In November 1975 a young girl named Miranda Larkin comes home from school as usual. She has a snack and watches some television. It is not until darkness that she begins to worry. Normally, her mother Jane would be home to greet her. If she was running late, she would still have been home by dinner. When her father Dan and brothers, Alex and Jeff arrive panic sets in. This is the beginning of a mystery that will haunt this family and one particular policeman named Detective Glover, for decades to come. Dan Larkin is a high profile criminal defense attorney. He has dealt with some shady characters in his time. When he is questioned by the police it is immediately apparent that he is quite familiar and comfortable with these procedures. Dan calmly has an answer for everything. Suspicions run high but without a body and little evidence the case runs cold. For years the family is distraught. It doesn’t take long for Dan to bring home a very beautiful girlfriend. Alex is off to college and also becomes a successful lawyer. Jeff and Miranda never recover. When bones are discovered two decades later, Jane’s sister pursues a civil complaint and the family is further divided. Grabbing you from the very first page, this suspenseful, twisted tale is an unputdownable page turner.

This was a unique book that worked well for me. I liked the family drama and the concept of the story. I also loved the author's last book so will be checking out what he writes in the future.

I found the first half of this book really unique and absorbing; the story was a strange mix of ordinary and weird, which appealed to me. It is split into four parts and four POVs and, while three of them were quite engaging, the third (to me) was not and the story really slowed down for a while. I honestly even contemplated abandoning it. All in all, I’m glad I finished, though the conclusion was somewhat dissatisfying for me. I’m curious what other readers made of the ending🤔

"When does loyalty reach its limits?"

Im going to skip straight to the point, All That Is Mine I Carry With Me, if a 5 star read that will leave readers grappling with their thoughts long after concluding.

William Landay showcases natural talent when it comes to delivering an incredible storyline. I was sucked right in from the first chapter and left completely destroyed by the time I concluded (in all the best ways possible) All That Is Mine I Carry With Me pulls together multiple genres to come up with one of the best books I have EVER read.

I can not imagine being put in a situation these children (now adults) were put in. How do you choose between your mom and your dad?

Before I slip and give away too much, I will tell you, you NEED this book. Here is a little teaser:

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?

Several years ago, I read Defending Jacob by William Landay. I remember being on the edge of my seat as I was reading it, and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. When I saw that Landay had a new book coming out, I immediately came to Netgalley to request an early copy of a digital ARC. In All That is Mine I Carry With Me, we meet a family who is dealing with the disappearance of their matriarch: Jane Larkin. Her three children are left wondering what happened to her, and her husband, Dan Larkin, is one of the main suspects her in her disappearance. After I was done reading this book, I updated my Goodreads and thought I would look through the reviews, so I think I am in the minority when I say this book was not for me. There were several things that didn't work for me, and I am so disappointed because I really wanted to love this one. As far as the style of the book goes, I wasn't a fan of the dialogue without quotation marks, and I didn't like how the book was broken into sections rather than chapters. As far as the story goes, it was way too much of a slow burn for me. I kept waiting for the story to pick up or for something exciting to happen, but I don't feel like that ever happened. The ending seemed abrupt, and I was kind of left scratching my head. I thought to myself, "That's it?" I felt like there wasn't a clear resolution, leaving me feeling unsatisfied with the ending and overall story. There were also parts where certain details were discussed at length that didn't seem to have any effect on the overall story, other than to make the physical book longer (e.g. Glover's port-wine stain). I was bored and never really felt invested in the story as much as I wanted to be. Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read a digital ARC of All That is Mine I Carry With Me.

Right from the get go, the cover is a very ominous sign of what you’ll get when you read the book. This is not a happy story by any means, but it was one that really held my attention and would have had my respect even if I hadn’t read and loved DEFENDING JACOB forever ago.

There are a lot of strong points to this book. It’s well written, it’s suspenseful, you by no means have any clue as to what will happen next and it was different. This is not your run of the mill, written for a quick buck kind of book. This one took a while to think of, write and execute.

