theoverbookedbibliophile's reviews
1362 reviews

 
I’ve never had the privilege of watching the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, but the 1965 movie based on the same has been a favorite of mine ever since I watched it for the first time at the age of seven. Though I was too young to appreciate the more serious themes, I adored Maria and her dynamic with the Trapp children and loved the music. My father, amused by my enthusiastic renditions of the songs ( I can’t sing to save my life, but when has that ever stopped me?), gifted me a copy of the movie (a VHS tape - this was the 1980’s!) - which became one of my most cherished possessions. As I grew older, and rewatched the movie with friends and family more times than I can remember, I began to appreciate the story, (the knowledge that it was inspired by true events rendered the movie even more special), the characters and the themes addressed in the movie more. I remember a discussion I had with a colleague in the early 2000s that prompted me to read up on the true story of the Trapp family. I will admit I was more than a tad disheartened to find out that not only were certain aspects of the story fictionalized, but that Maria was portrayed as quite different from the real Maria von Trapp. However, I was mature enough to appreciate the movie for what it was – an enchanting, fictionalized version of a true story with memorable characters and music that was pure magic!

When I chose to read Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran, I went in well-prepared and not much of what is shared about the true story that inspired the musical/movie came as a surprise. However, I did enjoy this novel and appreciate the research that went into the crafting of this story.

The novel primarily revolves around the making of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 1959 Broadway musical and Maria von Trapp’s objections to the creative liberties taken in telling her story. The narrative is presented in dual timelines. The 1959 timeline is, for the most part, shared from the perspective of Fran, Oscar Hammerstein’s secretary, who is tasked with meeting Maria, who after writing a scathing letter voicing her objections, comes to New York to confront the Mr. Hammerstein and demand revisions in the script. The 1926 timeline, which also includes flashbacks from Maria’s earlier years, is shared from Maria's first-person POV.

Maria shares her story with Fran and also shares how the previous movie based on her 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers (the 1956 German movie Die Trapp-Familie) and the misrepresentation of facts have fractured her bond with her family. She also shares her experiences and the challenges the family faced in the initial years after arriving in the United States. As the narrative progresses, we get to know more about Maria, the Trapp children and Georg, and whether she was ultimately able to convince Mr. Hammerstein to incorporate any of the revisions she requested.

Though the writing might feel a tad disjointed due to the jumping timelines and perspectives, the author eventually brings all the threads of the story together in an incredibly moving ending.

Do read the beautifully-penned Author’s Note where she discusses her inspiration for this novel, the source material she has referenced and the creative liberties she has taken while crafting this story. Maria’s story is one of courage, resilience, love, family, loss and hope and I commend the author for her efforts to bring the true story that inspired the musical and later the movie to a wider audience. The scope of the novel is limited to the making of the musical, but in her note, the author provides a brief glimpse into how the family fared in the years after and I especially appreciated the updates on the Trapp children.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would not hesitate to recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction inspired by true events.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

 
Revolving around themes of friendship, family, personal growth, self-acceptance and human connection, The Wedding People by Alison Espach is a beautifully written novel that will strike a chord in your heart.

As the story begins, we meet Phoebe Stone, an adjunct professor in literature in her forties, as she arrives alone at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, with a heavy heart. This was a place that she had hoped to visit with her now ex-husband, but here she was, in a green dress and heels with no luggage. Phoebe’s room is the only one not booked for the wedding of twenty-eight-year-old Lila, who has meticulously planned a week-long sequence of pre-wedding activities leading up to the day of her nuptials. Initially mistaken to be one of the wedding people, the misunderstanding is soon cleared up, but much to Lila’s dismay, she realizes that Phoebe’s plans for her own stay would surely ruin her wedding. The narrative follows as Phobe and Lila strike up an unlikely friendship as Phoebe soon becomes one of the wedding people – an experience that might just be the nudge she needs to rethink her own priorities.

There is a lot about this book that is praiseworthy and the glowing reviews are more than justified. The description of the book suggests that this might be a light-hearted read, but this novel proved to be much more than I had expected. The author writes with heart, wisdom and humor. The narrative does suffer from minor pacing issues, but overall, the story flows well. Each of the characters was well thought out - authentic, relatable and endearing. I adored Phoebe and loved how she bonded with a complete group of strangers showing kindness and empathy to those who needed the same but also being strong and forceful in situations that demanded attention. Lila did strike me as a tad immature at times, but I could understand her motivations and why she behaved in certain ways. I loved the coverage of the pre-wedding activities – the chaos, confusion and unforeseen complications – which result in situations both humorous and heartwarming. The author’s strength lies in her characterizations and depiction of complex human emotions and I enjoyed following both Lila's and Phoebe's individual journeys over the course of the events described in this story. The author addresses several sensitive topics such as infidelity, bereavement, infertility, mental health, depression and suicidal ideation with insight and compassion. The story emphasizes the importance of being kind – to one another and oneself – the latter being something many of us forget.

Overall, I found this to be an evocative and thought-provoking read that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy character-driven fiction.

I listened to the audiobook brilliantly narrated by Helen Laser who made the characters and this story come to life. I couldn’t recommend the audiobook enough!

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

“ ‘He led us out of the burning city of Troy and guided us across the ocean to this fertile land. He had cared for us almost as well as he has cared for his own son.’ ”
‘He’s going to found the new Troy, and be the father of many generations of our children. We owe everything to him. Without Father Aeneas, the Greeks would have destroyed everything that is Trojan.’ ”

Set in years after the Trojan War, The Heir of Venus by Laura Shepperson is a feminist reimagining of the story of Aeneas, the son of the Trojan prince Anchises and Venus (Roman equivalent to the Greek goddess Aphrodite), a demigod who escaped the fallen city with his infant son Ascanius, his aging father and several other survivors.

The narrative is non-linear and is presented in alternating perspectives of the women whose lives and fates were intertwined with Aeneas’s; his wife Creusa who was left behind in the burning city and who was the daughter of Trojan King Priam and Hekuba; and Lavinia, princess of Laurentum where Aeneas and the Trojans set up camp and whom Aeneas is to marry; and from Anna, a mysterious traveler, who tells the story of Queen Dido of Tyre, who founded Carthage and for whose tragic fate Anna hold the Trojan prince responsible and strangely enough, whose story Aeneas has neglected to share while he talked of his travels.

Lavinia’s perspective describes how her life and destiny and that of Laurentum change after Aeneas’s arrival. I was immersed as the narrative follows Lavinia’s thoughts and emotions as the events in Laurentum unfold - Aeneas’s agreement with her father King Latinus, his friction with Prince Turnus of Rutuli, Lavinia’s childhood friend who had hoped to marry her and the war that ensued. I was sympathetic to her situation and her pain and disillusionment are palpable as she is forced to accept that despite her being her father’s only child and having participated with her father in his role as ruler, her father’s plans for her to support her ambitions. I applauded her efforts to accept her father’s decisions but on her own terms.

The prose is beautiful and as a fan of Greek mythology (and retellings), I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The narrative is consistently paced and flows well. The structure of the novel works well to tell the story and allow us to see Aeneas as a person, with his strengths and flaws, as perceived by the women who knew him best. I liked that each chapter began with a quote from the source material. I appreciate that the author has given a voice to these women whose stories are often relegated to the background in the interest of glorifying the heroes of the Greek myths. Dido, Creusa and Lavinia not only present facets of the Greek hero revered for his origins and the prophecy that guided his actions, but they are women who deserve to have their stories told and the author has done a commendable job in this regard.

However, I thought that too much of the narrative was presented through telling rather than showing. I would have preferred that Aeneas’s adventures post the Trojan War before his arrival at Laurentum had been described in more detail. However, the telling of past events will provide those not conversant with the key players and crucial details of the Trojan War with a well-rounded, albeit brief, background to Aeneas’s story.

I paired my reading with the audiobook expertly narrated by Frances Butt, who has done a brilliant job of voicing these characters and breathing life into this story. The audio narration certainly elevated my overall experience.

Many thanks to Alcove Press for the digital review copy and Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
 

 Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney by profession, is appointed as counsel for Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl whose parents are in the middle of a bitter divorce. Stella’s role is to determine the best custody arrangement for Rose, which entails interacting with Barclays and studying the dynamics within the family based on which a decision might be taken. Rose suffers from traumatic mutism – a condition that developed after she witnessed her twenty-six-year-old nanny, Tina de la Cruz, plunging to death from her window on the upper floor of the Barclays’ house. The circumstances surrounding Tina’s death remain a mystery and given Rose’s condition, her family – parents Ian and Beth and her grandmother, Harriet, are protective of Rose, to the extent that they would prefer to restrict Rose’s interaction with Stella.

