Book Review: The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock

By Rebekah Dolmat

Content warning: child sexual abuse, child trafficking, murder

The Corpse Flower, written by Swedish author Anne Mette Hancock, is the first in the Danish crime series titled Kaldan og Scäfer (otherwise known as the Kaldan and Scháfer mysteries). Hancock’s books can currently be found in their original language, with The Corpse Flower being the first one translated into English. The second book in the series, The Collector, will be translated into English and published by Crooked Lane Books later this year, with the rest of the series likely to follow.

The Corpse Flower follows journalist Heloise Kaldan and homicide detective Erik Scháfer as they try to locate a missing woman named Anna Kiel. Anna is wanted in connection with the death of a young lawyer three years prior and has not been seen by anyone since fleeing from the crime scene covered in blood. When Heloise—who is in the midst of trying to keep her job after a once-trusted source was caught lying—receives the first in a series of cryptic letters from Anna, she realizes that this may be the story she needs to salvage her career. Detective Scháfer enters the scene when the lead reporter who wrote about Anna Kiel in connection to the dead lawyer is found murdered in their apartment. As the letters keep coming and the mystery of Anna continues to evolve, Heloise and Scháfer work to uncover the truth. However, in order for Heloise to tell Anna’s story, she must first revisit the darkest places of her own past. What ensues is a very dark and disturbing revenge story that will have readers holding on to the edge of their seats.

It’s safe to say that I LOVED this book. It’s a slow-burn mystery that features all of the elements that I tend to love in a good crime novel—a unique, compelling, and unpredictable plot that is told through multiple alternating points of view, with dark and disturbing undertones, and made up of complex characters that you can’t seem to get out of your head. Each point of view—Heloise who is trying to save her reputation, Detective Scháfer who is now in charge of the unsolved murder, and Anna Kiel who is running from her scarred and bloody past—offers a much-needed lens and perspective into the overall story.

What helps make this book unique, when compared to other (Nordic) noir crime novels, is that while there is a detective in the story, the real investigating is being done by a journalist, rather than by the detective or criminal investigator. It’s a different angle that I’ve not seen very often in my own personal reading, but something that I really appreciated because it forces the reader to ask different types of questions while reading and uncovering the mystery at hand.

In essence, The Corpse Flower is a dark and complex book that packs a punch with its completely unpredictable plot. Readers will be kept wondering how the story will unfold. I highly recommend to fans of the Nordic noir genre, as well as to those who like their crime books on the darker side.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary review copy.

Book Review: Songbirds by Christy Lefteri

By Rebekah Dolmat

From the award-winning author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo, Christy Lefteri, comes Songbirds—an emotional and heartbreaking story inspired by real-life events that sheds light on the plight of migrant domestic workers in Cyprus.

Songbirds follows the story of Nisha—a widowed mother from Sri Lanka who has come to Cyprus to work as a nanny and housekeeper following her husband’s death. From the very beginning of the book, the reader knows that Nisha has gone missing but does not know why. Throughout the course of the book, even though the reader never meets Nisha in the present, they learn of her story through Petra, the woman she works for, and Yiannis, her love. It is through Petra and Yiannis’ thoughts and voices that the reader gets a sense of the woman, wife, mother, and worker that Nisha was. 

When Nisha is discovered to be missing, both Petra and Yiannis report her disappearance, in separate instances, to the authorities. However, in both cases, their concerns are not taken seriously and are instead brushed away. The authorities suggest that Nisha has moved on and gone elsewhere, as many foreigners do, and do not consider her to be a person worth searching for. Petra and Yiannis disagree—they know that Nisha would never willingly leave, and they spend the rest of the book searching for her. What they discover in their search is absolutely tragic but unfortunate reality that many migrant workers face.

Lefteri states in her Author’s Note that this book is not an attempt to represent the voices of migrant workers or to speak for them, but instead is meant to explore the “ideologies, prejudices, circumstances, and underlying belief systems that can lead to very sad and often catastrophic events” . This book explores the idea of how a flawed system can trap people—people who are searching for a better life and for freedom but who instead find themselves more trapped than before, without any way to return home. So, while this book does not represent migrant worker voices, it does shed light on one of the many “catastrophic events” that can happen to them in their search for freedom.

While Songbirds is an emotional and heartbreaking story that pulls at the reader’s heartstrings with every turn of the page, it is also a beautifully written one. Lefteri’s prose is so elegant, and it has this poetic element to it that is not often seen. This beautiful writing and the heartbreaking story of Nisha will leave the reader thinking about this book long after the final page. 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary review copy.

Book Review: Where the Truth Lies by Anna Bailey

By Rebekah Dolmat

Content warning: child abuse, child alcoholism, child drug use, child neglect, conversion therapy, domestic abuse, homophobia, murder, racism and racial violence, sexual abuse

Anna Bailey’s debut novel, Where the Truth Lies, is a slow-burning, atmospheric and chilling read that follows the disappearance of a seventeen-year-old girl from the small, insular town of Whistler Ridge, Colorado.  

