Reviews
#7 OCTOBER LIBRARYREADS PICK! "Allen Eskens delivers a mesmerizing debut, unfolding decades of secrets in a rewarding tale of redemption." --JULIE KRAMER, Minnesota Book Award winner and author of Delivering Death "[A] masterful debut.... [A] satisfying resolution." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW "The tension builds to an all-stops-out finale that works on every level. Thriller fans should keep their eyes on Eskens; he's a comer." --BOOKLIST "Joe Talbert is an everyman hero--thoughtful, unassuming, and determined to rise above his circumstances. Smart, stylish writing sets the tone in this absorbing debut about Joe's efforts to unearth the truth behind a brutal murder while caring for his autistic brother. A rich and highly satisfying mystery!" --LYNNE RAIMONDO, author of Dante's Poison "This tale of inequality lured me in from the first page. Some children quietly carry tremendous burdens, and Allen Eskens is masterful in exposing the frustrations of a young adult trying to escape the clutches of an abusive, alcoholic parent--all while trying to take college classes, protect a younger brother, and investigate a murder three decades old. This debut novel is breathtaking, the plot real, heart-wrenching, and hopeful. Eskens writes my kind of book." --SUSAN FROETSCHEL, 2014 Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee and author of Fear of Beauty, "Allen Eskens delivers a mesmerizing debut, unfolding decades of secrets in a rewarding tale of redemption." --Julie Kramer, Minnesota Book Award winner and author of Delivering Death, 2015 EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE: BEST FIRST NOVEL! SUSPENSE MAGAZINE - BEST BOOKS OF 2014, DEBUT AUTHOR MYSTERYPEOPLE - BEST DEBUT NOVEL 2014 #7 OCTOBER LIBRARYREADS PICK! "Allen Eskens delivers a mesmerizing debut, unfolding decades of secrets in a rewarding tale of redemption." --JULIE KRAMER, Minnesota Book Award winner and author of Delivering Death "[A] masterful debut.... [A] satisfying resolution." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY , STARRED REVIEW "Set against the backdrop of a brutal Minnesota winter, The Life We Bury is much more than a satisfying, suspenseful novel. This story kept me turning the pages, and it touched my heart. The characters are as real as my next-door neighbors, the story compelling, and the writing superb." -- SUSPENSE MAGAZINE "Eskens's first-person narration grabs the reader and never relinquishes its hold." -- LIBRARY JOURNAL , EDITOR'S FALL PICK "The tension builds to an all-stops-out finale that works on every level. Thriller fans should keep their eyes on Eskens; he's a comer." -- BOOKLIST "Eskens' debut is a solid and thoughtful tale of a young man used to taking on burdens beyond his years--none more dangerous than championing a bitter old man convicted of a horrific crime." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS "An intelligent and compelling story with characters that will capture you from the start.... This debut novel never lets the reader off the edge of the seat--the mark of a great story." -- THE BIG THRILL "Eskens' compulsively suspenseful first novel reveals that guilt takes many forms--and that getting the story right is essential." -- BOOKPAGE "Eskens delivers interesting puzzles, clever problem-solving, and plenty of stay-up-all-night-reading suspense." -- REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE, "Allen Eskens delivers a mesmerizing debut, unfolding decades of secrets in a rewarding tale of redemption." --Julie Kramer, author of Delivering Death, #7 OCTOBER LIBRARYREADS PICK! "Allen Eskens delivers a mesmerizing debut, unfolding decades of secrets in a rewarding tale of redemption." --JULIE KRAMER, Minnesota Book Award winner and author of Delivering Death "[A] masterful debut.... [A] satisfying resolution." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY , STARRED REVIEW "Set against the backdrop of a brutal Minnesota winter, The Life We Bury is much more than a satisfying, suspenseful novel. This story kept me turning the pages, and it touched my heart. The characters are as real as my next-door neighbors, the story compelling, and the writing superb." -- SUSPENSE MAGAZINE "Eskens's first-person narration grabs the reader and never relinquishes its hold. -- LIBRARY JOURNAL , EDITOR'S FALL PICK "The tension builds to an all-stops-out finale that works on every level. Thriller fans should keep their eyes on Eskens; he's a comer." -- BOOKLIST "Eskens' debut is a solid and thoughtful tale of a young man used to taking on burdens beyond his years--none more dangerous than championing a bitter old man convicted of a horrific crime." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS, #7 OCTOBER LIBRARYREADS PICK! "Allen Eskens delivers a mesmerizing debut, unfolding decades of secrets in a rewarding tale of redemption." --JULIE KRAMER, Minnesota Book Award winner and author of Delivering Death "[A] masterful debut.... [A] satisfying resolution." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW "Joe Talbert is an everyman hero--thoughtful, unassuming, and determined to rise above his circumstances. Smart, stylish writing sets the tone in this absorbing debut about Joe's efforts to unearth the truth behind a brutal murder while caring for his autistic brother. A rich and highly satisfying mystery!" --LYNNE RAIMONDO, author of Dante's Poison "This tale of inequality lured me in from the first page. Some children quietly carry tremendous burdens, and Allen Eskens is masterful in exposing the frustrations of a young adult trying to escape the clutches of an abusive, alcoholic parent--all while trying to take college classes, protect a younger brother, and investigate a murder three decades old. This debut novel is breathtaking, the plot real, heart-wrenching, and hopeful. Eskens writes my kind of book." --SUSAN FROETSCHEL, 2014 Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee and author of Fear of Beauty, AWARD RECOGNITION FOR THE LIFE WE BURY : WINNER! Left Coast Crime Rosebud Award, BEST DEBUT MYSTERY WINNER! Barry Award, BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL WINNER! Silver Falchion Award, BEST FIRST NOVEL: traditional 2015 Edgar® Award Finalist, BEST FIRST NOVEL Minnesota Book Award Finalist, BEST GENRE NOVEL Anthony Award Finalist, BEST FIRST NOVEL ITW Thriller Awards Finalist, BEST FIRST NOVEL MysteryPeople 2014 BEST DEBUT NOVEL Suspense Magazine BEST BOOKS OF 2014/DEBUT AUTHOR PRAISE FOR THE LIFE WE BURY : "Thriller fans should keep their eyes on Eskens; he's a comer." -- BOOKLIST "Compulsively suspenseful." -- BOOKPAGE "[A] masterful debut...." -- PW STARRED REVIEW "An intelligent and compelling story with characters that will capture you from the start.... This debut novel never lets the reader off the edge of the seat--the mark of a great story." -- THE BIG THRILL "Set against the backdrop of a brutal Minnesota winter, The Life We Bury is much more than a satisfying, suspenseful novel.... This story kept me turning the pages, and it touched my heart. The characters are as real as my next-door neighbors, the story compelling, and the writing superb." -- SUSPENSE MAGAZINE "Eskens delivers interesting puzzles, clever problem-solving, and plenty of stay-up-all-night-reading suspense." -- REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE "Eskens's first-person narration grabs the reader and never relinquishes its hold." -- LIBRARY JOURNAL EDITOR'S FALL PICK "Eskens' debut is a solid and thoughtful tale of a young man used to taking on burdens beyond his years--none more dangerous than championing a bitter old man convicted of a horrific crime." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS "A mesmerizing debut, unfolding decades of secrets in a rewarding tale of redemption." --JULIE KRAMER, Minnesota Book Award winner
Synopsis
A USA Today bestseller and book club favorite! College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran-and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl's conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it's too late to escape the fallout?, A USA Today bestseller and book club favorite College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl's conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it's too late to escape the fallout?