Stella, who had a traumatic childhood herself, has Rose’s best interests at heart and tries to earn Rose’s trust, but Rose’s strange behavior on more than one occasion, her parents replacing all glass in the house with plastic and their overprotectiveness, leads Stella to believe that all the Barclays harbor dark secrets they are desperate to protect and Rose is at the center of it all. Will Stella be able to protect Rose and herself before anyone else gets hurt?

I thought the premise of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen was truly intriguing and was completely immersed in the first half of the novel. The pacing is on the slower side, which I did not mind and I loved the sinister vibes, the murder mystery with none of the Barclays, including Rose, above suspicion and the creepy glassless house. However, as the narrative progressed, my enthusiasm dampened. Truth be told, I enjoyed the way the element of mystery was built up and the suspenseful vibe of the novel, but the story lost momentum by including certain unnecessary subplots into the narrative. While I liked Stella and admired her dedication to her profession and how protective she was of Rose, there were certain aspects pertaining to Stella’s backstory that I felt were of no consequence to the plot and certain developments toward the end felt contrived.

I wish emphasis had been placed on the mystery aspect and there had been more showing than telling. Overall, though there was a lot about this novel that I liked, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had expected.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Laura Benanti. Though the narrator did a decent job of voicing the characters and the immersion reading experience was enjoyable, this is one of those rare occasions where I preferred the book over the audiobook.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital review copy and Macmillan Audio for ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
 

 
Emilia Ward,bestselling detective novelist, lives a quiet life with her second husband and two children in a London suburb. Emilia is almost finished with her latest and possibly the final installment in her popular Miranda Moody series. Writing a best-selling series has been taxing and this last book has proved to be especially challenging. But truth becomes stranger than fiction for Emilia when an incident mirroring a scene from one of her books occurs in real life. This is not an isolated incident and it seems that someone is trying to send her a message using her own fiction against her. After a shocking incident that is eerily similar to a plot point from her unpublished manuscript, Emilia begins to suspect that the threat is closer to home since the draft was shared with a select few in her close circle and she begins to fear for her family’s safety.

Does someone know Emilia’s secret – a truth that has been hidden from most in her close circle? Is she being targeted for the same reason? Is her family in danger? Could someone close to her be responsible for all that is happening or is she being paranoid?

Exceptionally well-written and intricately plotted with an intriguing premise and several interesting twists and red herrings leading up to a satisfying ending – what else could you ask for in a psychological thriller? The Woman Who Lied by Claire Douglas checked all those boxes for me. I really liked Emilia and found her to be an interesting protagonist. I’ll admit that initially, I presumed that the story would be formulaic and predictable, but I was so wrong! The narrative is presented from Emilia’s perspective with segments from another unnamed narrator’s perspective interspersed throughout the narrative.  There was a point in the novel where almost no one in Emilia’s close circle was above suspicion. Cleverly structured, these segments had me confused (Who was the narrator? Segments from her unpublished manuscript? Segments from her previous installments? A new character or someone we knew? ) but as the narrative progresses, the author dials up the tension and the threads converge in a riveting denouement. The final reveal really threw me and being proved wrong always elevates my overall experience!I was glad that the author did not incorporate some of the annoying (personal opinion, no offense intended!), overused tropes that are common in this genre to manipulate the plot.

This was my first Claire Douglas novel and I can’t wait to explore more of her work.

Many thanks to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

 4.5⭐

Inspired by true events, with elements of Gothic fiction, murder mystery, fantasy and magical realism woven into an immersive narrative, The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton is a fascinating reimagining of the story of Erzsébet Báthory, the “Blood Countess", a sixteenth-century Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer who along with four of her servants were accused of torturing and murdering hundreds of young women.