When Abigail goes missing in the woods one night following a party, her best friend Emma seems to be the only one who cares. Although Emma’s concern is largely rooted in her guilt of having left Abigail alone, she feels compelled to find out what really happened to her best friend.  As Emma strives to uncover the truth behind Abigail’s disappearance, she also uncovers a plethora of deeply rooted small town dark secrets.  

Where the Truth Lies starts off really, really strong.  The writing is excellent and the insular small town setting is atmospheric, eerie, and completely captivating.  However, at some point in the novel the focus of the story shifts, leaving the reader feeling perplexed—the book becomes less about uncovering the truth of what happened to Abigail, and almost entirely about the dark secrets and small minds of the townspeople.  To put it simply, I think that Bailey attempted to include too many big ideas, touchy subjects, and extremely large character arcs for secondary characters that, when all put together, confuse the main plot, which is supposed to be about a missing teenager.

However, instead of focusing on Abigail’s disappearance, the book hyper-focuses on several big issues:

·      child abuse and child neglect

·      child alcoholism and drug use

·      domestic violence and sexual abuse

·      homophobia and conversion therapy

·      racism and racial violence

·      violence in the name of Christianity

While there is nothing wrong with including any of these issues in a novel, the downfall of Where the Truth Lies is its attempt to address too many issues—especially for a book under 300 pages.  The added issues detract from the story, cause plot holes, and essentially defeat the purpose of including them in the story in the first place.  Had this book not included so many issues, I think I would have enjoyed it more.  Nonetheless, I’ll be looking forward to seeing what Anna Bailey has in store for her readers next!

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer

By Rebekah Dolmat

Content warning: murder, rape, sexual assault and violence

Caitlin Wahrer’s debut novel, The Damage, is an emotional and thought-provoking character-driven police procedural that addresses some controversial—and what is unfortunately still taboo—topics and themes while also offering a fresh take on the typical detective trope. In The Damage, Wahrer successfully tells a powerful and compelling story while also delivering all of the slow-burning tension and suspenseful elements that readers have come to expect from such crime novels.

Before continuing, it is important to state that the entire plot of The Damage revolves around the violent rape of one of the main male characters. Therefore, if you are sensitive towards stories that have graphic rape content, this may not be the book for you. However, if you are a reader that can stomach such content, as well as descriptive scenes, then this is a very important read as it brings attention and visibility to the victims of a crime that, unfortunately, too many men can and do relate to.   

The Damage begins with Nick—a college student—who plans to meet up with a guy he likes at a bar. He arrives earlier with some friends, but when it is clear that his actual date is not coming, he flirts with an older man. The two of them hit it off; the drinks keep coming, and one thing leads to another until Nick finds himself the victim of an extremely violent sexual assault and, therefore, at the centre of a police investigation. Detective Rice is put on the case, but it’s really his family (brother, sister-in-law) that provides Nick with the most support.

What makes The Damage a unique police procedural is that, instead of the book focusing on the detective who is trying to solve a horrific crime, it focuses almost entirely on the family’s experiences in the aftermath of said crime. In The Damage, the reader is privy to the innermost thoughts of the victim and his family members. Their emotions and reactions to what happened to Nick take centre stage and help guide the story, while the detective’s questions, theories, and thoughts remain in the background. Yes, the detective certainly shapes the story, but his job of solving the case is not the main focus. The focus is really on what happens to Nick and the lengths his family will go to both help and protect him.

The Damage ultimately has it all—it’s a gripping, emotional, and heartbreaking story that is packed full of suspense, tension, and thrilling twists that will take the reader by complete surprise. The ending is incredible and is sure to blow the reader away. The Damage, to put it simply, is a masterfully crafted, well-written debut novel. 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Doubleday Canada for the complimentary review copy.

Book Review: Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

By Rebekah Dolmat

Content warning: murder

Canadian author Shari Lapena’s latest book, Not A Happy Family, is a fun, fast-paced whodunit domestic suspense thriller that leaves the reader guessing right up until the very last page. 

Fred and Sheila Merton live in a mansion located in Brecken Hill, Upstate New York. One night, following a disastrous Easter family dinner with their three adult children—Dan, Catherine, and Jenna—their partners, and their long-term housekeeper Irena, the Mertons are murdered. Sheila was strangled in the entrance, while Fred was stabbed to death in the kitchen with his throat slit. When their bodies are discovered two days later by Irena, their three children—who are set to inherit millions—become the primary suspects.

