Hayley Scrivenor

Let’s get something straight right from the start.
This book is not a mystery.
So what is it then?
It is a combination of
Stand By Me
And every possible creative writing technique employed in a book in the last 20 years.
Plus it has gay characters.
The story takes place in 2001. Esther goes missing
The town is filled with people hiding things, or who are harboring secrets, or are lying. Or…..
Then the book jumps forward a year, then it does back a year, it introduces way too many characters none of whom are all that interesting and none of them matter to the story. The lead investigator is is Sarah. Sarah is a lesbian. That adds absolutely nothing to the story and isn’t relevant at all, but you are reminded she and her girlfriend had a messy breakup a couple of weeks prior to this story taking place. You are reminded of this over and over again with teeny tiny additional details added every now and then.
Oh and there are chapters labeled We- a sort of collective remembrance who narrates what wasn’t explained- which is oftentimes a lot because while this book seemed to go on for ever, nothing happens
You can read the first 30 pages and say the last 40 pages, and get nearly everything that was relevant in the book. The rest of it is really boring filler.… (más)

There is a lot going on in this book, very complex plotting, more than just a missing child. Very carefully layered story, overlapping (and challenging) time frames. Lots of secrets too, and things that the "town" knows, but that the investigating police don't necessarily. Even the police investigators have their own secrets.

The narrative is told through several points of view, and so taking notice at the beginning of each chapter of the date and identity of the narrator is important right from the beginning to the reader's understanding and appreciation. The multi-dimensional structure of the book is demanding of the reader. It is a book that requires a high level of concentration.

Highly recommended!… (más)