A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Evardsson is a 2018 Celadon Books publication.
This book has been on and off my TBR list a few times over the years. I A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Evardsson is a 2018 Celadon Books publication.
This book has been on and off my TBR list a few times over the years. I recently discovered there was a Netflix series based on the book and so I decided to add it back to my list- then maybe give the TV series a go.
A teenage girl is accused of murdering an older man she may have been involved with romantically. She has a bit of a troubled past and now her parents face a dilemma no parent could possibly prepare themselves for....
The story is naturally a bit of a whodunit- as we are not entirely sure the accused is the guilty party- it’s also sort of a legal 'thriller', but perhaps at its core it’s a family drama with some interesting character studies.
Each individual narrator provides a piece of the family puzzle- a father who is perhaps over involved in his daughter’s life, a man who is concerned about his reputation and appearances, in contrast with the mother, whose job requires long hours and prevents her from establishing the close relationship with her daughter that her husband seems to enjoy.
Decisions from the past also come back to haunt them and play a key role in the current situation they find themselves in. It is also a thought-provoking set up that begs anyone who is a parent to ask themselves to what length would they go to protect their child.
While the story can be absorbing at times, it is a bit of a slower burn- and in the end I didn’t feel the sense of satisfaction I was expecting. It’s a well thought out, well written saga- and I think it has merit-but overall, I’m afraid I was a bit underwhelmed by it. Again, for the second time in a row I’ve decided to pass on the media tie-in- at least for now- and I think I’ll avoid that sort of tie-in for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, 2024 seems to be off to a sluggish start. I hope it improves soon!
Throwing in the towel at 42 %. Too many characters and I'm bored silly. Throwing in the towel at 42 %. Too many characters and I'm bored silly. ...more
Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence- Ash is a 2023 Celadon Books publication.
Beatrix- ‘Bea’ Thompson is sent to America at age eleven by her parentsBeyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence- Ash is a 2023 Celadon Books publication.
Beatrix- ‘Bea’ Thompson is sent to America at age eleven by her parents to protect her from the ravages of World War ll. She lands with the Gregory family in Boston and is immediately folded into this loving family, though it does take some time to adjust.
As the war rages on, Bea enjoys a life she could never have imagined. Her American mother, Nancy, grows quite attached, and Nancy’s son’s also forge a tight bond with Bea.
But on the other side of the ocean, Bea’s parents struggle with the reality of war, with missing their daughter, and the widening distance between them- not just geographically, or physically, but emotionally…
Eventually, though, despite the chasm of grief over leaving America, Bea returns home to her mother. Yet, as the years pass, the bonds she created with the Gregory’s never fully fades. They each, in their own way, stay emotionally connected, believing they must live separate lives despite the deep-seated feelings that bind them together…
What an amazing novel! I love historical sagas- and this one fits the bill- it’s sweeping- covering decades of time. In many ways it is a quiet novel, but it packs a big emotional punch. The characters each have strengths and flaws, go through many trials and changes, periods of setbacks and growth, triumphs and grief, and the reader is right there- going through it with them!
Overall, this is a beautifully written story- a love story on so many levels, and a story that will stick with me a long time to come!
Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases by Paul Holes is a 2022 Celadon Books publication.
I may be the only true crime fan who has never gotteUnmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases by Paul Holes is a 2022 Celadon Books publication.
I may be the only true crime fan who has never gotten into podcasts. But even if you aren't aware of Paul's wildly popular True Crime podcasts, you may still recognize him from his many appearances on true crime television shows. You might also be familiar with his name in connection with to the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer case- which was the case for me.
While this is a memoir- it might be better described as a 'true crime' memoir, as for the most part, the book is focused on Paul's career path, the cases he worked and the outcomes, but does delve into his personal life, as well.
The main criminal case the book is centered around is the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer case, but he tells of many other cases he helped to solve and described how his career started, how he got bitten by the 'cold case' bug and why he often had to work those cases 'off the clock'.
