clearly shown.  Bill becomes unmoored and tries to fill an emotional void by reconnecting with a former girlfriend.  Ali takes on her mother’s role by caring for her three younger brothers and her father.  Annemarie, a recovering drug addict, returns to destructive behaviours.  The three sons show their distress in different ways. 

This is very much a novel of character.  All characters, even the more minor ones, feel authentic.  Except perhaps for Bill’s mother, they are basically good people who have flaws.  Bill, for instance, loves his children but is clueless in many ways; after Annie’s death he describes himself as being “without a map or a guidebook” for his life.  He makes the mistake of not talking about Annie with his children and has to learn that “’sadness shouldn’t lead to silence.’” 

Though Annie speaks only one sentence in the entire book, her character is also developed because we get to know her through others.  We learn about her strengths and what was important to her.  She loved her family, friend, and clients.  She had a great sense of humour, appreciated the simple things in life, and took joy in her job and roles as wife and mother.  Most of what we learn is positive but given the circumstances, that makes sense; in fact, Ali wonders “whether anyone ever said true things about people after they were dead, or whether dead people were always perfect, or at least very, very good.”   For instance, Ali realizes “No one said, I wouldn’t want to get on Annie’s bad side, although that was true.”  The more we get to know about Annie, the more we feel the characters’ loss. 

There are many positive messages.  Annie is an ordinary person who has an extraordinary impact so the reader is reminded that anyone can make a lasting impression.  All those she loved continue to hear Annie’s voice in their heads so no one loved is ever truly gone.  When Bill starts mentioning Annie in his conversations with his children, they see that he is not trying to forget her:  memories provide comfort as one grieves.  There is also an underlying idea that life is a privilege not given to everyone, so it’s important to embrace life.

Because of its subject matter, this book is not an easy read, but in the end it offers hope by emphasizing the power of love and human connection.  We all encounter grief at some time in our lives, and this poignant novel provides some insight into that experience. 

Note:  I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Review of PEACE BY CHOCOLATE by Jon Tattrie

 3.5 Stars

If you want to have your faith in humanity restored, read this book.

Isam Hadhad was a chocolatier in Syria for almost 25 years, but when his family home and chocolate factory in Damascus were destroyed, he took his wife Shahnaz and five of his children to Lebanon.  After years as refugees there, they were sponsored by a group in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.  Tareq, the eldest son, arrived first; he was soon followed by the rest of the family.  With the help of the community, the family was able to open a new chocolate factory, Peace by Chocolate, which became very successful, with a percentage of profits going to peace-building projects around the world.

The reader learns about a family losing everything, having to leave family members behind in an unsafe situation, and adjusting to life in a totally alien country with a different language and customs.  Nonetheless, the book emphasizes the positive.  It’s a story of resilience and perseverance, luck, and compassion, acceptance, and kindness.  The Hadhad family is determined and hardworking; Canadian immigration officials are helpful; and the community of Antigonish is welcoming and supportive.  Even a major grocery chain is shown in a positive light. 

I did question how amazingly welcoming and supportive the people of Antigonish were to this Syrian family.  So many worked selflessly to assist the Hadhads and everyone was so welcoming that they experienced no prejudice? 

The writing style I would describe as newspaper expository writing style with more simple than complex sentences.  Information is given clearly and concisely, but my personal preference is for more variety in sentence structure.  I do read much more fiction than non-fiction so perhaps that explains my dislike of such a straightforward style. 

There are several messages in the book, but there are three that will remain with me.  I was struck by the family’s gratitude for being in Canada, reminding me how fortunate I am to have been born in the country which, though not perfect, “can be the warmest place on this entire planet.”  The value of immigration is also emphasized; Canada has much to gain by welcoming newcomers into the country.  And then there’s the focus on the Golden Rule and doing unto others; the Hadhads are determined to repay the many kindnesses they received and so have become philanthropists. 

This is a book that will make you cry and laugh and see the good in people.  It reminded me of Come from Away.  It’s a feel-good read we need.  Even looking at the smiles of the Hadhads, especially Tareq’s, in the photos cannot but brighten your day. 

Review of TO THE DOGS by Louise Welsh (New Release)

 3.5 Stars

This Scottish crime thriller begins promisingly but then becomes bogged down with subplots.

