Thursday, October 29, 2020

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

It's summer and Amanda and Clay are looking forward to a week away with their son, Archie and daughter, Rose. They've rented a house in a remote area of Long Island. On their second day there, the owners of the home--G.H. and Ruth--arrive, saying that a blackout has happened in New York City and asking if they can take refuge at their home. With a media blackout and no cellular service, the group is in the dark about what's really going on, but it doesn't look good. Leave the World Behind explores all the characters' reactions to the situation and their interactions with each other in a unputdownable story. Similar in feeling to Bird Box and in character development to Lake Life and also a great choice for book clubs.

Sunday, October 25, 2020

The Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

In Hampstead, the lives of the Fours family and their neighbor Owen Pick collide when teenager Saffyre Maddox goes missing. A few years ago, Saffyre was a patient of child psychologist Roan Fours. His wife, Cate, secretly looked at Saffyre's file, because she (incorrectly) suspected Roan of having an affair with her. Saffyre herself has recently been secretly keeping tabs on Roan and his family. Owen, meanwhile, has just been put on leave from his job as a teacher because of complaints from students, and has drawn suspicion from Georgia Fours, the daughter of the family, because she felt he was "weird." When the police become involved, Owen finds himself in even more trouble. In The Invisible Girl, author Jewell explores the everyday lives of the Fours, Owen Pick, and Saffyre Maddox--their secrets, suspicions, and lies--as she takes us on the journey to discover what really happened to Saffyre. 

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Dear Child by Romy Hausmann

When a woman is hit by a car with her daughter nearby, the authorities believe she could be Lena Beck, who went missing thirteen years ago. The daughter, Hannah, accompanies her mother to the hospital, and slowly the police realize that Hannah has lived her whole life away from the world, locked up along with her mother and younger brother, Jonathan. As both Hannah and the woman she refers to as her mother tell their story, there are more questions than answers, frustrating all involved--especially Lena's father, Matthias. Lena and Hannah might also still be in danger, even though a man believed to be Hannah's father was found dead in the cabin where they were kept. In Dear Child, author Hausmann keeps the reader guessing until the last pages are turned.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

The Searcher by Tana French

Cal Hooper has retired from the Chicago Police Department and has moved to the remote town of Ardnakelty, on the west coast of Ireland. He spends his days mostly in solitude, rehabbing the home he has purchased and listening to music. Then he realizes that he is being watched, and soon uncovers the culprit--a teenager named Trey. Trey wants Cal to find out what happened to his older brother, Brendan, who disappeared six months ago. Cal doesn't want to get involved, but agrees when he realizes that Trey won't leave him alone until he agrees. Cal has to watch himself because everyone knows everyone else's business in this small town and, as a newcomer, he's not sure of whom he should be wary. On top of that, Cal is also concerned  that his investigation could bring trouble from Dublin. The Searcher is a leisurely-paced, finely-detailed story of a man who was looking for the quiet life in a small town, but found something else.