Synopses & Reviews
In 1956, when divorced working-mom Ava Lark rents a house with her twelve-year-old son, Lewis, in a Boston suburb, the neighborhood is less than welcoming. Lewis yearns for his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. The neighborhood — in the era of the Cold War, bomb scares, and paranoia — seizes the opportunity to further ostracize Ava and her son.
Lewis never recovers from the disappearance of his childhood friend. By the time he reaches his twenties, he's living a directionless life, a failure in love, estranged from his mother. Rose is now a schoolteacher in another city, watching over children as she was never able to watch over her own brother. Ava is building a new life for herself in a new decade. When the mystery of Jimmy's disappearance is unexpectedly solved, all three must try to reclaim what they have lost.
Review
"Leavitt is a lovely writer and here she tells an absorbing story." New York Daily News
Review
"Leavitt has a way of crafting the loveliest novels out of tragedy....It's her examination of loss, grief, and disappointment that will engross readers." Booklist
Review
"This tale of domestic suspense builds to a shocking climax and will appeal to anyone immersed in suburban lore." Library Journal
Synopsis
In 1956, Ava Lark rents a house with her twelve-year-old son, Lewis, in a desirable Boston suburb. Ava is beautiful, divorced, Jewish, and a working mom. She finds her neighbors less than welcoming. Lewis yearns for his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. The neighborhood — in the throes of Cold War paranoia — seizes the opportunity to further ostracize Ava and her son.
Years later, when Lewis and Rose reunite to untangle the final pieces of the tragic puzzle, they must decide: Should you tell the truth even if it hurts those you love, or should some secrets remain buried?
About the Author
Caroline Leavitt is the award-winning author of eight novels. Her essays and stories have been included in New York magazine, Psychology Today, More, Parenting, Redbook, and Salon. She's a columnist for the Boston Globe, a book reviewer for People, and a writing instructor at UCLA online.