The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

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Unearthing a Good Book


The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. It was supposed to be just a college English course assignment. Write a brief biography of a stranger. That’s how Joe got to know Carl Iverson—a convicted rapist and murderer. Carl, who was paroled after thirty years in prison, is in a nursing home dying of pancreatic cancer. With only months left to live, he is given a chance to make his dying declaration—an opportunity to come clean before he leaves this world for the next. But things aren’t always black and white. As Joe learns more about Carl and his case, his view and life are altered in unsuspected ways, because digging up the past can sometimes unearth dangerous consequences.

This was a book club selection and although on the one hand it sounded pretty good, on the other hand it also sounded kind of morbid since Carl’s past isn’t exactly a walk through a field of flowers. So I started it with half enthusiasm, half trepidation. The enthusiasm quickly took over. This book became like an itchy scab that I just couldn’t leave alone until I scratched it all off to see what’s underneath. It’s a good book: fast, suspenseful, hard to put down. It stirs up the same uncontrollable curiosity and urge to push forward as Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, and What She Knew. A thumbs-up thrill!!

As I mentioned, this was a book club selection. All my fellow readers liked it. It was a fast and good read. Some things may have been stretching it a bit like super speedy results of DNA tests, and it had a bit of a Hollywood ending, but all in all a good read!

Happy reading,
Annette



Comments

Davida Chazan (The Chocolate Lady) said…
I finally did my nominations for the Leibster Award. You can see my nominees and answers to your questions here http://drchazan.blogspot.co.il/2016/04/my-liebster-award-nominations.html
Thanks again for nominating me!
April 29, 2016 at 11:33 PM
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