I felt like I was watching an episode of Dateline as I read William Landay's newest novel All That Is Mine I Carry With Me. It contained so many of the same elements that leave me wondering whether the accused is guilty or not. Since this crime took place in the 1970s, I was reminded that the detectives did not have the advantage of today's investigative tools. I also remembered the jaw-dropping twist at the end of Defending Jacob, so I read this book with the expectation of another shocking revelation. The author definitely came through! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the advance copy to read and review.

I read Defending Jacob years ago, so when William Landay came out with his newest book, I knew it wasn’t one to pass up. It was every bit as good as I was had hoped it would be.

The story centers around a family with three children. Their father, Dan, is a successful attorney and Jane, their mother, is a housewife. The parents had met in high school and eventually married. At the beginning of the story, the children are all at home and still in school.

Alex, a high school senior was the eldest and a favorite of his father. Jeff, a couple of years younger, was a bit more laid-back and not as driven as Alex. The youngest is Miranda, an innocent 12 year old. It is Miranda who first comes home one day and discovers her mother is not home. At first she isn’t worried but as they day progresses, Miranda is increasingly unsettled.

By the following morning a detective has come to the house and a search begins to find her mother. The efforts were futile and as the days progress, Jane has not been found.

Years pass and one day, the investigation gets some major new evidence. What happens next is the heart of the story. What the investigators and the adult children decide to do about their mother is difficult and shocking.

Suffice it to say, this story kept me hooked until the very last page. I highly recommend this to readers who love family dramas and mystery/thrillers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random HousePublishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer an honest review and recommend this to other readers.

I've been waiting since 2012 for a new book from the author of Defending Jacob and it has finally arrived. This new book is as good, if not better than his previous book. It had me turning pages to find out the outcome of the story and the final effect on the family dynamics. It's full of twists and turns and just when you know who's guilty, there's a change a few pages later to show you how wrong you were. I know its early in 2023 but this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year.

The novel starts in November, 1975. Dan and Jane Larkin live a comfortable life with their three children - Alex, Jeff and Miranda. Dan is a popular lawyer and Jane is a stay at home mom. One day ten year old Miranda comes home from schooll to a totally quiet house. Her mom is always there when she gets home and she has no idea where her mom has gone. Nothing is out of place in the house and her mom's purse is in its usual place. When her father and brothers get home and find Miranda alone in the house they are very worried about Jane and Dan calls the police to report that his wife is missing. The family waits and waits and there are no clues and no signs of Jane. The main detective and Jane's sister are sure that Dan is responsible but there are no solid facts to prove it. So life goes on for the family and the kids miss their mother more every day. They suddenly realize that Dan may not miss her as much when his long time mistress moves into their house. The three children react totally differently - Alex remains on his father's side, Jeff hates his father and moves away and Miranda gets clinically depressed.

Twenty years later, the remains of Jane Larkin are found. The children are now grown and have to decide whether their father is guilty or innocent and if they should have him brought to trial for their mother's murder. As the case goes to civil court, there are decisions that need to be made by all of them that will affect the rest of their lives.


This story is told over the years in different voices - including Jane's - as the children question the guilt or innocence of their father and the way their family dynamic has changed over the years. This is a story of family love and betrayal, secrets and vengeance and it questions how long family members should stay loyal to each other. It's a real page turner and a book that I couldn't put down once I started reading it. Just like Defending Jacob, the characters and this story will stay on my mind for a long time. I highly recommend it.

When I saw William Landry's name as this author, I had to grab the book. I loved [book:Defending Jacob|11367726] and was excited to read this one. I was certainly not disappointed! The drama was gripping as the story of this family unfolded.

The description:
One afternoon in November 1975, ten-year-old Miranda Larkin comes home from school to find her house eerily quiet. Her mother is missing. Nothing else is out of place. There is no sign of struggle. Her mom's pocketbook remains in the front hall, in its usual spot.

So begins a mystery that will span a lifetime. What happened to Jane Larkin?

Investigators suspect Jane's husband. A criminal defense attorney, Dan Larkin would surely be an expert in outfoxing the police.

But no evidence is found linking him to a crime, and the case fades from the public's memory, a simmering, unresolved riddle. Jane's three children--Alex, Jeff, and Miranda--are left to be raised by the man who may have murdered their mother.

Two decades later, the remains of Jane Larkin are found. The investigation is awakened. The children, now grown, are forced to choose sides. With their father or against him? Guilty or innocent? And what happens if they are wrong?

A tale about family--family secrets and vengeance, but also family love--All That Is Mine I Carry With Me masterfully grapples with a primal question: When does loyalty reach its limit?

