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Scare the Light Away

By Vicki Delany

     Rebecca McKenzle, recently widowed, is a successful Vancouver businesswoman who returns to Hope River, the small town of her youth. She has broken an absence of 30 years to attend the funeral of her mother. She has been estranged from her indifferent father and her older brother and sister. She had a brutal childhood caused by her psychopathic grandfather.

     She discovers diaries written by her mother, a British war bride who came to Canada with a young baby to join her husband and his family. Her mother's story tells of the disillusionment and tragedy of life with her husband's family; of the sadistic treatment by her father-in-law and its consequences.

     While at home, Rebecca learns of the disappearance of Jennifer, a young girl from the town. The townspeople suspect Rebecca's brother, Jimmy, who has a checkered past. When Rebecca stumbles on Jennifer's body with evidence that might implicate Jimmy, the police arrest Jimmy. It is up to Rebecca to forget the past grievances and try to find the real killer.

     This is a story of a dysfunctional family that has to breach all its past grievances to come to terms with the truth. The characters are presented in depth with their past and present relationships conflicting with each other. The plot is well constructed. The story is told in two parts: the present and the past as depicted in the diaries, the story of he British war bride evoking sympathy and respect for the stamina of the woman. The action is fast moving and suspenseful. It is an absorbing picture of the life of a British war bride in the barren farm lands of Canada.

The Book

Poisoned Pen Press
March 1, 2005
Hardcover
159058191S
Mystery
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Excerpt

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The Reviewer

Barbara Buhrer
Reviewed 2005
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© 2005 MyShelf.com