Set in Hungary, in 1610, the narrative is shared from multiple perspectives including Erzsébet, her trusted servants János Ficzkó Újváry, Ilona Jó Nagy, Dorottya Szentes and Katalin Beneczky, who also stood trial for their role in the murders as well as Borbála Boróka Libalány, a young girl who is brought into the Countess’s castle to serve her. Erzsébet takes a liking to Boróka, even allowing her to attend the sessions in the Gynaeceum. Boróka, raised by her adoptive father, never knew of her origins but discovers a mysterious rosewood box that offers not only clues that may lead her to her truth but much more. The narrative follows these characters through the events leading up to the allegations and subsequent trial.

I was captivated by the author’s exquisite writing, masterful storytelling and great attention to detail. The vivid imagery of the castle enables us to visualize the dark and eerie setting of the story and feel the evil lurking in the corners. With complex characters, dark and Gothic vibes and an atmospheric setting, this was a gripping read that kept me hooked until the very last page. The author presents the Countess as a woman with a traumatic past with a legacy of loss that she keeps buried, as a mother who has seen her daughters married and settled, as a lonely widow who devotes time instructing young girls from other noble families on etiquette and as a powerful woman whose wealth and power might have posed a threat to her male counterparts. Yes, the young servant girls working in the castle were treated harshly and yes, the episodes describing girls being treated for their ailments are difficult to read but the author compels us to ponder over the allegations brought against the Countess and question the legitimacy of these claims and the evidence presented against the Countess. Was she truly a depraved killer guilty of these heinous crimes or was she the victim of a conspiracy strategically designed to strip a widowed noblewoman of her wealth and power?

Do read the richly detailed Author’s Note where she discusses the characters and events that inspired this meticulously researched, thought-provoking and absorbing novel.

This was my first time reading Sonia Velton and I can’t wait to explore more of her work.

Many thanks to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Set in the remote South Calabrian village of Santa Chionia in 1960, The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames. follows twenty-seven-year-old American (of Calabrian and Norwegian descent), Francesca Loftfield, and the time she spent in the village in her efforts to open a nursery school funded by an international charity. Francesca estranged from her husband after a personal loss, is an educated, idealistic young woman who, despite having led a sheltered life, is motivated to take the assignment in the remote rustic village. Her job entails opening a nursery school and enrolling thirty-six pupils while also recruiting suitable candidates as teachers from the local community - not an easy task, trying to have her voice heard among those in a tight-knit community with their set ways. Complicating matters further is the fact that a human skeleton was recently discovered under the rubble of the old post office after flooding and Francesca is approached by two women, each of whom believes that the bones belong to one of their own. Francesca, in her pursuit of the identity of the deceased, finds herself getting more deeply involved in the affairs of the community than she had anticipated, ultimately risking the completion of her original mission and her very own survival.

There is a lot about The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames that is praiseworthy. The author writes beautifully, with a keen sense of time and place. The narrative is presented from the perspective of loving the atmospheric setting of Santa Chionia and the vivid descriptions of the landscape and depiction of the community and their way of life. I appreciated the complex plot and found the premise of this novel truly intriguing. The obstacles Francesca faces in her quest for the truth are convincing and evidenced thoroughly through how the author describes the power dynamics within the community, local political rivalry, deep-buried secrets and their own code of justice and how the community chooses to resolve conflict. The mystery angle was well - crafted and the tension was palpable as the narrative progressed.

However, the novel is unnecessarily lengthy and the pacing is uneven, with too many characters in the mix. Halfway through, I was struggling to remember how each of the characters was related to the other. Several secondary characters are well thought out, but I found it difficult to connect with Francesca. Francesca’s past is revealed through flashbacks and the narrative is shared through her first-person POV, giving us a glimpse into her innermost thoughts and emotions. However, I felt that her character could have been explored in more depth, especially in light of her reaction to the plight of the women and children in the Santa Chionia community and her personal choices. Though I was concerned for her well-being, I did find her a tad too gullible and trusting and thought that she would have made smarter choices, especially in the latter half of the story. The romance track felt contrived and I was left with a few unanswered questions at the end.

Overall, though I didn't dislike this novel in its entirety, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had expected.

Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

 A new installment in author Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series is always among my most anticipated reads, so much so that I don’t mind ordering a copy from the UK so as not to wait for the book to become available in the US ( Thank you, Blackwell’s for the getting the book to me a day before UK publication day!).

I’ve enjoyed (in varying degrees) all the previous books (including one short story and one novella) in this series and I’m glad to say that the latest installment Witness 8 is a worthy addition to the lot!

