"Keys to an Empty House" by David Finkle presents an intriguing premise that holds promise but falls short in execution, earning it a three-star rating. The story follows Elihu Goulding, a once-famous author who, in his senior years, encounters a young man claiming to be his son. The initial setup creates an air of mystery and potential for exploration.

The introduction of Ethan Haas and the revelation of Elihu's potential fatherhood add layers to the narrative. However, as the story unfolds, the pacing feels uneven, and the exploration of Elihu's past and his relationship with Ethan lacks the depth needed to fully engage the reader. The character development, particularly for Elihu, feels somewhat incomplete, leaving the audience with a sense of detachment.

The premise of a successful author abandoning his writing career to embrace solitude and travel is intriguing. However, the novel could benefit from a more thorough exploration of Elihu's motivations and the emotional complexities behind his choices. The story's potential for a deep exploration of family dynamics and the impact of past decisions is not fully realized.

The writing style is solid, and Finkle demonstrates a command of language. The narrative is straightforward, but it occasionally lacks the emotional resonance needed to make the reader fully invest in the characters and their journeys. The interactions between Elihu and Ethan could have been more nuanced, adding depth to their relationship and the unfolding events.

While the book introduces an unknown chapter in Elihu's life, the resolution may leave some readers wanting more closure or a more profound impact on the characters. The lack of a strong emotional connection with the characters and a somewhat predictable plot progression contribute to the overall three-star rating.

"Keys to an Empty House" has a compelling premise that could resonate with readers, but the execution falls short of fully realizing its potential. The novel is a decent read, but it lacks the depth and emotional resonance needed to elevate it to a higher rating.

I tried very hard to get into this book but I did not find the story as captivating or the characters as engaging as I’d like. I received it as an ARC and later went back to finish it independently, however I could not make myself engage in the story either time.

I struggled to stay engaged in this one. Quite a few times I found myself asking wait, what’s happening here. This story was just a bit dry and boring to me. It didn’t keep my interest at all and I wish the characters were a bit more developed for my tastes.

Elihu Goulding is an author who had a couple successful books and a third which was received with a lukewarm reception which caused him to cease writing. Living off his money over the years, moving when he tires of a place, Elihu is a character that I really wanted to like but for some reason just didn't really click with his character.

A brief love affair with a girl named Emily in Chicago results in a pregnancy. Emily insists she wants nothing from him at all and he obliges but does send monthly checks for the support of the child.

Fast forward to when Elihu is 60 and a young man, his son, knocks on his door and a relationship between them begins.

This book was not as engaging for me as I had hoped and although I did finish it I did not love it in the way that I could not put it down once I started reading. There was little dialogue and maybe that is why I felt like I still did not know much about the characters by the end of the book.

I wavered between a 3 and 4 star review and would have given a 3 1/2 if possible. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a free ARC digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

I'm not sure what to think of this book. Elihu used to be a bestselling author living the dream, but now he has moved into a NYC rental. His life is pictured as being a loner these days. Shortly after moving into the rental he has a surprise guest.

I would like to have seem the relationship between Elihu and his guest evolve, but coming from Elihu's POV I could see why he was giving his guest space. By the end of the story Elihu seemed to have found what he was looking for in his life.

I would like to have read this from Elihu's POV instead of narration.

This is the story of Elihu Goulding, an author of two successful and one not-so-successful , works of fiction. When his third book was poorly received, Elihu decided to stop writing. He's spent the years living off of the money earned from his books, alone and wandering from place to place, moving when he gets tired of a place. Over twenty years ago, Elihu found himself living in Chicago, auditing classes at the university when he met Emily. After a short love affair, Emily announces that she is pregnant and expects nothing from Elihu. He is willing to go along with her wishes, except he does have his accountant send her a monthly check for the child. Now 60-something Elihu is living in Manhattan, enjoying the house he's rented, his books, and his music when a young man knocks on his door. The young man is Ethan, the son he's never met. Ethan asks to stay for a few days, which turns into many months, and Elihu has to reassess his decisions from twenty years ago and his more recent decisions as well. This is definitely a book of the mind, as there is very little dialogue between any of the characters and the focus is solely on Elihu's thoughts.

Retired writer Elihu Goulding just wants to be left alone, and he's mostly been able to achieve this. Until his son, Ethan -- who Eli has never met -- shows up at his door.

Overall, I enjoyed the story told in Keys to an Empty House. I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Elihu and Ethan go from strangers to father and son. It's a relationship dynamic most people don't get to see from the inside, so it was very interesting to read. My favorite thing about this book, however, is the ending. I loved the place the author chose to end our observation of these characters.

I will say that the writing style may not be for all readers. Because of the Elihu's personality, the narration and conversations between characters are a bit dry and even sometimes self-important. If you can relate to Elihu in some way, this is easier to read through. If not, I can see that it would be hard to enjoy this book. I can definitely think of people I would recommend this book to, but it's a smaller list than other books I've enjoyed.

Keys to an Empty House is the first book I have read by this author.

This is not the type of book I normally read as the main character's internal dialogue was at times frustrating. I was hoping to have more characters show up to the party as they say. The overall story was interesting.

Synopsis:
The face is familiar. Elihu knows he can easily place it. He doesn't complete the thought because the young man speaks... 'My name is Ethan Haas. My mother is Emily Haas. You're my father.'"