I’m not 100% sure where I fall still even today, but I think somewhere in the 4 star range is it for me. The ending left me a little disappointed, but I could see where a lot of people might really like it. As for the rest of the book, I was so in awe of how clever it was and that it wasn’t something I read 20 times before, I didn’t care that it was sad. Murder generally isn’t happy anyway? So it just depends on what kind of mood you’re in I guess.

This is a pretty vague review because I think it’s best you go in blind. I thought each character was extremely well written and I am really excited for reading the next William Landay book in my 50s 🤣. I’m hoping it’s sooner, but I’ll wait if it’s going to be as good as this one!

A missing Mom nd a Father who stands to be charged. Taut.and suspenseful writing. Landry is a definite master.of his craft. I adored it.

A suspenseful well written mystery. I enjoyed the different "point of views" Wonderful characters. I enjoyed the deceased as well as the murderer. Very enjoyable read.

DNF @ 10%. I tried to read it but unfortunately this book is too "literary fiction" for me and that's just not my style. It's definitely me and not the book though, so I definitely say give it a shot if it seems up your alley though!

My thanks to Net Galley and Bantam for an advanced copy of this e-book.

A mother vanished. A father presumed guilty. There is no proof. There are no witnesses. For the children, there is only doubt.

November 1975 = Young Miranda Larkin arrives home from school but her mom isn't home. Maybe she is just running an errand. But she isn't home for dinner and she isn't there the next morning and her Dad doesn't act any different. Her older brother Jeff is confused but they don't talk. As the years go by with no evidence of what happened or who might have done something, family members live with doubt and the difficulties living life with this always hanging over their heads. Did Dan Larkin, husband of missing Jane Larkin, have something to do with her disappearance?

The story is told in 3rd person, the daughter Jane's story, the son Jeff's story and the man writing a book on this story. Like the family, the reader is left with doubt and wonder about what happened. But the ending! Highly recommend this one!

I wanted to check out All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay because I had watched the show, Defending Jacob. However, I did not connect with the writing style and will not be finishing this one, thank you for the early copy!

"I had a mother once. How odd. I wish I could have a moment with her, as Aunt Kate said. Just a few minutes to visit. I would like to hear her voice. I would like to do right by her. Not for her (she is past caring) but for me. I would like to go back to the place where I lost my way and choose a different road."

This book gutted me - five stars. That's basically all I need to say. It's one that I'm left pondering over, trying to put my feelings into words (needing to talk about it NOW and not weeks later because I'm always behind on reviews) but that is the sum of it really. Five stars and may very well end up on my top reads list of the year - TBD. I don't want to give a big summary or tell you anything about it really. It was an experience. It left me feeling frustrated at points, taken aback at others...and at tears when I was at the point where I read the above quote. I went to Goodreads and read reviews on this one straight after finishing - and I can understand and agree with some of the criticisms. And yet...I think back to how this book made me feel while reading - and can't give it anything less. Here is what I want you to know. If you feel a bit ambivalent at first, stick with it (maybe not if you hit the halfway point and still feel this way). There are no quotation marks used which can be (and is) confusing at times. It's a slow burn - one where you are meant to trust the author and the ride that he is taking you on within the pages. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking. I didn't expect this one to hit like it did but that's the joy of reading for you. Also, I need more of you to read this one so we can discuss.

I'm hesitant on how to recommend this only because I understand that it might not hit everyone the same way like it did for me. But if you read and loved Long Bright River by Liz Moore or Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka (both also five star reads for me) then pick this book up. I think it's the characterization in these books that makes me feel like if you liked one, you might like the other. And also, if should go without saying by now, but I highly recommend this one!

CW - Dementia

Miranda Larkin is in elementary school in 1975 when she returns home from school one day to find her mother....gone. There is no explanation as to where Jane Larkin disappeared to. She seemingly vanished into thin air, leaving behind her husband Dan, as well as Miranda and her two older brothers. While many people suspected Dan, a criminal defense attorney, of foul play, no charges were ever made. It wasn't until years later when Jane's body was finally discovered that questions began to arise. The investigation begins anew, as do the suspicions. Did Dan Larkin kill his wife? If not, who could be responsible for such a heinous act?

