Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Lace Reader

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry has been one of the most talked about books this summer. Barry originally self-published the novel, but when word got out about its popularity, three major publishers put in bids for the book. Barry eventually signed with HarperCollins and the book was re-released this summer.

Towner Whitney is descended from a long line of "lace readers," meaning they can read the future in a pattern of lace. But a tragedy in her past has caused Towner to reject her abilities and she has not been back to her hometown of Salem, Massachusetts for 15 years. When Towner's great-aunt Eva goes missing, Towner reluctantly returns to Salem. When Eva's body is found in the water, questions of foul-play are raised. Admist dealing with her aunt's death, Towner is confronted by her memories (or lack thereof) of the past, her strained relationship with her mother and the presence of a psychotic religious cult leader with links to her past. A lot goes on in this novel, and sometimes it is hard to work out what is true and what isn't, but the story is intriguing and will keep readers guessing until the end. A review in the Washington Post mentions that this book is the first in a planned trilogy, and I am looking forward to revisiting these characters and Salem, again.

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