Ruby Johnson, a young woman in her twenties, works as a maid and nanny in several houses in an affluent New York neighborhood. Once a resident of the same neighborhood, she is haunted by the events that caused her family’s downfall. She is cunning and perceptive and one night, after witnessing the murder of the wealthy socialite, she decides to use this information and manipulate the truth to further her own agenda. The narrative follows Eddie Flynn and his team as they work on defending the successful surgeon who is accused of murdering his neighbor, based on evidence recovered at his home. Complicating matters further for Eddie is the fact that in the course of one of his previous cases, he has provoked a few very corrupt yet powerful people who have taken out a hit on him. Therefore, now, along with working to prove his client’s innocence, he has to dodge the hitmen and assassins (including a very interesting Mr. Christmas, who has a history with one of Eddie’s team) out to collect the bounty on his head while also trying to figure out how to deal with the friction with the criminal entities in the mix.

Needless to say, a lot is going on and Eddie and his team will have their hands full!

It’s always a pleasure following our con man-turned-lawyer who now works with a very competent team comprising his mentor retired Judge Harry Ford, fellow defense attorney Kate Brooks, investigator Melissa Bloch, former FBI profiler Gabriel Lake and their office manager Denise and never hesitates to rope in help from his friends and associates from his former life as “Eddie Fly” and this time was no exception.

The author deftly weaves the numerous threads of the plot and multiple perspectives into a consistently paced, twisty, tension-filled narrative. I enjoyed the dynamic between Eddie’s team members and thought they made a formidable team. In this context, I should mention that we don’t see as much of Eddie as much as in the previous books, but I do appreciate that each of the characters has a distinct role to play. The author always infuses a healthy dose of humor into these books, and I find these segments-both in the courtroom and, of course, Eddie’s very creative methods of fact-finding and besting opponents- very entertaining. I will admit that there were aspects that were not entirely unpredictable and while the twists were well-executed, overall, this wasn’t as complex as some of the previous books but this in no way makes this one less enjoyable! I found Mr. Christmas to be a very interesting character and hope we do get to see more of him in future books.

However, overall, I did find this to be an absorbing and entertaining read and I eagerly await the next book in the series!

Please note that this book would work well as a standalone, but I definitely recommend reading all the books in series order . You won’t be disappointed!
 

Off the Books by Soma Mei Sheng Frazier is a compelling read and an impressive debut.

Twenty-four-year-old Mĕi L. Brown dropped out of Dartmouth after a family tragedy and has been working as a private chauffeur offering her services “going karura” or “off the books” on the advice of her eighty-six-year-old Lǎoyé (grandfather) - an American history buff- who helps her find clients and who is her biggest ally, as she has distanced herself from her friends and is currently not speaking to her mother.

Mei’s most recent client is the mysterious Henry Lee who is paying her handsomely for a trip from San Francisco to Syracuse. Henry’s insistence on timed stops and the enormous suitcase he guards diligently never letting it out of his sight strikes Mĕi as suspicious behavior and she turns to Lǎoyé for advice on how to proceed. His reassurance is enough for her to continue on her assignment and as the narrative progresses, she gradually befriends Henry and the mystery behind the suitcase is ultimately revealed. What she discovers and their journey thereon compels Mĕi to reflect on her own life and choices and her family history, as the daughter of a white American father and Chinese American immigrant mother.

The author has deftly woven insightful historical, political and social commentary into a story revolving around a cross-country road trip that evolves into transformative journey will irrevocably change the way our protagonist views her privileged upbringing and her future and alter her worldview.

I enjoyed the road trip segments and liked that the novel is structured in chapters covering each leg of the road trip. The characters are well written and the author depicts complex human emotions with insight and maturity. I found Mĕi to be an interesting protagonist and appreciated how her personal journey is depicted throughout the course of the novel. I loved the bond between Mĕi and her grandfather, who was my favorite character. His wit, insight and wisdom certainly enriched the narrative. His interactions with Mĕi offer an interesting perspective on the issues and events described in the novel while also providing some much-needed lighter moments to balance the heavier themes.

“‘Listen,’ he says, ‘all my life I teach you history. So you can be on the right side of it. But a good life about more than knowing. A good life about doing, too.’”

