Made the trek this weekend out to a little rural library booksale an hour north of the city and this was my reward. This book has been on my wishlist for YEARS now as one of the more elusive Carroll novels. While it was a far cry from my favorites (The Wooden Sea, The Land of Laughs, White Apples) it was still strange enough to be Carroll-esque. The story of (in my opinion an unlikable) bestselling writer Sam Bayer and the stranger-than-fiction documentary filmmaker Veronica Lake was a good mystery and wasn't without its great dog-moments (a Carroll favorite-feature of mine) but it seemed a little stilted at times. I kind of felt the same way about Bones of the Moon. But I would rather read his novels than almost anyone else's... Always leaves something lingering behind in the imagination that you hadn't imagined on your own.

Up for trade...

This one is off to Hanrahan-Siudy by request. Hope you enjoy!!

arrived safe and sound

A good read. A writer decide to write the life story of a former classmate that he found murdered. He goes back to his home town to find out what really happened and why. A nice surprise ending. This book was full of different twists and turns. Looking back at life has a way of changing the present and the future.

Now this book moves on to a BC in Fairfield CA

I had almost forgotten about this book, so it was a surprise to find it in my mailbox today. Thanks! Dorothy will be on her way momentarily.

Chipping away at old Mt. TBR I ran into this book that I traded with Hanrahan-Siudy (by the way, I am still hoping you would make the customary "received" journal entry on Surrender Dorothy). It took me a while to warm up to this novel. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit that mysteries and thrillers are not my favorite genre. I never understood the sick relationship between Sam and Veronica, even after he discovers how untrustworthy she is. For example, she calls him at 2 am. He can't go back to sleep, goes to his backyard and there she is, hanging out stalker style. How does the evening end? With them holding hands and walking back into the house. Hmmm...

Speaking of implausibles, who do you know that sings perfect lyrics in her sleep? Hmmm...

But for the positives, I had to admit that Carroll's writing style was elegant and engaging. For this reason alone I may want to try some of his other works. I also loved the fact that Sam's relationship with his daughter gets seriously damaged along the way. I hate novels that have beautiful little happy endings. This wrinkle in an otherwise quasi-perfect relationship gave it some credibility.

This is a RABCK on its way to DrSlump612, gold medal winner. Thank you for you!

Thanks! An author I'd never heard of - it will probably sit on Mt. TBR
for a while but looks intriguing.