A beautifully written and expertly paced family saga set on a farm in Alabama. Whatever you do, don’t watch the short film on Goodreads as it gives away more or less the whole story. So much for spoilers. Most reprehensible. The less the reader knows beforehand the more this novel remains unpredictable and full of suspense as the narrative creeps up on you and takes you over. I loved it. A tale of family, love, loyalty, betrayal, guilt, and regret, a heady mixture which never descends into bathos or sentimentality. A great read.

A taut tale of love, loss, betrayal, longing and redemption, Absence is a thinking book. It doesn’t belong in the “light reading” stack on your coffee table. But for those willing to plumb the intricacies of this complicated plot and even more complex characters, it’s a treasure trove of rich writing and robust characterizations.

Set in Alabama with side trips into Viet Nam, this book could be summed up with: “The absence of truth brings perpetual drought.”

Indeed, a dark secret sprouts from the ragged, angst-riddled peanut farm of James Greene when he strikes a bargain with a shady obstetrician. Greene winds up getting a lot more than he bargained for. Way more. In fact, his decisions and their consequences dog him and his family for generations.

This story is a two-fer. On one hand it’s a powerful look at family dynamics and a study of the “meanness of nature.” (That could also apply to human nature.) On the other, it’s a clever missing persons mystery.

The third person narrative is crisp and compelling. Water is used repeatedly to undergird and emphasize some of this story’s subtleties. Too much water results in a devastating flood. Too little results in an equally devastating drought. Just like too many secrets gnaw at and tarnish everything they touch.

Engrossing and intriguing, Absence will likely echo in your head long after you turn the final page.

#Absence
#NetGalley