When a man dies, if there are no witnesses and there is no body, is it an accident or is it suicide? And what other secrets will be dredged up now that he's gone?
That's the premise of the new novel The Western Wind by Samantha Harvey. Set in the 15th century, the parish priest tells the story through his own point of view and in a backwards timeline, which may seem kind of odd when you first start reading, but there is a point to it and it also serves as a nice way to unfold the events leading up to Thomas Newman's death.
You've got someone coming to investigate the death, possible suspects, and a priest who is keeping something a secret. But why? And what will he end up doing when time has run out?
This book was recommended to me as a book club read, and I think that it definitely offers some interesting discussion points, particularly in the ending. It did take some time for me to get into the book, so keep that in mind if you feel like you're slogging through the first part. Once you realize how the story is being told and you make it to the second part, things start to come together and the story gets a little more exciting.
The Western Wind is published by Grove Press and is available on bookstore shelves today. I received a free advance review copy at BookExpo America.
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