Synopses & Reviews
A stunning literary thriller set in rural Vermont from the much praised author of
Nightswimmer and
Clara's Heart Catherine Winslow, taking a walk during an early spring thaw, discovers the body of a woman leaning against an apple tree near her house in the Upper Valley of Vermont. From the corpses pink parka, Winslow recognizes it as the latest victim of a serial killer, a woman reported missing weeks before during a January blizzard. Once a major reporter for a national newspaper, now a household hints columnist, Catherine is disturbed and galvanized by her discovery and with the help of her neighbor, a forensic psychiatrist, as well as a local detective, starts to research the River Valley murders.
At the same time, her younger lover from an excruciating, failed love affair resurfaces after two years, trying to manuever his way back into her affections. As she delves into the murders, she realizes that certain friends and acquaintances may actually be suspects or even worse.
Review
"A thriller in the widest sense of the word -- where not only does the reader wonder what happens next, they wonder why it will happen. Written in consistently elegant prose, with memorable psychological acuity, Cloudland is both exciting and compelling and will keep readers turning pages energetically." --John Katzenbach, author of The Wrong Man on Cloudland“Cloudland is Joseph Olshans best work since Claras Heart, a novel of high suspense thats written in prose as lyrical as The Lovely Bones.” --Steven Gaines, author of New York Times bestsellers Philistines at the Hedgerow and The Love You Make
"A compelling story of forbidden desire, deception, religion and love's intoxicating allure." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Conversion
"Provocative and perceptive...delights and engrosses the reader...beguiling." --Boston Globe on The Conversion
"Delicately, yet powerfully rendered, taking the reader through layers, twists, and turns to a surprise ending in a novel of deep and intricate characterization...A must read." --Booksense on The Conversion (a Booksense "Pick," May 2008)
"Olshan's deeply passionate work...flows along beautifully, always leading the reader onward and rewarding in the best ways a novel rewards: putting you in a world you never made but become convinced is yours to inhabit." --San Francisco Chronicle on The Conversion
"Olshan writes prose that sings." --The Los Angeles Times on Nightswimmer"The clean and nuanced elegance of Olshan's prose...explores with depth, as did Henry James, the ways in which all human motives are far from transparent." --The Washington Post Bookworld
Review
“Cloudland is a beautiful and original novel. Murder, darkness and snow - we immediately felt at home. The depth is painted with precise brushstrokes. The language is as light as snowflakes swirling across a frozen field. The characters are alive, constantly interesting and very cleverly drawn. The murder mystery is deep and intricate. It was genuine and moving. As readers, wed love to linger in this book, but the story forces us forward. This is true quality crime fiction.” --Lars Kepler, New York Times bestselling author of The Hypnotist
“In Cloudland, Joseph Olshan has written a truly involving thriller with the bones and brain of a serious work of literature, which gives great depth and resonance to the well-wrought thriller plot. This is so difficult an accomplishment that to my knowledge it has been managed only once before in this century. Cloudland could also be thought of as a tribute to Wilkie Collins, as much one of Olshan's grandfathers as he is of mine. It's a lovely knockout, this book.” --Peter Straub, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Story and A Dark Matter
"A thriller in the widest sense of the word -- where not only does the reader wonder what happens next, they wonder why it will happen. Written in consistently elegant prose, with memorable psychological acuity, Cloudland is both exciting and compelling and will keep readers turning pages energetically." --John Katzenbach, international bestselling author of The Wrong Man
“Cloudland is Joseph Olshans best work since Claras Heart, a novel of high suspense thats written in prose as lyrical as The Lovely Bones.” --New York Times bestselling author Steven Gaines
Review
“Joseph Olshan has stepped up and hit one for the home team. The bracing clarity of his prose…observes the destructive impact [the] killings have on this isolated region.” -Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review
“Evocative… the intricate whodunnit has faint echoes of [Wilkie] Collins with Catherine in the role of his ‘Woman In White, wandering desolate hills, but not trying nearly hard enough to escape her past.” -The Boston Globe
“CLOUDLAND is a lyrical love poem to that region (Vermont, New Hampshire) - its landscape, its weather, its people - and also to the writings of Wilkie Collins, whose Victorian-era writings helped lay the groundwork for the mystery genre.” -The Charlotte Observer
“The effect of violence on small communities is one of the most provocative themes for mystery fiction. Joseph Olshan expands that plot…[He] makes a bold and quite effective foray into crime fiction.” -Oline Cogdill, The Florida Sun Sentinel
“A fine writer” -The Washington Post
“Olshan, has a reputation for writing beautifully….Cloudland is a love letter to Vermont.” -The Washington Independent Book Review
“In this refreshingly cliché-free serial-killer tale, Olshan tries his hand with a female narrator/heroine, whom he handles just as deftly as his sensitive male heroes. Although all these chilly, hurting souls are well worth your time, the real keeper is Catherine. Even as you wonder who the killer will turn out to be, youll worry mainly about how shes going to come through all this.” -Kirkus Reviews
“A crash course in Wilkie Collins, wrapped in a thrilling contemporary mystery” -Mystery Scene Magazine
“Unlike the more common, adrenaline-fueled serial-killer thrillers, this is literary, character-driven fiction with remarkable empathy not only for those whom murder leaves behind but also for the perpetrator. Another fine performance from a critically acclaimed author.” -Booklist
“Rarely do you find a story with characters so fully developed that you feel as if they might live next door. Conjuring a distinctly 19th-century atmosphere, Olshan excels at crafting a Dickensian literary piece.” -Library Journal
"Olshan's writing is frequently stunning, particularily when he's describing the landscape of the book's Vermont setting, and he's crafted...a handful of interesting small town types..." -The A.V. Club (The Onion)
“Cloudland (Minotaur) is one of those books that grabs you by the neck and pulls you in, unrelenting and completely taking you..” -CrimeSpree Magazine
“CLOUDLAND, by Joseph Olshan, is obviously a crime novel and a great one at that….The book is not just about mystery - it is also about fascinating characters.” -The Hungry Reader
“This is a gripping crime novel, with a perfect ending, a surprise that doesn't come out of the blue, but fits the story. The isolated setting, and the story of the murdered women are vividly created in this book. Readers who are fans of S.J. Bolton's atmospheric thrillers should try Olshan's Cloudland. Cloudland isn't Olshan's first book. However, it's his first crime novel, and it's pitch perfect.” -Lesas Critiques
About the Author
Joseph Olshan is the award-winning author of ten novels including Nightswimmer and The Conversion. He spends most of the year in Vermont.