While Fred’s appearance in the novel is extremely brief, he is by far one of the most interesting characters. Depicted as a psychopath, Fred is a powerful oligarch who finds joy in tormenting his “disappointing” children and pitting them against one another. During their family dinner, the reader discovers that Dan is penniless and unemployed because his father has sold the company that he worked hard for and was set to inherit. Catherine, the most accomplished of the three, will no longer be inheriting the family home because Fred is putting it up for sale. And Jenna, the black sheep of the family, is about to be cut off from his financial support. Clearly, Dan, Catherine, and Jenna all have their own financial motives for murdering their parents—so, which one of them did it? Was it even one of them at all? You’ll have to read to find out!

The story is made up of short chapters that include several short paragraphs told through multiple perspectives—the children, their partners, the housekeeper, extended family members and friends, and, of course, the two detectives on the case. With each chapter, the reader becomes more and more suspicious of the characters. However, it’s not just the reader who becomes suspicious because all the characters do too, and they quickly turn on each other. Lapena excels at implicating each of her characters to the point where they all become equally plausible suspects, right up until the final pages when the murderer is finally revealed to the reader. 

In addition to all of the characters being suspicious, they are also all equally unlikeable; they have weird quirks, personality traits and habits, and each of them will surprise the reader in a different and shocking way.

In short, this is an unputdownable, fun, fast-paced, and thrilling read.  Readers looking for an addicting read that will keep them guessing with every turn of the page will highly enjoy this book—it makes for the perfect summer thriller.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Doubleday Canada for the complimentary review copy.

Book Review: The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

By Rebekah Dolmat

Content warning: abuse (physical, psychological, sexual), death of a child, murder, suicide

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel is a twisted, disturbing, and completely unsettling thriller about the Roanoke family—a family with dark and shocking secrets that span across three generations.

Following the sudden death of her mother, 15-year-old Lane Roanoke is sent to live with her grandparents on their vast estate in rural Kansas. Upon arrival, she discovers that she has a cousin, Allegra, who is six months younger than her and has lived on the estate since she was a baby, cared for by her grandparents following her mother’s disappearance. Over the course of that long, hot summer, Lane and Allegra grow close—close enough for Allegra to share that the Roanoke girls never last long around the estate because they either run away or die, but not close enough to tell Lane why that is. When Lane discovers the truth at the heart of her family, she runs as fast and as far away as she can. However, eleven years later, when Allegra goes missing, Lane is forced to return to the Roanoke estate to find out the truth behind her disappearance. What happened to Allegra? And what is the dark secret that is ruining the Roanoke women, one by one?

The Roanoke Girls is, above anything else, an excellent and compelling page-turner of a read.  However, its dark and extremely taboo subject matter and related themes mean that this is not a book for every reader. The secret that lies at the heart of the Roanoke family—and at the heart of the novel itself—is very quick to decipher by the reader, but it does not take away from the plot, or the story, in any way, shape, or form. In fact, given that it explores such a taboo subject matter, I am amazed at how Engel approached it so gracefully. Every time the secret is hinted at or even slightly mentioned, it is done so in a way that is not graphic but subtle, right up until the end of the book, where both the reader and the characters must address it. As a reader who reads a lot of dark and twisted books, I really appreciate the subtlety; in fact, Engel’s delicate approach to the subject matter is what I find makes this book so brilliantly written.  

In addition to its gripping plot and excellent writing, The Roanoke Girls is filled with incredible and complex characters. Each character is flawed and broken, while their stories and life situations completely pull at your heartstrings. As a reader, you will find that Engel has a way of making you sympathize with these characters at every turn of the page. There were moments where I wanted to cry for them, others that made me feel so unbelievably happy, and even some where I felt incredibly creeped out—but it all worked together perfectly. 

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a thrilling page-turner that, while not graphic, is on the darker side.

Book Review: Dear Child by Romy Hausmann

By Rebekah Dolmat

Content warning: abduction, physical and psychological abuse, rape, sexual assault, violence 

Originally written in German and later translated into English, Romy Hausmann’s debut novel, Dear Child, is a dark and disturbing but captivating psychological thriller.  

When a woman who goes by the name of Lena is brought to the hospital following a hit and run, she tells the police that she has been held captive by a man in a cabin in the woods for the past several months. As Lena divulges her story to the authorities, the reader quickly realizes that not everything is as it seems and is left wondering if Lena really is who she says she is. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Lena is keeping secrets—both about herself and about her time spent in the cabin.

Dear Child is told seamlessly, integrating snapshots from the past and present, through three alternating perspectives: the abducted woman known as Lena; Hannah, Lena’s daughter who is born in captivity; and Lena’s father, Matthias, who has been searching for his daughter for the past thirteen years, or “4,993 days.” Hausman excels at constructing each character and in giving each of them their own distinct voice.  The most fascinating voice, however, is that of Hannah—being a captive’s daughter means that her worldview and sense of understanding is extremely limited. You can see it through her choice of words and in how she tries to describe all that is happening around her—it is absolutely heartbreaking. Lena’s and Matthias’ voices are just as tragic, but in different ways: an abducted woman whose experiences will scar her for life and a grieving father who may never see his daughter again. To put it simply, the reader can clearly feel each character’s pain and suffering and will grieve alongside them as they each tell their own stories.

