All That is Mine I Carry with Me by William Landay
Published: March 7, 2023
Bantam
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Pages: 319
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
William Landay is the author of three previous novels: Defending Jacob, which won the Strand Critics Award for best novel; The Strangler, listed as a best crime novel of the year by the Los Angeles Times, The Daily Telegraph, and others; and Mission Flats, winner of the Dagger award for best first crime novel. A former assistant district attorney, he lives in Boston.
So begins a mystery that will span a lifetime. What happened to Jane Larkin?
Investigators suspect Jane’s husband. A criminal defense attorney, Dan Larkin would surely be an expert in outfoxing the police.
But no evidence is found linking him to a crime, and the case fades from the public’s memory, a simmering, unresolved riddle. Jane’s three children—Alex, Jeff, and Miranda—are left to be raised by the man who may have murdered their mother.
Two decades later, the remains of Jane Larkin are found. The investigation is awakened. The children, now grown, are forced to choose sides. With their father or against him? Guilty or innocent? And what happens if they are wrong?
A tale about family—family secrets and vengeance, but also family love—All That Is Mine I Carry With Memasterfully grapples with a primal question: When does loyalty reach its limit?
“You see, suspicion does not need proof; it feeds just as well on the absence of it.”
Phil gets a reminder of his childhood when an old friend reaches out. Jeff, Miranda, and Alex have never forgotten their mother. They may disagree about what happened to her, but they remember her.
This was an off story, but I enjoyed it. The way it was told was clever, and I liked how it was broken into parts with various narrators.
I liked Phil; he was an excellent side character with a prominent role. I liked Miranda as well; she was stronger than she realized but also more damaged too. Jeff was a classic middle child, even into adulthood. Alex was the golden child and his father’s star supporter.
The way this story is told, I was almost convinced that Daniel was innocent. But in the end, that subtle moment left me stunned.
This was a weirdly emotional but also very even-keeled novel. The idea of a wife and mother disappearing is heartbreaking, and we got to see all sides of that event.
The writing was engaging and well done. The story pulls you in and keeps you hooked. The ending of this book will slap you in the face and leave you speechless.