By all accounts Doreen Woods is the perfect citizen. She is a dentist who started a program to give free dental care to the homeless. She has a loving husband and son. She has a brother with MS who she takes care of. However, what her husband and son don't know is that she is Lucy Johansson. Lucy Johansson is on the FBI's most wanted list for killing a man in the 70's. She was part of a radical group who protested the Vietnam war. Lucy planted a bomb at a college in NY and killed a man who was working over-time. She immediately went into hiding. Now, 34 years later, a person from the past has shown up and shakes Doreen's world.
This story is mostly about Lucy. It is told from her view, both current day and back in the 70's. You read about what is going on now, but mixed into that are sections where you learn what happened 34 years ago. You also get info on Adam. Adam is Lucy's older brother. He fought in Vietnam and when he came back he was never the same. Adam helped hide Lucy when she first went into hiding and therefore he is at risk of being sent to jail as well.
I'm not quite sure I'm doing the book justice, so click here to be taking to the author's website. At this righting the first page gives you a description of this book.
I'll be honest, when I first picked up this book I read about 5-10 pages and put it back down. I was in a but of a slump and just wanted something light, I didn't feel this was the book. So, I picked up a book that I thought would do the trick. However, that one didn't work either. So, I decided to go back to this book and just read it. Honestly? I'm so glad I did. I was captivated by this story. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Doreen. Would she turn herself in? Would she run away from the life she has? Would the ghosts of her past catch up to her? What would her husband and child think? And what about Adam?
I felt the author did a great job weaving the past and the present together. While I normally prefer to have different chapters for each person and when the time/date changes, the author didn't do that in this book and it didn't bother me. I was easily able to figure out that ok, it's Adam in Vietnam now. Ok, it's Doreen when she was "Lucy".
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and know I'll be recommending it to others.
(new author.fiction.319pg)
10 comments:
That sounds pretty good. I also get annoyed when a book jumps around like that. It can be confusing.
Sharon - I'm glad I'm not alone there! haha! But...I will say this book was easy to follow and it didn't annoy me
I was captivated by the story too through your review! Nicely done! I'll definitely look out for this book in the nearest bookstore. I've just read a lot on the Vietnam War and will read any story book which has anything to do with.
Josette,
Oh..I hope you like it! I'm glad my review caught your interested too!
Wow, this sounds so fascinating! Had not heard of it before but it sounds really good.
Will put it on my TBR list. Thanks.
Cessie,
oh...you'll have to let me know once you have read the book. It will be interesting to see other's comments/thoughts.
I think I saw something similar to the main plot on Cold Case once.
ladytink - you gotta love cold case! haha!
Sounds really interesting. In my local area, about three women have recently been caught for old crimes they committed in the 70s, so this would tie in. I have mixed emotions about everything, so I wonder if the book would clear up my emotions about it. I will have to be on the lookout.
Kristie - oh, that's so intersting! Isn't it weird how something in real life will happen and then you come upon a book about the same thing?
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