“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal but love leaves a memory no one can steal.” - A Kind of Hush
Wow was all I could say when I finished this unique book.
Griff, the elder son of the Mackie family dies. Three years later, the mother dies in a freak accident that almost kills the father and the daughter. The only one left is Gabe - the seven-year-old baby brother. How do you cope with grief? Gabe shows the way. Summer, the mother is three months pregnant when she dies. Just when you think, this book is going to be about how a family copes with grief when a family member dies, the police investigate the accidental death of Summer, a social worker who helps sexual assault victims, especially children. This changes the genre to a mystery novel. While the suspect is at large, the reader is left to wonder - who did it and why?
Zigzagging from Buffalo, New York where Summer dies to Big Bend, Texas, the author holds you mesmerized and there is never a dull moment. Most often in a mystery, the narrative is forced but this one just flows, filled with insight. While there are twists and turns throughout the story which makes the reader anxious at times for the children, it is balanced by humor. I couldn't stop grinning when I read "Einstein’s special theory of relativity is easier to grasp than a teenage girl." The line on sexual assault was particularly insightful when one of the sexual assault victims says at Summer's funeral, "She told us our bodies were crime scenes … just like those surrounded by yellow tape … holding key pieces of evidence of a crime committed and she would find the truth. Mrs. Mackie said that truth would heal our internal wounds, the scars would be symbols of a fight won as we move the blame elsewhere. She gave us all a reason to believe our lives were just beginning ... not ending"
The story is about life in general and how small things can prejudice our views of people. It also shows how cops make mistakes and how they are humane too through her characters, Conner and Warren. When you buy the book, have markers handy as you will end up highlighting multiple lines in the book.
The writing style is interesting as the author mixes history of USA without interrupting the narrative. It is crisp and a page turner. It is both utterly heartbreaking and uplifting, giving us hope.
A Kind of Hush is a book one has to definitely read in our lifetime.
You can buy it here Amazon