I couldn't put the book down. It sucked me in quickly and built slowly for the first half, then the second half was so emotional it kept me glued to the pages. The characters were fully depicted so they seemed real. The plot was masterful and drew on my emotions. My heart went out to little Miriam and I just wanted to hold her close.

This a family drama, a coming of age story, a mystery and thriller all wrapped up in a perfect package. I can recommend it to anyone who likes to read books that draw on your feelings.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam through Netgalley for an advance copy.

What happened to Jane Larkin? On November 12, 1975, the 39-year-old mother of three disappeared. Her young daughter Miranda came home from school and her mother was nowhere to be found. Husband and father Dan Larkin, a criminal defense attorney, became the one and only suspect. But there was no evidence left behind and no witnesses to a crime. Middle child Jeff, as well as Miranda, had doubts about their father and oldest son Alex never wavered in his belief that his father had nothing to do with their mother's disappearance. Through the years, Dan continued to deny any involvement in Jane's disappearance and the case remained open. In 2015, Phillip Solomon, a school friend of Jeff's, received Jeff and Miranda's encouragement to write his next novel based on the family tragedy. The story of the Larkins takes on interesting twists and turns as the family grows more troubled and fractured over time.

All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay, is set up as four "books" - providing different points of view during different time periods. Landay takes his time setting up this sad tale and does an excellent job in his portrayal of Dan, who is not a good guy. But is he simply a pompous jerk or is he an evil monster? The story shows how Jeff and Miranda were so deeply affected over the course of several decades not only by the loss of their mother but the continued struggle in their conflicting feelings about their father. It works well as both a family drama and crime mystery. Landay's popular book Defending Jacob, which I also recommend, was adapted into a television series. I hope this riveting book also makes it to the screen.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Thank you so much to @randomhouse & @netgalley for the earc, pub tomorrow 3/7! Swipe for goodreads synopsis.

I loved the show DEFENDING JACOB so I was really excited to read this. The format was super unique- it is split into four “books” each with a different pov that centers around a family where the wife/mom suddenly disappears one day. It’s set in the Boston area. The husband is a criminal defense attorney with notorious clients. There’s also a civil trial which I found super interesting as an attorney myself!

If you’ve read this, I need to discuss the ending bc I did think it was a good twist but for some reason I can’t really figure out how I feel about the book as a whole. I had theories and feel like there needs to be more of an explanation. The format was amazing but I wanted more, I might end up bumping my rating down .25 the more I sit with it.

⚠️: suicide attempt, rape, infidelity, depression

The storyline of this book seems captivating.. missing mother/family dysfunction junction among other things that I don't want to spoil 🙊 but at times this book fell flat for me .
All in all though the story kept me going back & I was interested in what was going on . I wouldn't say this is a favorite book but I prob won't forget it , it was intriguing & makes you appreciate your family drama 😂
Although it was confusing at times I enjoyed hearing from all the characters & getting their pov's but the super long "chapters" killed me !
Also I don't understand why so much time was spent on the detectives scar on his face ?
But theres a reason why (I think) we hear from every character. We're almost a detective in this story .

&& The ending !! Idk what to say about the ending .. I'm slightly annoyed but I kind of loved it . 🤔

Thank you #Netgalley for this ArC . ❤️

William Landay is the author of Defending Jacob, so I was eager to read this new book. It is the story of a missing woman, Jane Larkin, and is told from different points of view, which gives the reader different insights into the case and the woman's family dynamics. 

The book is divided into four parts and I liked the format of the first book, told from a family friend who may write a book about the case. I wish the rest of the book would have filled this format. The second part gives more details about the lives of the Larkin family, both before and after Jane's disappearance. It really threw me for a loop, but then made sense when reading the beginning of the next part. It's crucial to pay close attention to what is said about this part of the book so correctly understand the story. 

This book is part mystery, part thriller, and part family drama. I was engaged in the story, but sometimes confused by the switches in narrator and timeline. The last few pages deliver some final shocks. I wish things would have been wrapped up at the end in a less ambiguous way, but I still enjoyed this entertaining book.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Bantam/Random House books. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

This is my first read from William Landay and I was blown away. The plot itself was nothing earth shattering but he author’s handling of it was fresh and compelling. I liked how Landay showed rather than told you how the story progressed from a missing person to a homicide (spoiler). And I was very surprised by the somewhat vague ending. I have my suspicions as to what happened but I can see many other possibilities too. A great read.

I LOVED Defending Jacob so I was super excited to read Landay’s latest. This was a slow burn, but the second half was sooo good and worth sticking out the first part of the book! I have so many feelings after reading this one and it’ll take me awhile to fully process my thoughts. Overall, so good and I highly recommend!

This is a super unique read! I really enjoyed it!

