BOOK REVIEW - THE LIFE WE BURY by ALLEN ESKENS (NO SPOILERS)

It's not often that I read TWO BOOKS IN A ROW that I'd rate a 5 out of 5...... 

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book - "THE LIFE WE BURY" by ALLEN ESKENS (you can follow him on FACEBOOK too). 

From the first page, I was hooked and literally couldn't put it down. Only 300 pages - I finished it in 2 days. Easy-to-read and follow, FULL of SUSPENSE, and INTRIGUE - HEARTWARMING and FRIGHTFUL with many twists and turns. This author can write!

All of the characters are believable and well developed. I finished the book wanting nothing more - it was "JUST RIGHT"..........

Excited that it won THE EDGAR AWARD (2015), which in case you aren't aware, is for BEST WRITTEN MYSTERY. Very well deserved. Here are the other awards it's received:

• Anthony Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2015)
• Minnesota Book Award Nominee for Genre Fiction (2015)
• Thriller Award Nominee (2015)
• Barry Award Winner (2015)

My Book Club is going to really enjoy the discussion next month.  Naturally I don't want to spoil the story for you so I will only share a few excerpts to give you a flavor for the author's writing style (magnificent!):

Pg 7 (actually the first page of the story)

"Oddly enough my high-school guidance counselor never mentioned the word "college" in any of our meetings. Maybe she could smell the funk of hopelessness that clung to my second-hand clothing. Maybe she had heard that I started working at a dive bar called the Piedmont Club the day after I turned eighteen. Or - and this is where I'd place my bet - maybe she knew who my mother was and figured that no one can change the sound of an echo."

Pg 10

"My mother and my brother lived two hours south of the Twin Cities, but even a brief visit to my mom's place could be like a walk through a thistle patch."

Pg 38

"I have to get to class," she said, skirting past me, her shoulder brushing lightly against my arm as she went by. Then she paused at the door, or at least I think she paused. Maybe she was reconsidering my invitation. Maybe she was toying with me. Or, maybe - probably - my imagination was playing a trick on me and she didn't pause at all.

Pg 201

"Confession..." I said the word quietly to myself as a thought began forming, a dark and reckless thought, a thought that would follow me home and poke at me with the persistence of a petulant child."

TRUST ME - you WON'T be disappointed if you pick up this AWARD-WINNING BOOK and treat yourself to several hours of wonderful WRITING and STORY-TELLING.

JOAN