As the siblings take sides, it becomes clear that this family was keeping secrets hidden. Will the truth be uncovered so that this fractured family can be put back together? Or perhaps, the truth is best left hidden in the past, where it belongs?

I absolutely loved Landay's "Defending Jacob." However, this book did fall flat for me. While I felt that Landay was trying to recreate some of the twists from "Jacob", he did not put ample time into the character development. I felt wholly un-invested in all of the characters, and actually found myself not really caring what happened to Jane. If you have not read "Defending Jacob", my advice would be to pick that one up instead. If you have, rest assured you can skip Landay's latest.

Ok, I sat on this one for a day because I was just feeling so much after finishing. This is maybe my favorite book so far of 2023. I read 96% of it in one sitting on Sunday and finished it up yesterday. The story follows a family in four parts (for povs) in the aftermath of a woman’s disappearance. The way it’s written allows information in the present and the past and different perspectives on how this event has shaped this family and others involved for the next 30 years. The character development in this book was so well done. I felt like I knew the characters and thought about them after the book was over. Some big subjects are covered throughout and done very well (euthanasia, domestic violence, rape- to name a few) and the ending is resolved, but also leaves a little to speculation. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries that are written with care and depth.

I loved this book!

I had never read any book by Landay before, but I am familiar with Defending Jacob. This book will ensure that I read Defending Jacob and any other books by Landay. I felt that the book was masterfully written. I loved the various perspectives on the death of Jane Larkin and the number one suspect, her husband. I was surprised that we got a 4th section from the perspective of Dan Larkin. The book is not your average suspense novel. This book is highly elevated and I would categorize it as a slow burn. The only convention that I struggled with at time was the lack of quotation marks. It made it hard for me to follow who was speaking from time to time. However, I got through it and was not at a total loss.

Whether you have read Landay or not, I highly suspect that you will enjoy this read.

What a powerful book. I loved the pivoting points of view, the continual guessing, and the thoughtful insights into family dynamics. I appreciated how the author introduced different perspectives with each chapter/book, and the additional details shifted my opinion of characters as the book progressed. My only warning to the reader is to take care-there is a storyline about dementia that I was NOT expecting or prepared for. If you are caring for someone with dementia, I would caution the reader to take care. Otherwise, prepare for a wild ride!

Really enjoyed this novel. Story was very interesting and engaging. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommend!

From the author of Defending Jacob, comes a new novel revolving around the disappearance of a mother told from the perspective of her family and those investigating it throughout the decades. Not only do we get her perspective of meeting her husband and what happened to her, we also see POV from two of her three children and her husband. It's a very different novel from Landay's previous well known novel.

It's a slow burn novel that failed to quite grab me completely. I enjoyed the novel for what it was, but I kept wanting more even at the end. I did enjoy the multiple narrator perspective, but with the lack of quotations it sometimes got confusion of who was talking and what was going on. Typically I don't mind the lack of quotations, but with the constant back and forth between characters and time it did get confusing at times. I enjoyed Landay doing something different than Defending Jacob, which many readers will know him for. It makes me want to read his debut novel to see how it differs from these two novels. Although this novel didn't quite work for me I look forward to seeing what he writes in the future.

Thank you to Bantam and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for my review.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I went back and forth on this book. There were parts I loved and parts that just dragged too long for me. I liked the story told in the different points of view and how they made you believe in guilt but then also doubt that he did it. It reminded me more of a crime documentary than a book. So that I liked.

My thoughts were all over the place with this book. When I started reading I thought maybe I misread the premise and it was a nonfiction true crime book. But I went back several times to confirm it was a novel. The book is told from multiple perspectives and the first perspective is so realistic, I thought it was true crime. I did enjoy some of the perspectives better than others and felt like some were stronger. Parts of the book seemed long a repetitive, but overall it is a unique take on a crime.