Quick Synopsis – The paths of two young men collide and spark unexpected violence in a Wisconsin town where three boys went missing in the 1970s.

Song This Reminds Me Of – Honestly, I couldn’t think of one because I didn’t enjoy this book.

Publication Date – Oct. 17, 2023

Content Notes – There is some homophobia mentioned during flashbacks. There are missing children, child abuse, sexual abuse/rape (off page), emotional abuse, and violence.

Rating – ⭐⭐ out of 5

Book Review – This book wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean someone else won’t like it. To me, it just felt messy. I thought the flashbacks could have been fleshed out better and the supernatural element played up even more. Instead, we get a book with vague resolutions, and everyone is basically a murderer.

Sean Courtland is a carpenter who lives a nomadic lifestyle. When his truck breaks down, he is stuck in a small Wisconsin town. He gets in a bar fight over a woman’s honor and accidentally hits said woman in the face. From there he meets Dan, a man he just randomly gives a ride to, and Dan is a plumber. What do you know, Sean needs a plumber for his current job at crotchety old Marion’s house. Oh, and in the 70s three ten-year-old boys went missing over three consecutive summers.

I get the point the book was trying to make about interconnectedness and the pain people can carry. However, it just felt like too much and poorly executed with no real resolution. In the end, as the reader, you’re left to draw your own conclusions about motivation and what really happened. Which would be fine, if this wasn’t a murder mystery. The story itself was interesting with some light supernatural elements, but it just felt like so much character-driven plot that had no satisfying resolution.

This book just felt flat for me.

Thanks to Algonquin Books for the advanced reader’s copy; all opinions are my own.