“Life is messy. People love how they can.”
“It occurred to him that most of the disasters people prepare for had already happened.”
I’ll admit that after reading the first chapter of this novel I was contemplating pulling out my hair. That chapter consisted mostly of a troubled, withdrawn, and deeply traumatized young man who views the world around him in an esoteric way. He is trying to punish himself for an incident of which we, as the reader knows nothing. He refers to himself and his parents as letters. He is A, his mother is X, his father is Y, etc. I found the beginning of this book so bizarre that I almost packed it in. What a mistake that would have been!
Once the mother, son, and aging dog began their road trip to rural Vermont, my interest was piqued and from then on I was fully engaged in the novel.
The grandmother, Marika was a memorable character. Her story was told via brief flashbacks to her childhood in Amsterdam during the German occupation in WWII.
The writing was skilled and eloquent. The setting was well-conceived and very realistic. The narrative spoke to familial dysfunction, buried traumas, shame, and family secrets. Though the blurb states that this book was infused with suspense, I did not find it so. It was a thoughtful, observant, and multi-layered work of literary fiction. Recommended.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Marysue Rucci Books/Simon and Schuster via Edelweiss.
ISBN: 9781476794266 – ASIN: B0B3Y91WDT – 272 pages
This title was published January 10, 2023 by Simon & Schuster
Suzanne Berne is the author of The Dogs of Littlefield; The Ghost at the Table; A Perfect Arrangement; A Crime in the Neighborhood, winner of Great Britain’s Orange Prize; and Missing Lucile: Memories of the Grandmother I Never Knew, part biography and part memoir. She has also written short fiction and essays that appear in Vogue, The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, and more. Berne currently teaches creative writing at Boston College and The Ranier Writing Workshop. She lives just outside of Boston with her husband and two daughters.
Connect with Suzanne Berne via her website.
and after that I plan to read
“Locust Lane” was an engrossing, contemporary murder mystery. With echoes of the family dynamics of “13 Reasons Why“, this modern thriller gave an observant and fascinating portrayal of the suburban American family dynamic. It expounds on the measures parents will go to in the protection of their children, and of their own reputations. It portrays teenagers trying to cope with social pressures and the all-consuming, and often tragic effect of social media in their lives.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from 
Are YOU a seasonal reader?
Whoever described this novel as a ‘modern-gothic thriller‘ got it spot on. The creepy curiousity shoppe Berry & Vincent, with its gruesome inventory, was macabre. It’s owner, Mr. Vincent was memorable to say the least. Mr. Vincent, though small, elderly, and stooped, exuded a vibe of evil malevolence. The town itself seemed corrupted by the very fact that Berry & Vincent’s was located within it. After Teddy works for a while at Berry & Vincent, the reader questions whether he has come to be infected by the malignance that permeates the store and its owner. Has Mr. Vincent met his nemesis?
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from 
Connect with Ronnie Turner via 
There is a second storyline which takes place in the late 1990s in Belfast, Ireland. This story revolves around John Kelly, who, though he is Irish by birth, has spent the last twenty years in the British Army and was a decorated member of the SAS. Now, the army wants him to go back to Belfast and infiltrate the 
Shortly after the first remains are found, Laura and Gareth have another murder on their hands…
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Avon Books UK via 
1) I love trying out new authors by reading their debut novels.
First off, I’m sharing SEVEN titles that I DO HAVE REVIEW COMMITMENTS for that I am highly anticipating:
“The sheep will spend its life in fear of the wolf, and then be eaten by the shepherd.”
Told in two voices – with a dual timeline, this novel captured me and transported me to the Outer Hebrides. The mournful tolling of the tide bell, the scent of the salt water, the sound of the crashing waves, the feel of the constant winds, all were made visceral to the reader. The sense of place was all pervasive lending the narrative a somber feel. The community was isolated and insular and they banded together despite their divergent personalities.
The plot was original and beautifully written. It contained several plot twists which added interest and food for thought to the story. I did find the pacing ponderously slow at times.
Fictionophile 