Even though Dear Child is a translated novel, the translation does hinder the story in any way. Hausmann has successfully written a gripping, thrilling, and heartbreaking page-turner, with each chapter revealing just a little bit more of the puzzle. Dear Child is a book filled with numerous twists and turns that the reader will not see coming and has an ending that is so unexpected and worth every second spent reading. If you’re looking for your next read to be impossible to put down then this is the book for you!

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the gifted electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe

By Rebekah Dolmat

Published on September 8, 2020, Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe is an authentic young adult contemporary novel that portrays a realistic account of a teenager as he is about to embark on the next stage of his life.  

Charming as a Verb follows Haitian-American protagonist Henri Haltiwanger as he tries to navigate his life through his final year of high school at FATE Academy (an elite private arts school located in Manhattan), while juggling his own dog-walking business, applying to colleges, complicated romantic relationships, and parents who expect too much from him.  At first, it seems as if Henri is on top of it all—but the reader soon realizes that Henri is juggling too much.  Without spoiling the major plot twists of the book, I will say that as a result of Henri’s overzealousness, his extracurricular school activities fall to the side, he gets caught in lies related to his business, his interview with his dream university does not go as expected, and he makes decisions that put both his romantic and familial relationships in jeopardy.

In short, Henri is a complex character and the way that he navigates through these various challenges is what makes the overall novel, Charming as a Verb, so realistic.  Philippe has successfully created a charming, witty, and likeable character in Henri, as well as a character who is flawed and makes real mistakes that have lasting consequences on the trajectory of his life.  Although readers discover that Henri is flawed fairly quickly, it is important to note that by the end of the book Henri realizes this as well, as his character develops and he grapples with the consequences of what he has done and tries to make amends with the people he cares about.  

Philippe has created a novel that other teenagers and young adults in a position similar to Henri’s (those leaving high school and going off to college) will be able to connect and identify with.  Henri’s internal struggles with this time in his life come across the page so vividly that it feels so realistic and just pulls on your heart strings.  Readers will want Henri to get everything that he wants, and so much more. 

Readers who enjoy realistic and complex young adult novels with a hint of contemporary romance, will definitely enjoy this book.

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada and Edelweiss for the gifted e-ARC!

Book Review: Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

By Rebekah Dolmat

First published in October 2018, Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan (Henry) is a work of historical fiction inspired by the life of New York writer Joy Davidman and her improbable love story with the Oxford don, and famous Christian author, C.S. Lewis.  What begins as an exchange of letters overseas—questioning life and discussing both faith and spiritual beliefs—evolves into a deeply profound spiritual and intellectual friendship, and eventual romance.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a story told entirely from Joy’s perspective and it begins with a focus on her as a wife to her husband, Bill, and mother to her two sons, Davy and Douglas.  From the start, you can sense that something is amiss in her marriage; Bill is a man who drinks far too much and lashes out from extreme mood swings.  Even though there is a love shared between them, there is also a distance and a growing disconnect.  Bill merely wants a wife who is a stay-at-home mother and who is ready to answer to his every beck and call, but Joy is so much more than that.  Yes, she is a wife and mother, but Joy is also an intellectual, a deep thinker, and a writer.  

One evening, after a terrifying experience involving her husband, Joy begins to question, explore, and test her faith, resulting in her first letter to Mr. C.S. Lewis (Jack), written on behalf of her and her husband.  This letter marks the beginning of their back-and-forth correspondence and the beginning of their friendship.  After two years of constant writing, Joy travels to England from America, in a leap of faith, to meet the man who will change the course of the rest of her life.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a beautifully written story.  Callahan’s elegant writing and her attention to detail in her descriptions pulls the reader directly into the events of Joy’s life—from the hardships of her first marriage, to the joyous moments spent with her children, and finally, to her travels and intimate conversations with Jack.  As their relationship develops, readers are able to see how their friendship is just as important to Jack, as it is to Joy.  Jack is Joy’s mentor, best friend, and in the end her lover and husband, but to Jack, she becomes his muse and inspiration, his sounding board and editor, as well as his best friend and beloved wife.  Their relationship is a beautiful thing to see unfold throughout the entirety of this book.  It is also important to note that this story does not shy away from the bigger topics of religion, faith, and morality, as they are interwoven throughout the book—in Joy and Jack’s letters to each other, in their deep conversations with each other, and in both of their personal and professional writings. 

Readers who enjoy strong, independent and courageous female characters, romantic historical fiction, as well as C.S. Lewis’ work, will thoroughly enjoy Becoming Mrs. Lewis.