Title: All That’s Left To Tell

Author: Daniel Lowe

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Pub. Date: 14February 2017

Genre: Psychological Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction

 

This book is not about intrigue or terrorism, it is a story of humans and the power of stories.

 

Marc, an American held hostage in Pakistan, is a man exposed, lost in time and place, being both denied, and in a way granted, peace of mind. Is it just psychological torture or something more? Marc has only the reluctantly engaged memories of his dead daughter Claire to ground him until the mysterious woman Josephine begins to weave a story about her that changes everything. With his future, and now his past uncertain, Marc (and the reader) is plunged into a new– utterly engrossing– reality.

 

In the beginning, I was not sure how I felt about this book as I thumbed through it. It was so different in scope, maybe too ambitious, and the vibrant rhythm of the sentences were begging to be read out loud (for those who have a hard time reading it because of the sentence structure, try the audiobook, I would bet it is out of this world).

 

I was worried for no reason. This is a good book, maybe a great book, but I would have to read it again with purpose to say. Not an easy book, or light, but gripping. I found it to be honest, mysterious, deep, suspenseful, literary, cross-genre, and ultimately entertaining, despite worrying that it was centered on a subject matter that was not really up my alley. It is! I love good stories and good characters, and these were all deeply drawn characters worth getting to know, even if I hope I never have occasion to meet them in person unless it is at that cabin on the lake.

 

This book is a fantastic swirl of storytelling, (not just the author telling a great story, but the characters telling great stories as well). The whole book is is subtle, complex, humble, surprising, and real. It is not preachy or maudlin, even when it waxes nostalgic. It is in turn both kind and brutal, and sometimes so very sad.

 

I am a richer person for having read it.

 

Thanks to the publisher and goodreads for the advance reading copy.