By: William Landay
ISBN: 9780345531841
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 03/07/2023
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
A mother vanished. A father presumed guilty. There is no proof. There are no witnesses. For the children, there is only doubt. From the New York Times bestselling author of Defending Jacob. . . .
“Astonishing, powerful, and provocative, this book is worth the excruciating wait for another William Landay.”—Louise Penny, author of A World of Curiosities
One afternoon in November 1975, ten-year-old Miranda Larkin comes home from school to find her house eerily quiet. Her mother is missing. Nothing else is out of place. There is no sign of struggle. Her mom’s pocketbook remains in the front hall, in its usual spot.
So begins a mystery that will span a lifetime. What happened to Jane Larkin?
Investigators suspect Jane’s husband. A criminal defense attorney, Dan Larkin would surely be an expert in outfoxing the police.
But no evidence is found linking him to a crime, and the case fades from the public’s memory, a simmering, unresolved riddle. Jane’s three children—Alex, Jeff, and Miranda—are left to be raised by the man who may have murdered their mother.
Two decades later, the remains of Jane Larkin are found. The investigation is awakened. The children, now grown, are forced to choose sides. With their father or against him? Guilty or innocent? And what happens if they are wrong?
A tale about family—family secrets and vengeance, but also family love—All That Is Mine I Carry With Me masterfully grapples with a primal question: When does loyalty reach its limit?
My Review
From the NYT bestselling author of Defending Jacob, William Landay's latest, ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME is an intriguing and mysterious family drama whodunit that lures you in with a unique storytelling style, weaving readers through a maze of clues and puzzle pieces.
In 1975 in Newton, MA, a wife and mother, Jane Larkin, went missing. Her ten-year-old daughter, Miranda, comes home from school to find her gone. Hours pass, and no sign of the woman.
Other family members, Jeff, Alex, and husband, Dan, arrive home, and Jane's sister, Kate. The police are called in.
Was it foul play, or did she leave to escape?
The prime suspect is the arrogant criminal attorney, Dan—the husband (I despised this character). Of course, he would know how to plan the perfect murder. They must first find the body and the proof. Motive?
There is an ongoing investigation with Detective Glover that turns into a cold case from the 1970s into the 2000s.
Told in parts: Four Books, we hear from different POV perspectives, past and present.
So how are the three children's lives changed after their mother left? Are they living with a murderer?
Alex defends his father, Jeff thinks he is a murderer, and Miranda is on the fence, but her view changes by the end.
Dan goes on about his life with his new girlfriend. Then later, a body is found near New Hampshire.
The author winds in and out with the characters leaving you to decide what happened to Jane Larkin during the course of the novel with a signature jaw-dropping conclusion.
The title could have different meanings, metaphors, and symbolisms: your most important possessions are your character and wisdom.
The cover and description drew me in. While this was not a favorite read, I enjoyed the mystery, whodunit, and legal aspects. I would describe it as "haunting, intriguing, and mysterious."
However, would encourage readers not to go into it thinking it will be a thriller. The novel is more of a family saga and how lives are shaped due to tragedy.
ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME would make for an ideal book club pick. I enjoyed the Bermuda mention. Been twice and also stayed at the Southampton Princess.
Thank you to #RandomHouse and #NetGalley for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Dat: March 7, 2023
Praise
“An enthralling mystery and a haunting family tragedy, heartbreaking in places, with deeply drawn characters and all the thrills of a classic whodunnit . . . I couldn’t put this down. You won’t be able to either.”
—Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent Patient and The Maidens
“Powerful and provocative, All That Is Mine I Carry With Me explores the dynamics of family and the ways in which vengeance can control and destroy the ones we love.”
—Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A World of Curiosities
“Masterful, original, and riveting, and the best book I’ve read in quite a while . . . With its subtle mystery and compelling portraits of how lives are transformed in the aftermath of violent crime, it possessed me from the very first line to the last page.”
—Scott Turow, author of Presumed Innocent and Suspect
“With All That Is Mine I Carry With Me, the masterful author of Defending Jacob has created something riveting, unforgettable, and original—unlike any other crime novel I've read.”
—Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of House on Fire
“Riveting, intense, and breathtakingly compelling . . . William Landay has brilliantly broken every rule of storytelling in this haunting masterpiece of a novel—part legal thriller, part family drama, and part literary tour de force.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of The House Guest
About the Author
Photo credit for this image: Darlene DeVita
William Landay is the author of three previous novels: Defending Jacob, which won the Strand Critics Award for best novel; The Strangler, listed as a best crime novel of the year by the Los Angeles Times, The Daily Telegraph, and others; and Mission Flats, winner of the Dagger Award for best first crime novel. A former assistant district attorney, he lives in Boston. WEBSITE
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