This book will have you twisting and turning all the way through. A mystery/thriller that lets you think you know the answer then bam – it bangs a hard left.
Marcus Goldman’s first novel became a huge success. He had money, prestige and fame. All he had to do was write his second novel, but no matter how hard he tried he kept drawing a blank. Was he just a one hit wonder?
Goldman decided to visit his friend and college teacher and mentor Harry Quebert, a man he idolized and spent a great deal of his time with in college. Quebert had encouraged Goldman’s writing all during his college years.
Goldman traveled to Quebert’s quaint New Hampshire town where he lived. Goldman spends most of his time moping about and again couldn’t come up with anything to write. He returned to his home in New York and his publisher threatened to drop him.
Like a gift from heaven a book idea dropped into his hands. His agent called and told Goldman to turn on the TV and there for the world to see was Quebert being arrested. The body of a dead teenage girl was found on Quebert’s property. The agent told him go write a book about that now!
And thus the roller coaster ride begins.
Multiple characters, town mysteries, opposing evidence and witness testimony all lead to complex whodunit.
Book club members really like this book. We talked about our idea of what a “good” person is and how good and bad seemed too emanated from each of the story’s characters. We discussed how we tend to justify people’s behavior when they have had hardships, but sometimes the behavior is too egregious to justify.
We talked at length about the main characters and their actions. We also talked about Dicker’s ability to weave such a strong and morally upsetting theme with some humor to let the audience up for a little air occasionally.
Just Love the book!
Rating: 8.5