David Husffstetler

It is difficult to know where to begin in reviewing this book. From the start I want to say that it has potential. The book tells the story of the impact that a double murder in a urban town in Utah has on the immediate family and those associated and involved in the solving and prosecution of the case. It is told from the perspective of a number of the characters however the main narrative is from the point of view of the youngest child in the family, Merlin, who is a witness to the crime. There are passages that are beautifully structured throughout the story however I felt the book as a whole was in need of editing to tighten up some of the story lines and to maintain an even flow of the narrative in places. I didn't buy that the main suspect wasn't required to provide a reason for the injuries that he sustained even to the extent that I, as the reader, was not let in on the secret (even if this wasn't to be explained to the other cast members). I am not certain that this was a clever plot twist that would leave you guessing as to the reasons behind the characters reluctance to reveal all. I would be blunt enough to suggest that it was an easy way not to think up a reason by the author. I also wonder why the investigation into the second member of the murderous duo wasn't pursued with more rigour. I liked the story as a whole and with a little more tidying up it would provide a decent read. One final point, with regard to the copy that I reviewed, relates to the number of grammatical errors in the book that were as a result of a key word being totally absent from the sentence. How this could possibly occur when electronic checking of text is available is of concern.… (más)