In his twenties Elihu Goulding was a famous, award-winning author of two novels. His work brought fame and fortune and yet he stopped writing. Instead, he traveled, renting various places in which to live. Each time he appreciated the solitude of his newest surroundings.

Now Eli is entering his senior years and adapting to his latest rental, a New York City brownstone. One day, while taking a shower, Eli hears the front door buzzer ring, followed by assertive thumps from the door knocker. Once he is dressed and has decided the disturbance must be addressed, Eli opens the door to find a carbon copy of his younger self. Whether Eli likes it or not, an unknown chapter in his life is about to begin.

"Keys To An Empty House" tells the story of Elihu Goulding, a 60 year old ex-author who believes that he peaked in his 20s with his two bestsellers. Living off the royalties of his success, Eli spends his years hopping between homes in the country and city, with nothing to do but read and wander. However, he soon receives a wake up call when the son he never met shows up at his doorstep wanting to learn more.

My opinion on this book flip-flopped with each chapter. First, I found the writing style off-putting and frustrating to get into. I was eventually able to find my flow, but the abrupt sentences and the strange 3rd person stream of consciousness narration distracted from the story.

The parts that I found most enjoyable were descriptions of the characters' routines, but in all honesty I found that there was too much unnecessary detail elsewhere. One example is the multi-page description of Eli's relationship with Bart, which is never made relevant throughout the story other than a brief "scare" when they almost run into each other. Several pages were spent on this, and in describing Eli's masturbatory and sexual habits when it was simply irrelevant to the plot.

There is little dialogue in this novel until the end, which honestly works in its favor. When the dialogue does begin, it's unnatural and unnerving. No one uses contractions, they speak as though they were working on a theater piece, and there's an abundance of 50-cent words (vicissitudes, bivouac, erstwhile, peripatetic - just to name a few).

All in all, this was intriguing enough for me to commit to reading it fully, but not something I would seek out or recommend.

This was a weird book to me. The plot sounded great, but as I read it, I struggled to stay interested. I normally love books with older characters. This one just didn’t move me.

#KeystoanEmptyHouse #NetGalley
My rating is 3 1/2 Stars

Genre: Literary Fiction/ Tragicomedy
Publisher: Plum Bay Publishing
Pub. Date: April 5, 2022

I have never heard of this author, nor have I heard of the publisher. Google informed me that Plum Bay is an independent publisher. This is not a mainstream type of novel. “Keys to an Empty House” reads like literary fiction. It is a deep, character-driven tale. In the first quarter of the novel, Elihu Goulding, the protagonist/narrator, speaks only to himself through internal dialogue. There are no quotation marks at all, which can make the novel’s beginning a bit of a reading challenge. I am glad that I stuck with it because I became interested in the story and wanted to know more about the peculiar and severely depressed protagonist.

Elihu was a young man in his twenties when he decided to stop writing, although he won awards, after completing two novels. I think his decision has something to do with past loves that didn’t end well. The author could have been more specific, but I didn't catch it. He had an affair with a woman who later died of cancer. He had another relationship with a man, which he ended since Elihu did not care for living as gay or even bisexual, though he says the sex was good. Finkle presents Elihu as a wishy-washy kind of guy. He lives in Manhattan. He prefers to live alone, not uncommon for a sad person. But, he “needs” to move frequently. He can’t even sleep in the same bedroom twice in a row. This is because as soon as he feels comfortable he changes rooms. Alternatively, heaven forbid someone recognizes him, and then he needs to move to a new apartment. Elihu maintains a nomadic lifestyle despite residing only in New York City. I get that an anxiety disorder could cause the fear of being recognized. To know why he does not like to become too comfortable you will need to ask the author. I’m guessing that it is the loved and lost bit again.

One day, Elihu hears the doorbell ring repeatedly. It stops, then starts up again. He continues to ignore it. It drives his anxiety through the roof. Like so many other moments in the novel, it would be hilarious if it weren’t so sad. He finally breaks down and opens the door to find a young man who is the mirror image of his younger self. Turns out Elihu has a son who he never met. The boy’s mother, not him, made this decision. Now in his senior years, the man who simply wants to be left alone with his strange rituals has his 20-year-old kid, Ethan, living with him. He is concerned about how to explain his plethora of issues, so he doesn’t. It is fun to read his son’s confusion.

This is not a sentimental story about a father-son reunion. Do not expect to read "A Man Called Ove," where love fixes all of Ove’s issues. That isn't this author's style at all, at least not in this book. "Keys" is a comedy-drama. I admired how Finkle wrote with compassion for his protagonist’s depression and panic disorder. The story’s sluggish pace was maddening at times. Nevertheless, at other times, I was so into the story that I didn’t mind, reminiscent of Anne Tyler’s work. If you can ignore the pace, then I recommend this bittersweet novel.

Keys to an Empty House - David Finkle

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Keys to an empty house follows Elihu who is a previously well known author. Elihu hasn't written anything for years and likes to live a quiet and solo existence. That is until Ethan, his son from a relationship 20 years ago turns up. Elihu knew about Ethan's existence but Ethan's mum wanted to be a single parents.

Ethan and Elihu have a very non-committal start to their relationship where they just ignore each other apart from dinner time.

I really enjoyed the story, it was a simple read which I needed after reading the Book Thief. I do think there could have been a bit more depth to the characters as I wouldn't say I really formed any bond with either of them. I also feel the last part of the book was kind of rushed, nothing really happened and then all of a sudden it just ended.

Thanks to @netgalley and @plumbaypublishing for the E-Arc of this book.