Jim Brennan’s life is a success story.  The son of a ruthless gangster, he has left behind his childhood in an impoverished and violent home.  He is now a respected professor of criminology and university vice-chancellor.  He and his accomplished wife Maggie have two children.  Things start to go awry when their son Eliot is arrested on drug charges.  To help Eliot, Jim becomes involved with shadowy figures in the criminal underworld he thought he had escaped.  Various demands threaten his family and his career.  As he faces many pressures in both his personal and professional life, will he compromise his principles?

Jim has many conflicts.  Should he protect his son by doing as Eliot’s drug bosses demand or should he let him lie in a bed of his own making in the hopes that some time in prison will reform his son?  Then he wonders what he should do when a Chinese student at the university’s satellite campus in Beijing goes missing.  There’s the issue of funding from Saudi Arabia.  Some of Jim’s colleagues and university students object to his accepting money from a regime with a terrible record of abusing human rights.  And the suicide of a student leaves him wondering about his responsibility.

Jim is a complex character.  There is no doubt that he loves his family.  He recognizes that he has not always made the best parenting choices, thereby contributing to Eliot’s irresponsible behaviour.  But he admits, more than once, to being willing to kill to protect his family.  His attempts to help students seem perfunctory, but he steps up for his family.  I could only admire his unconditional love for his son because there is virtually nothing likeable about Eliot; he seems to blame his parents for being absent, not making him their priority, for his bullying, thievery, speeding , drunkenness, and college course failures.  The one thing that bothered me is Jim’s lack of understanding of criminals.  Despite his upbringing and his degrees in criminology, he seems constantly surprised by their behaviour. 

The addition of subplots is problematic.  The result is a narrative that becomes disjointed and bogged down.  There is little follow-through on some of these so they seem to contribute little to the overall narrative.  Is the message that there is coercion and corruption to be found among academics as well as criminals?  The author implies that universities have blood on their hands if they align themselves with regimes with deplorable human rights’ records.  Is she suggesting that universities are criminal organizations not much different from those found in the criminal underworld?

The plot becomes increasingly convoluted and I found myself becoming annoyed with the constant piling on of Jim’s problems; it felt like they were added just to confuse.  The stereotypical characterization of gangsters does not impress.  And then the ending seems rushed and leaves unanswered questions. 

This book may appeal to others, but I found myself losing interest with the muddled combination of criminal activities and academic politics.

Note:  I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Review of A MAN DOWNSTAIRS by Nicole Lundrigan (New Release)

 4 Stars

Those who enjoy the psychological suspense genre should definitely pick up this book.  This is the first book I’ve read by this Canadian author, but it will not be my last. 

Molly Wynters and her teenaged son Alex move back to her hometown to help care for her father Gil who suffered a debilitating stroke and is unable to communicate.  Forty years earlier, when Molly was three, she witnessed the murder of her mother Edie.  Molly’s testimony resulted in a teenager being sent to prison.  After her return, Molly starts to receive messages accusing her of not telling the entire truth and threatening to hold her accountable.  Molly begins to question the accuracy of her memory.  Did she accuse the wrong person?  And who is her tormentor? 

The novel is narrated from three perspectives, one in the present and two in the past.  In the present, we have Molly’s third-person point of view; events following her return to Aymes are detailed, as are her reactions.  From Gil, in third-person narration, we learn about past events, focusing on his first meeting Edie and their marriage before and after Molly’s birth.  Also from the past, the reader is given the first-person perspective of a character identified only as Him.  He becomes romantically obsessed with the lunch lady at his school, Edie Wynters. 

One of the things that appealed to me is that there is a large cast of possible suspects both for murdering Edie and for harassing Molly.  I found myself developing various theories since more than one character behaves in a peculiar way.  I did correctly guess the identity of the killer, but certainly not exactly what happened.  I loved how at the end, all is explained so that everyone’s behaviour makes perfect sense. 

I also liked that the characters are realistic.  Villains are not so evil that they are unbelievable; instead, we have flawed characters who are clearly motivated to act as they do.  Certainly, I didn’t always agree with people’s choices, but I was able to understand the reasons for them.  Perhaps the most relevant comments are from a conversation between Molly and her son:  “’just because a person has a shitty life, it doesn’t mean they’re a liar’” and “’just because someone lives a decent life, doesn’t mean they’re always honest.’” 

Besides presenting some mysteries and exploring topics like marriage, memory, and secrets and lies, the book also examines parent-child relationships.  There are examples of both fairly healthy and rather dysfunctional relationships.  What is emphasized is what people will do because of their love for a child or parent. 

This is an enjoyable read that kept my interest throughout.  I would caution, however, that the ending will definitely leave readers feeling uneasy.

Note:  I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.