Many thanks to Riverhead Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I was a bit disappointed by this book. Two neighbors in a small town are dealing with the death of their sons in a murder-suicide and trying to understand why it happened. A young pregnant girl comes into their lives and the story unfolds. I did not really connect with the characters, aside from Rufus, but his story nearly caused me to stop reading. I also could have done without a lot of the religious parts. Overall, it was a very slow, character development heavy novel.

Heart wrenching a book that grabbed me from the first pages.Two teenage boys die a mysterious pregnant girl appears a story that kept me guessing.Mystery life emotional will keep you guessing .#netgalley#riverheadbooks

This book read like a slow burning mystery. I was intrigued by the first few pages and wanted to know what happened to the boys. Unfortunately it just started to drag out, and I really didn’t care for the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and Riverhead Books for the ebook. This is a wonderful, epic of a book that starts off with unimaginable pain and loss and builds to forgiveness and love. Issac has lost his wife to another man and now lost his son in a tragic way. His neighbor Lorrie has lost her son and she is trying to change her life and create stability for her young daughter. Sixteen year old Evangeline enters their world pregnant and with a possible connection to their lost sons. This book doesn’t cut corners to get to where it wants to take you, but builds the story chapter by chapter and by the end it moves you much more than you ever thought these three broken souls ever could.

I was interested in the beginning of the book. A pregnant girl and two boys dead. Two friends. One killed the other and then committed suicide. I kept reading to have my questions answered. About half way through the story ran out of gas, I didn’t really like any of the characters except the dog, Rufus. But I almost didn’t finish it after what happened to Rufus. To make a dog suffer unnecessarily is unconscionable. I finished the book but this was a huge miss form,e..

Well, damn. For the first third, I liked it well enough. Second third, I was starting to really love the nuance and complexity of the characters. Final third? Sobbed my way through. It’s long, but I urge you to stick it out, if only for one chapter about Rufus that I will not discuss but if you know, you know. This isn’t mystery or suspense— it’s character study that happens to begin with an act of violence but isn’t about that particular act at all. It’s about silence and trust and family and forgiveness and the impossibility of forgiveness... and it’s about Rufus. If nothing else, read the book for Rufus.

What Comes After is a novel by Joanne Tompkins set in in the Pacific Northwest about two neighboring families who have tragically lost their sons. This well-written debut mystery discusses the repercussions of these horrific events through the eyes of their families and community. Matters get even more complicated with the appearance of Evangeline, a mysterious pregnant teenager who happens to have known both young men and needs a place to call home. Tompkins background as family mediator and judicial officer makes her understanding of all the nuances involved in this complicated scenario come alive under her skillful writing and kept me riveted to the story. Highly recommended.

While I was initially worried that I might find this novel to be over tragedy-ed (teen pregnancy, abandonment, murder, multiple suicides) I was immediately captivated by the elegant prose and rich characters. Tompkins' characters have flaws and triumphs that are both believable and heart wrenching, and I found myself experiencing the full range of emotions alongside them, from heartache and shame to redemption and love. While this is a more character driven novel, the plot moves along steadily enough to keep you interested without being too jaunty as to detract from the slow boil of tension. The backdrop of Washington nature and the unfinished house leant itself to an eerie undertone, building both the physical and emotional tension. The ending was a poignant cocktail of grief and hope and resiliency, and left me with the notion that we can find joy in life even after the worst of traumas.

This review will be posted on Goodreads on Feb. 24, 2021.

Here is my one-minute spoiler-free video review: https://youtu.be/-bpUWG1sotk

What Comes After is the debut novel by JoAnne Tompkins set in Washington State. A town is reeling from the loss of two teenage boys involved in a murder suicide. Mysteriously, a pregnant teenage girl emerges from the woods with secrets. Homeless, she finds herself residing with Isaac, one of the fathers of the deceased teenage boys. This is a story of the power of silence and facing hard truths.

This book was on my Top 10 Most Anticipated Reads of 2021, largely because it was recommended to anyone who loved Where the Crawdads Sing. This book did have many similarities with Where the Crawdads Sing while it also had key differences. Check out my video comparing these two books here: https://youtu.be/20i14_hEzkA

This book took a risk by not going the route of a traditional coming of age story or breaking out the traditional damsel in distress storyline. Instead, it focused on forgiveness, facing hard truths (things that are difficult to see or admit), and new beginnings. Additionally, Isaac is a Quaker who turns to his faith to process the loss of his son. The only Quaker that I can remember reading about was Alice in the book Christy so it was interesting to learn more about that faith and the power of waiting for answers and being comfortable with silence.

However, there were a few points where I would have revised the book. The first: Evangeline was not written as a very innocent character and did not resonate with me as much as Kya from Where the Crawdads Sing. One scene that I would cut was the flashback to the time with Evangeline’s mom (trying not be spoil anything…). Also, there were a couple of things that didn’t really move the story along but were very polarizing: there were a couple of paragraphs about a dog (again trying not to spoil anything) and there was a VERY graphic description of hunting.

