Half Broken Things

Joss, Morag. Half Broken Things. There is so little I can say that won't reveal too much, but I recommend this one highly --in spite of the fact that the tension kept me on edge (dread?), and I had to put it down frequently before I could read on. A powerful and emotional psychological study of three lives, the way they become entwined, the bonds forged, and the eventual consequences, a haunting story of suspense...

Joss does a remarkable job with the characters, letting them gradually insinuate themselves into your good graces, allowing them to grow and broaden their horizons, even as you know that the deceptions will lead to no good. Her writing is smooth and flowing, sensuous, creating a remarkably visual novel as the characters enjoy the pleasures of a beautiful home, good food, the finer things of life.

The story unfolds slowly. Nothing is rushed. The details accumulate, layer after layer. New beginnings seem possible to Jean, Michael, and Steph, and each discovers a family denied to them as they forge their own family unit and luxuriate in the previously unknown love and support a family can offer.

And all the time, my heart was pounding. The more beautiful, relaxed, and delicately happy the scene, the more I dreaded the end of their sanctuary.

Read this one if you can. I will be reading her other books as soon as I can get them.

Fiction. Psychological suspense. 2004. 303 pages.