THIS MUST BE THE PLACE by Kate Racculia

When Arthur Rook’s young wife, Amy, dies in a workplace accident, he finds among her possessions an unmailed postcard with a mysterious message.  He undertakes a journey to Amy’s hometown and stays at the boardinghouse run by Amy’s friend in adolescence, Mona, who is the single parent of Oneida.  This is a quirky story populated by oddball, original characters.  Full of charm, with hints of mystery and romance,  it reminds us that every choice made narrows the possibilities.

PERFECT READER by Maggie Pouncey

When her father dies suddenly, Flora returns to the ivy-covered college where he had been president.  He has left her his home and a collection of quite erotic poems written about a lover Flora didn’t know existed.  Her return prompts her to revisit long-buried memories, especially those surrounding a tragic accident and her parents’ divorce.  A solid and often humorous read.

THE MADONNAS OF ECHO PARK by Brandon Skyhorse

In eight linked stories, the author illuminates Echo Park, an area of east Los Angeles. Some, but not all, of his characters are immigrants;  some, but not all, are legal.  Some want to leave, some feel stuck, some return.  Fascinating stories, beautifully told.  It isn’t always apparent what the link is until the end of the story.  

If you like linked stories, you might also try OLIVE KITTERIDGE by Elizabeth Strout or TWISTED TREE by Kent Meyers.

NOT UNTRUE AND NOT UNKIND by Ed O’Loughlin

Owen Simmons works at a city newspaper.  When a colleague dies, the discovery of a file he had kept on Owen stirs Owen’s memories of his days as a foreign correspondent.  Much of the novel takes place in Zaire in the 1990’s;  it is an atmospheric story of the adventures of a group of journalists, full of romance and danger.

WALKING TO GATLINBURG by Howard Frank Mosher

The year is 1864.  Morgan Kinneson, 17 years old, leaves his Vermont home to search for  his beloved older brother, Pilgrim, a doctor who was last seen at Gettysburg.  Along the way, Morgan meets a wild variety of characters – good and bad, human and animal.  It all adds up to an odyssey, an adventure, a coming of age story by a great storyteller.

THE GIRL WHO FELL FROM THE SKY by Heidi Durrow

Rachel is the daughter of an African-American father and a Danish mother.  After living in Europe, the family moves to Chicago.  A tragedy occurs and Rachel is sent to live with her grandmother in Portland, Oregon.  It is here that Rachel confronts racism and learns to forge her own identity.  This powerful novel won the Bellwether Prize, established by Barbara Kingsolver and awarded to “a first literary novel that addresses issues of social justice.”

If you would like to read another Bellwether winner, try MUDBOUND by Hilary Jordan.

BIO Strauss, Darin: HALF A LIFE

When the author was 18, he was driving a car that struck and killed a schoolmate.  A  memoir about memory and responsibility.

 

 

 

 

 

Strauss has written bestselling fiction, too:

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THE POACHER’S SON by Paul Doiron

 

Mike Bowditch is a young game warden in Maine.  He hasn’t heard from his father in two years, but suddenly finds a message on his answering machine.  Before he can make contact, Mike learns that his father is a wanted man, accused of murder.  Mike seems to be the only person entertaining the possibility that his father may be innocent, so he undertakes a dangerous and very personal manhunt. 

It’s a thriller, but it’s also a meditation on family, loyalty, and betrayal.