I got this hardcover at a local Dollar Store. I really liked Koch's The Dinner, and wanted to try another of his works.

Later: Mmmm... not so much love for this one. It mixes some intriguing elements: a fading-star writer whose most popular work was a novel based on an actual unsolved disappearance, with threads about the mystery itself, the author's past, and assorted other subplots. Koch likes to weave the fates of the often-flawed characters via shifting viewpoints and points in time, dropping hints that lead to a growing realization of motives and/or fates. Here, I found the characters' journeys less than compelling, and kept skimming ahead - not the best technique for reading a Koch novel, but I had to know how it ended even if I missed some key elements along the way. It's very atmospheric, and overall I rather liked the conclusion, but I didn't find the book as riveting as The Dinner.

I left this book on a window ledge near the entrance to Dunkin Donuts at 188 Ayer Road on this foggy, rainy day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2019 D for December release challenge. ***