Published outside the US under the better title A Murmur of Stones, this 2006 novel is one of over thirty written by Thomas H. Cook since 1980, several winning awards including an Edgar from the Mystery Writers of America.
Davis and Diana grew up in the shadow of a brilliant father who encouraged them to read, recite, and investigate at a very high level. He was also a paranoid schizophrenic whose manic phases and illogical reasoning ultimately caused his death and may have been passed down. When Diana's son accidentally drowns in a pond, she becomes convinced her husband Mark actively caused it and she divorces him, spending her time obsessively gathering evidence against him while her brother feels obliged to repair the damage in her wake. The structure of the story has David recalling events to a detective, preparing the reader for the climax. Their history David recites is one of a family torn apart by madness and suspicion - as her deceased son was borderline schizophrenic, perhaps Diana will end up like her father. Perhaps David will.
While this was well written and held my attention, it lacked momentum and I can't recommend it. The events played out without surprise or twists, although you can tell he meant the cliffhangers to draw you in. I found it pedantic - it didn't go off course, just played out as you expect.
Interesting characters with a short way to go.
2007 / Tradeback / 310 pages
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