Overall, this book was really great. I would love to read it again, and I can’t wait for my pre-order to arrive because I look forward to reading it again.

*Thanks NetGalley for providing this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) at no charge in exchange for a fair and honest review.

'What Comes After' is a story of loss, grief and healing. Two neighbors in a small town are dealing with the death of their sons in a murder suicide and trying to understand why it happened. They've been left no clues until a young, pregnant, girl appears, in need of a home.
This book was an interesting study in human characters and dark emotions. Grief is an ugly process and all the characters need to face up to their own flaws before they can move on.
Dog lovers will also enjoy the depiction of the family pet!

This book was much quieter than I expected. I was looking forward to a fast paced mystery/thriller and was surprised by this slower book with more character development. I enjoyed the story but was thrown off a little by the frequent changes in timeline and point of view. Overall I enjoyed this book once I got over my initial misconceptions.

4 stars

In response to the titular statement, this novel centers on the aftermath of trauma and tragedy in the lives of Isaac, whose son is murdered; Lorrie, whose son is dead; and Evangeline, whose traumas are too many and too painful to list.

The atmospheric quality here is palpable; Isaac's home, the surrounding nature, and the simultaneous protection and alienation that nature provides all become more than just the backdrop. The harshness of the elements, it turns out, is no match for human nature, which over and over again comes up as pretty awful with few exceptions.

While I do find this beautifully written and generally well constructed, I am still struggling with the near evaporation of some of these characters. There are loose ends and abrupt stops at times, and while the contemplative structure and general vibe work, they can be a bit frustrating. These characters grow and come to terms in their own ways, but they move slowly, painfully, and sometimes punishingly.

The biggest challenges I experienced - and that I expect will be shared by other readers - were the depictions of rape and of suffering animals. Readers sensitive to one or both subjects should take note and prepare in advance.

Overall, this is an intriguing study in trauma, grief, acceptance, and rebuilding -

4.5 stars
This novel was hauntingly beautiful and was so much more than the mystery thriller I was expecting. I was hooked after one short chapter.
It was deep and emotional, and highly hopeful.
I felt for each character, and wanted the best for all of them.
It’s about moving forward after loss, redemption, acceptance, and what connects us.
It was surprisingly very moving, and I enjoyed every last drop.

Lots of elements of a great mystery, including suspense and some twists. Engaging. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

An emotional read about loss and grief. For me, it felt like a bit much - like every difficult topic possible was thrown in. But, I did enjoy learning more about the Quaker faith. This book will definitely pull at your heart strings and make you think. There are a lot of deep topics in this book. It wasn't an easy read but it was a good one!

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Riverhead for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Two boys died in shocking circumstances, and a pregnant girl emerges, and ends up living in the home of one of the boys after befriending his father. This book fell pretty flat for me all around. There wasn't much mystery or intrigue pushing the storyline forward. I also didn't feel any strong connections to the characters, especially where there was a lot of opportunity for those emotions to be more pronounced and create stronger connections with the reader.

I did not care for this novel. I thought it would be more thrilling but I found it super boring. I didn’t even care to find out how Daniel died, who was the father of Evangeline’s baby etc. Just not my cup of tea.

Two teen boys deaths leave a small town looking for answers. Bereaved parents searching for answers and a girl who needs healing all come in to play. Its fast paced and chapters are told in alternating voices. A new writer to follow.
Thank you NetGalley & JoAnne Tompkins for the ARC.

Keep an entire box of Kleenex at hand when you sit down to read What Comes After. It is a beautifully written story that will surely bring most readers to tears.

Very simply, this novel is about two dead teenage boys, a homeless and pregnant girl, one of the boy's father, the other boy's mother, and a loving dog. The author does an absolutely masterful job of bringing the main characters to life. The novel is told in the first person by Isaac, who we first get to know at his son's funeral. I loved Isaac's devotion to his Quaker roots and his interactions with his Quaker friends. The chapters about Isaac are alternated with chapters about Emma, a teen who has been deserted by her mother and, subsequently, taken in by Isaac. My heart broke with her as she struggled with her journey to take care of herself and her unborn child and then as she learned to let others into her life. The third POV is that of Jonah, who is writing on the day of his death. Again, as a reader, Ms. Tompkins took me into Jonah's very soul.

Near the end of the novel, Isaac's dog Rufus, who is so integral to the story, comes to the end of his life, and honestly, I had to skim the chapters about Rufus as they were just too emotional, albeit beautifully written. (I am adding this fact because I know it will be a trigger for some readers, so this is a heads' up.)

This is such a powerful book, it's hard to review. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This isn't the kind of novel I would normally pick up, but I'm so glad I did. Five bright stars for What Comes After. It is scheduled for publication on April 13, 2021.

This book was heartbreaking, and so beautifully written. I did not know what to expect going into it, and I found the story compelling and a wonderful examination of the after-effects of individual actions.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Riverhead and NetGalley for the chance to read this book!