I loved everything about this read. The writing, plot, point of view, everything was done, unlike any book I've ever read. I loved having to figure out what was going on through the authors showing. I enjoyed the twist even though I had an idea who the murderer was and was correct; I enjoyed how it played out. I also enjoyed the vague ending. We, as readers, are left to decide what Miranda does. I have my opinions, but ultimately it doesn't matter. What matters is the facade that is shown throughout the plot. I really enjoyed this book and plan to read others by this author!

Rating this 4.5 stars, but am happy to round up.

Thank you to Bantam and Netgalley for this advanced copy in return for my honest review!

Excellent character driven mystery with multiple points of view. It's a guaranteed up all night book. Well worth the loss of sleep! I recommend going in blind. The Author does a good job of leading you through. In a way that keeps you completely engaged and also yelling: Wait.... WHAT??!!

4.5 stars I will be recommending this to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an excellent ARC

William Landays' latest "All That I Carry Is Mine" opens with "Phillip Solomon who was a friend of Jeff Larkins' forty years prior when his mother, Jane Larkin went missing. Phil is now a writer and he is writing a book on the case and reaches out to Jeff and his younger sister Miranda for what they remember.
Miranda was ten years old in 1975 and came home to find her house empty, She waited throughout the long afternoon for her mother who never arrived. So begins the mystery of what happened to Jane Larkin.
Most of the town believes that her husband, Dan Larkin, got away with murder.
The story is divided into four "books" that provide different viewpoints - Miranda, Jeff and even Jane. This is a book that keeps you engrossed and each character is well developed so you wish you could be the one that offers an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. Dan Larkin is a narcissistic jerk and you easily loathe him and seethe with rage along with Janes' sister.
I had this on my tbr shelf for too long and will not make that mistake again. William Landay is one of the best storytellers out there and a must read author. I see another best seller in his future.
This is out for release on March 7, 2023, be sure to order it now, you won't be sorry..

Landay’s previous novel, DEFENDING JACOB, was a pitch perfectly paced thriller about a family affected by a murder of a young boy. As Landay probes deeper, the reader recognizes that it was just as much an examination of family dysfunction as it was a murder mystery. Landay approached his latest crime story in some of the same relatable ways—with a probe into family dynamics and the flawed, broken parents and children. However, this one failed to capture my attention. It felt derivative—even the detective with the port wine stain was something out of a previous novel I read. And a novel has to be exceptional, truly singular, to get away with a dead person speaking posthumously. Instead of handling it with nuance, I felt it was a bit strained and striving. Landay can write prose, and he certainly had a worthy premise. However, it seemed a bit long-winded and flat, a monotone-told narrative that aspired to delve into each character. It just didn’t work for me, but many other readers enjoyed it. Don’t take my word for it—you may love this book that just wasn’t my cuppa. 2.5

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read an early copy.

This captivating story, told through multiple points of view, tells the story of what happens to a family when their mother disappears. The husband is of course a suspect, but no proof is found and he is not charged. The three children are obviously profoundly affected by this case as it goes unresolved for 18 years until more evidence is found. Then things get really complicated!

William Landay writes intriguing stories with fully developed characters and a well paced plot. This one grabbed me from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading until I found out how it all came together. Told from multiple perspectives, one at a time, the mystery unfolds gradually while the story moves quite quickly. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for an advanced reader copy.

I'm going to be an outlier with this one - I found nothing enjoyable about it at all, other than Miranda's character. Its billed as a mystery/thriller, but its more of a story about family dynamics while dealing with tragedy and its aftermath. In addition, the "mystery" is solved mid-way through the book so after that, it was just a story of a family that just wasn't all that interesting. The story is told in sections by different characters/perspectives, which just didn't work for me. Overall, this clearly wasn't the book for me.

4 stars!
This book had me hooked from the beginning. I had a hard time putting it down because I just wanted to know what happened. I would definitely recommend!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my arc!!

A missing devoted mother and wife. A successful attorney husband. Three children. A detective who never gives up. This book is divided into sections which are all told by a different point of view. It seems like just when you think you have something figured out there is something new to consider. You will become really engaged with the different emotions of the various family members. I was invested all the way through and would recommend this book.

All That Is Mine I Carry with Me is an intense, gripping family saga. This story focuses on the disappearance of Jane Larkin. The wife to arrogant criminal defense attorney, Dan Larkin and mother of three children. Even though the detective on the case has never been able to get the evidence needed to arrest Dan Larkin, Dan is suspected in Jane's disappearance. This leaves the children (Alex, Jeff, and Miranda) to decide: is their father guilty or innocent? Captivating and thought-provoking, this read stayed with me for long after the last page. Highly recommend!

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this novel.