Unlike some of his crime solving buddies, Paul is not an amateur sleuth. He has a background in criminology, having worked in the Sheriff's department in Contra Costa. But, it is his work on cold cases that he seems the most proud of.
If not for Paul’s dedication, and near obsession with cold cases, many of these cases would still be sitting in an unsolved folder somewhere, I’m sure. Now, though, many families finally have the answers they deserved, justice was served, and some people were exonerated from suspicion.
That said, I admit I do have some misgivings, if that is the right word, about the 'obsessive' mentality of folks like Billy Jensen, Michelle McNamara, and Paul Holes. On one hand, I greatly admire their tenacious dedication, but on the other, I see a lot of collateral damage.
When it came to Paul's personal life, he was not as heroic, in my opinion. With memoirs it can be hard to keep an unbiased view or maintain neutrality if one disagrees with the writer's perspective, though I really did try to talk myself down and keep it in perspective.
In this case, Paul's work/family balance was hard for me to fully accept and speaks to the 'obsessiveness' he seems to deliberately chose over his loved ones. He also blames the wrong entity for all the evil in this world, and I felt offended by his critical views on faith and God.
I also grew weary of the dissection of his first marriage, which basically felt like defensive grievance airing, with one instance in particular resulting in a hard eye roll on my part. I think I would have preferred hearing more about his current wife, who works in the same profession, and appears to be a much better match for him.
All that said, most people are going to buy this book for the true crime stories, and on that front, Holes delivers wholeheartedly.
Despite my reservations in some cases, and my concern about glorifying and monetizing this manic lifestyle, I am glad we have people like Paul who are willing to go the extra mile, and I’m glad to see that his hard work has morphed into a second career for him.
There is no question that many of us breathe a little easier now that a truly horrifying monster has been identified and is off the streets, and that the victims and their families can finally stop looking over their shoulders, and will get some long overdue justice. For that peace of mind, we can thank Paul and his partners in crime, so to speak, and of course I have utmost respect the people who sacrificed much, and who refused to give up on these cold cases.
Overall, a very interesting glimpse into the life of a cold case investigator. The cases highlighted are well-chosen and have all the elements true crime fanatics want to read and hear about. If you are a fan of Paul’s podcasts, and of the true crime genre, you won’t want to miss this book.
Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin is a 2020 Celadon Books publication.
The Thomas family, from New York, goes on a vacation to a Caribbean Island, where thSaint X by Alexis Schaitkin is a 2020 Celadon Books publication.
The Thomas family, from New York, goes on a vacation to a Caribbean Island, where their teenage daughter, Alison, vanishes and is later found dead. Years later, Alison's younger sister, Claire, who has changed her name to Emily, encounters one of the men who was suspected of killing Alison. She decides to get close to him, hoping to discover the truth about what happened on the night of Alison's death- but her plan morphs into an obsession that takes over her life…
This book was on my radar for a while, but I never got around to reading it until I heard that there was a TV adaptation of it. My first impression, based on the blurb- was that this book might be a fictionalized account of the Natalee Holloway case. But, while the setup is indeed very similar, the book also explores themes of privilege and race, and how the tourists and the locals have different experiences and perspectives on the island.
The author uses an unusual way of telling the story, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. She introduces a lot of minor characters who don't really contribute much to the plot. But she also shows how the tragedy affected different people in different ways over time. The book eventually reveals what really happened to Alison... sort of. We get to know what happened to the other characters, but there is still some uncertainty about the details of Alison's death. I think this is more realistic, but not altogether satisfying.
I can see why some people liked this book and appreciated the message that the author was trying to convey. But I can also see why some people didn't like it and felt that the execution and ambiguity were too frustrating. I'm somewhere in between. I understand the issues that the author wanted to highlight, but I also felt that they distracted from the mystery itself. I think I would have liked it better if the book had been a simple and straightforward Natalee Holloway-inspired thriller, which was what I’d been expecting in the first place.
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