Hi friends!

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a book review!  Let’s start with Under the Harrow, by Flynn Berry.

I started this book in September, right after finishing a terrible mystery novel.  I was really hoping for a palate cleanser with this one.  Fortunately, this book was a much better read- it’s a confident (but dark) debut.

In the first chapter, Nora arrives at her sister Rachel’s house for the weekend, only to find her brutally murdered.  The depiction is graphic and even now, even six months after I’ve finished the book, there’s one scene from that chapter that I still haven’t forgotten.  Nora, who was very close with her sister, is completely traumatized by what happened and struggles to find her way back to normalcy.  As she finds herself under increased scrutiny from local police, she starts her own search for Rachel’s killer.

This mystery is deeply engaging.  The author deftly portrays both Nora and Rachel as complex, messy human beings, rather than drawing them one-dimensionally.  The killer in the mystery isn’t obvious and I enjoy when I am unable to guess what the ending is.  If you enjoy dark psychological mysteries, then you’ll definitely enjoy this book.  Four stars.