The novel addresses sensitive themes such as navigating grief and loss and complicated family dynamics realistically and with empathy and compassion. Please note that there are mentions of racism, sexual abuse and suicide.

The author incorporates timely and relevant themes, touching upon contemporary (and historical) world events, into the narrative, with emphasis on the Chinese American immigrant experience, and the plight of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China and the injustices committed against them. These segments are disturbing, with mentions of genocide, persecution and other atrocities.

The narrative does include segments wherein full sentences are spoken in Mandarin. Though the text that follows gives us a good idea of what is being expressed, perhaps a glossary/footnote/true translation would have made for a smoother read for those of us who do not understand the language. However, this does not detract from my overall experience. There were certain aspects of the story that I felt could have been explored further, but I did like how the author chose to end the story. The romantic track is executed with maturity and is shown to evolve gradually and does not distract from the primary narrative.

Overall, I found this to be a well-crafted, thought-provoking read and I look forward to reading more from this talented new author in the future.

Many thanks to Henry Holt & Company for the gifted ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

 

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of reading Elizabeth Crook’s The Madstone, which features then nineteen-year-old Benjamin Shreve as he recounts the sixteen-day odyssey across Reconstuction-era Texas and the perils he faces in his efforts to assist a stranded traveler and a pregnant woman and her young son. I found Benjamin to be an endearing character and was thrilled to find out that the author had previously penned a novel featuring Benjamin and his half-sister. I was eager to read The Which Way Tree and I’m glad to say that I was not disappointed!

The narrative is presented in epistolary format through letters written by seventeen-year-old Benjamin in 1866, addressed to Judge E. Carlton, as a part of his testimony against one Clarence Hanlin, believed to be responsible for the murder of eight travelers.

In the course of his testimony on his several encounters with Hanlin, Benjamin, excited to be able to share his story, drafts a series of long letters detailing the story of his family and the tragedies that befell them. Of particular significance was how three years ago was his then twelve-year-old half-sister Samantha “Sam” ’s quest to exact revenge on a panther (referred to as El Demonio de Dos Dedos“The Demon of Two Toes” by the locals) that killed her mother Juda (Benjamin’s stepmother) and left Sam disfigured, when she was six years old child, resulted in several encounters between Hanlin and themselves.

Well-paced with vivid descriptions and a cast of interesting characters, this is an engaging read that had me glued to the pages. Elizabeth Crook is a master storyteller who writes with a keen sense of time and place. The depiction of the hardships of life in Civil War-era Texas, the rustic landscape and the wilderness, and the dangers of the wild compounded further by roaming murderers, highway robbers and outlaws will transport you to Texas Hill Country with our characters. Though a tad far-fetched, this is an immensely enjoyable story of family, friendship, adventure, bravery and vengeance. Benjamin is an endearing character and I thoroughly enjoyed following him, Samantha and their friends Preacher Dob and his aging yet alert tracker dog Zechariah and Mexican outlaw Lorenzo Pacheco on their adventures through the wilderness of Texas Hill Country.

Benjamin’s narrative voice draws you in, his enthusiasm and excitement in being able to pen his story is palpable and despite his tendency to go into minute detail, there is not a boring moment in this tightly-woven novel. I loved how the author depicted Benjamin’s bond with Sam, his frustration with her utter disregard for his admonishments but always concerned for her well-being. Sam is a fascinating character – brave, obsessed with revenge and willing to take on the panther irrespective of whether anyone comes with her. The author’s portrayal of an enraged and traumatized twelve-year-old who lives with a constant reminder of a violent episode that forever changed her life in more ways than anyone could imagine is convincing and though she might appear stubborn and reckless, you will want to root for her. The secondary characters are also well fleshed out and the author infuses the narrative with a healthy dose of humor into the narrative to balance the hardships, loss, grief and violence.

Overall, with the author's masterful storytelling, exquisite writing and superb characterizations, I found this novel to be an immensely satisfying read. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Will Collyer, whose expert narration breathed life into the characters and the story, making for an enjoyable immersion-reading experience.

Though this novel predates The Madstone, I am glad to have read it after, as the novel also gives us a glimpse into Benjamin's life decades after the incidents described in both books. However, Sam’s story remains a mystery (a few hints are dropped in this novel) and I would love to know what became of the young girl I admired for her bravery and determination.