Friday, August 12, 2016

Arrowood

Arrowood by Laura McHugh


Wistful and nostalgic, Arden Arrowood returns to Keokuk, Iowa, a sleepy little town along the Mississippi River, to claim the family home that bears her name. Bequeathed to her by her paternal grandfather, Arden is happy to leave behind the shambles of the life she's created. This unexpected gift may give her the chance to finally discover what really happened on that fateful afternoon so many years ago when her precious, tow-headed twin sisters vanished from sight. The circumstances surrounding the disappearance are foggy. All she knows is that she was somehow responsible.

Soon after that horrific day, Arden was whisked away by her despondent, pill-popping mother and her fast-talking shyster of a father, to begin a new life as a vagabond, traveling from town to town. Now she's back home in a  place filled with memories. Maybe somehow, in these familiar surroundings, she can relive that agonizing summer and truly remember what she thinks she witnessed. This town, its people, and a resplendent, once awe-inspiring home, may very well hold the answers.

 Readers will enjoy dissecting and examining clues to discover the answer to a complicated puzzle. Much like her first novel (The Weight of Blood suspense/ thriller) the author draws upon her childhood days spent in the Heartland of America and masterfully conveys images of the serenity of the Midwest.

 "Memory is a slippery thing". This theme is reiterated over and over throughout the novel as much as the mystery itself.  Along with nostalgia..."the bittersweet longing for a time and place left behind",  the reader will fully understand by the end of the book, how fragile our minds really are.













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