On reading the blurb of this book, I expected a fairly standard thriller but with an interesting setting in rural Idaho, a place I know little about. However, what I got was completely different and so wonderful.

I’ve tried to summarise this book below but the plot is so beautiful, intricate and complex I haven’t really done it justice. In spoilers

This debut novel tells the stories of Wade, Jenny and Ann with Ann and Jenny providing the narrative.

Wade and Jenny were childhood sweethearts who lived up a mountain in rural Idaho. They were fairly isolated requiring a snow plow in winter but seemed to live happily and had 2 children, June and May. One summers day they go to the woods as a family when Jenny inexplicably kills May, her youngest daughter. The story then progressives over time with Jenny providing some narrative from prison. This side of the novel explores her relationship with her fellow inmate, Elizabeth.

Ann is now married to Wade. They met when she was teaching piano at the children’s school. He is developing early onset Alzheimer’s, like his father did, and Ann’s narrative is her trying to discover what happened to his family before his memories are lost forever.

That is probably a very poor attempt at explaining the story but anyway! This book is beautifully written, complex, gripping and deals with many fascinating themes such as memory, family, loss, betrayal and friendship. I did feel the book was let down a bit by the bending as I never quite understood the motivations behind the incident. I still don’t now despite reading many reviews. I think this is one I would like to re-read and I would love to discuss with as many people as possible!