Books Set in the United States: Vermont

The Sleepwalker, by Chris Bohjalian (2017)

I generally like books by Chris Bohjalian. This one, however, is not one of his better novels. 

Annalee Ahlberg has a genetic condition that makes her prone to sleepwalking. It has gotten mostly under control, but is apt to happen when her husband is away and she is alone at night. When she goes missing when her husband is away, her two daughters become worried. 

As the police begin their investigation, the older daughter, Lianna begins to fall for Gavin, one of the detectives. He is about 12 years older, and was friends with Annalee because he, too, was a sleepwalker. 

At first there is no body. Since Annalee disappear at night, she is believed to have been sleepwalking. She is believed to have fallen into the river and drowned. When her body is found, the coroner determined drowning was not the cause. Was it an accident or murder. 

*****spoiler alert*****

This probably was not the book to read so soon after my mother died, especially in a car accident. 

Read:  March 22, 2017

2.5 Stars. 

Books Set in the United States: New York State

Lost Girls, by Robert Kolker (2013)

I am not sure what possessed me to pick up this book.  True crime stories are the sort of book I typically read.  This book follows the lives of 5 young women who were leading lives in the internet world of sex and drugs.  They found they could make a lot of money working on their own by advertising as escorts on such sites as Craigslist and Backpage.  The disappearance of Shannon Gilbert on Long Island leads the police on a search.  Instead, they find the bodies of four other women, all of whom were wrapped in burlap and buried in the marsh.  These women had been missing for several years, but no serious search had been performed, in part, perhaps to the fact that they were known sex-workers.

The book kept my interest, but mostly because I was on an airplane and it was the reading material available.  The book was not really well written, although it was in interesting look into this aspect of life.

Read: March 1, 2017

3 Stars

Books Set in Europe: Holland

The Dinner, by Herman Koch (2012)

Read: February 26, 2017

4 Stars

Books Set in the United States

A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson (1998)

Read: February 22, 2017

4 Stars

Books Set in the United States

One Summer: America 1927, by Bill Bryson (2013)

One Summer: America 1927 is part history, part-gossip about events that shaped America during May through September 1927.  

The book covers the seminal events of the year 1927, starting with a history of aviation and Charles Lindbergh's historic transatlantic flight, Herbert Hoover and his role in recovery following the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927; baseball in its golden age with Babe Ruth; sensational crimes that captured the nation, including Sacco and Vanzetti, Charles Ponzi, and the Sash Weight murder; and the age of talking-pictures.

Reading this book, however, reminded me of how history repeats itself.  Many of the main themes of this book seem to be what out nation is facing today.  The 1920s was not a good time for immigrants and hate groups were common-place.

I enjoyed reading this, but at times felt I was reading a gossip magazine.

4 Stars

Read:  December 18, 2016

Books Set in the United States

The Memory Box, by Eva Lasko Natiello (2014)

2 Stars

Read: December 2, 2016

Books Set in the United States: New Hampshire

The Pact, by Jodi Picoult (1998)

The Pact is about two teenaged lovers who may or may not have entered into a suicide pact.  The novel opens with the death of young Emily Gold.

Emily Gold and Christopher Harte, whose parents were next-door neighbors and close friends, were born within months of each other.  From infancy, they were best friends.  Emily and Chris have gone from friends to lovers.  While Chris is enchanged by the sex, to Emily it feels almost incestuous.

As the two prepare to graduate from high school and look towards college, Emily begins to feel suicidal.  She tries to convince Chris to join her in death.

In the wee hours of the morning, Emily and Chris plan to carry out their suicide pact.  Emily dies, but Chris survives.  Soon he is charged with her murder.  Much of the book is spent on his arrest and trial.

This was a quick read, but I found it unsatisfying.  We never really see what caused Emily’s depression, although there are some red herrings.  Neither Emily or the parents of the teenagers are well developed.

Read: November 13, 2016

Three Stars