WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAYS by Tracey Lange

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook

Narration was performed by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and William DeMeritt. Both did a fine job of reading this story.

A family drama taking place in the close-knit community of, Potsdam, New York. Taking an intimate look into the marriage of Kyle and Casey, and the struggles and trauma they have experienced. The story slowly peels back the layers and reveals the secrets of this marriage from the past to present day. This is a character driven story with heartbreak and also hope.

Touching on, family drama, love, forgiveness, grief, healing, hope, and resilience.

I enjoy Tracey Lange’s writing and look forward to what she does next.

I’m absolutely blown away by Tracey Lange’s third novel, What Happened to the McCrays. Like her other books — which I also enjoyed greatly, it’s filled with love and happiness, grief and regret. This one felt less like an ensemble though and more a deep dive into the failed marriage of two people who, by all rights, should still be together. The way Tracey gradually revealed their story, the “what happened to the McCrays”, built intrigue and kept me absolutely hooked. She has a way of creating a world and characters that feel so real I can’t disconnect from them, even when I’m not still reading. In fact, when I finished this book, I almost just picked it up and read it again — I craved more time with the characters. I do hope Tracey will take us back to Potsdam in the future.

Make sure to check out content warnings before reading this one. If you haven’t read Tracey’s books before, they’re great for fans of Mary Beth Keane and J. Ryan Strandal. I hope you read it and connect with it as deeply as I did!

Audio:
This is one that I think it’s actually easier to listen to than read. The dual POVs are read by two different but equally brilliant narrators — Stephanie Memeth-Parker and William DeMeritt. Because of their unique voices, it’s easier to keep up with which POV we’re in than it is when reading the book with your eyes. Don’t get me wrong — you’ll enjoy this either way!! But it’s especially compelling as an audiobook.

5 stars

I enjoyed listened to this book so much. Both narrators really brought me into the McCray family and I felt the love and pain both Kyle and Casey dealt with throughout the story. I loved the side characters too and how much everyone just cared so much about each other. Tracey Lange writes books about flawed people in such a relatable way and I love that. The writing is wonderful of course and I can not wait for her next book. Honestly I think this is my first 5 star book this year because I am super picky and this one just really was just so wonderful.

Tracey Lange's new novel What Happened to the McCrays? is a beautiful portrait of a small upstate town and its unforgettable residents. Casey is a single middle school teacher whose ex husband Kyle unexpectedly returns to care for his father after he suffers a stroke. As the reasons for their separation slowly and delicately unfold, Casey and Kyle each come to terms with the heartache that left them broken. It takes a village to heal o!d wounds... and to coach the sassy middle school hockey team that needs a win as much as Kyle and Casey do.

The narrators of this audio book bring the characters to life with raw emotion and deliver the perfect combination of humor and heartbreak. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this extraordinary story about love, loss, and forgiveness.

4.5 stars. Tracey Lange is the queen of family estrangement/family dramas.

Kyle and Casey McCray were high school sweethearts; however, they have been estranged for over two years. When Kyle's father suffers a stroke, Kyle must return to Potsdam, where Casey still lives, to help with his recovery. Told through past and present timelines, we learn what happened to Kyle and Casey to cause this rift, as well as find out if time does heal all wounds.

The characters in this story are deep and relatable-- they're flawed but always seem to be doing the best they can given the circumstances. I loved the healing component of this story, as well as the side characters. I cannot wait to see what Lange comes out with next because her books are always a hit.

The narration on the audio was excellent, and while past/present timelines on audio can sometimes be confusing, I found this one to be easy to follow.

DNF. If I had a dollar for the times they quoted Wayne Gretsky....omg. It was a boring, pointless, bore of a story. Don't waste your time.

I loved this family drama. The characters are likeable and so well developed. The story is unique and you’ll find yourself rooting for Kyle and Casey. I enjoyed how the story is told from the unique perspectives of the divorced couple. There’s a great small town feeling and the sense of community shines through. The audiobook narration by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and Williams DeMeritt is excellent.

“After taking time to remember the details, the questions always moved in.”

Who knew a group of (presumably odiferous) middle school hockey players would be a key component to the success of a new novel set in upstate New York. I love family dramas and Tracey Lange has become my go to, auto buy author in this genre. Her artful balance of a believable complex and sad story with just the right amount of levity is a formula not lost on this reader. Building tension toward the big question looming over the entire narrative, “What happened to this family?” are all the characters forced to confront the question of their accountability.

Kyle McCray returns to Potsdam, New York after learning of his father’s stroke and accepts the job of helping him with his rehab. His high school girlfriend/ex wife Casey is still immersed in everything he is connected to there. Profound losses of those who leave and those who are left behind are explained with grace and sensitivity. The questions of what could have been, what is, and how to move forward are addressed in the most human elements of the story. Sadness, introspection, a sweet German shepherd, and just the right dose of humor, made this an overwhelming 5 star read for me.

I highly recommend this title to readers who enjoyed the author’s novel The Connellys of County Down, along with Mercury by Amy Jo Burns and Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane. Narration by Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt was perfection!
Many thanks to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, Tracey Lange is an autobuy author for me at this point. She writes poignant stories about families with real problems that completely shatter and emotionally hijack me.

Thank you @celadonbooks for my early copy of @tracey_lange WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAYS? Publishing Jan 14, 2025.

I have loved every single novel Lange has written and I loved this one as well.

What Happened to the McCrays follows the McCray family (obvs) in a dual-timeline perspective and dual character POVS. These are not easy tasks to accomplish and she does it so well.

The novel starts with Kyle and Casey, divorced and both carrying a heavy, intimate burden. We as readers don’t quite know what literally has “happened to the McCrays” but we walk along side them as they unpack life, young love, marriage, joy and heartache along with their dreams and aspirations. I enjoyed the hockey reprieve in the midst of the mystery and how this becomes a woven theme amidst their pain.

Beautifully, beautifully done, ALL THE STARS, Tracey, what an amazing novel!

There are some specific trigger warnings with this novel that could be upsetting, please reach out if you want to know more before approaching the novel. Mentions of suicide, death of a young child, divorce, mental health.

Tracey does it again! She is so great at making you FEEEEL for her characters. I loved the story being filled with hockey, how close the McCrays were, and the pain/grief we felt for Casey and Kyle. I wish I didn’t read it in two days because I loved it so much and wanted to stay in Potsdam, NY a little longer.

“Sometimes you’ve taken all the shots you can, and then it’s time to let someone else carry the puck for awhile.” 😭😭

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

A beautifully told, heartbreaking tale of a family trying to survive. Lange brilliantly reveals what’s going on with this broken and suffering family little by little like the slow peeling of an onion, giving little hints of what’s to come along the way. The writing is outstanding. The two narrators do a fantastic job of depicting several characters, making it seem like there’s a whole cast of people reading this. It was so easy to listen to and I listened to it very quickly. This will be a hit with book clubs. For fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty.