When her mother, Alice, is found murdered, it’s one more murder in
a violent part of Chicago, but to Ruby it’s devastating leaving her
alone with her abusive father, Lebanon. Layla, Ruby’s friend since
childhood wants to protect her, but her father Jackson tells her to
stay away from Ruby.
Layla has no
intention of obeying this injunction. Ruby needs her and she will do
all she can to uncover the old secrets that are holding people
together to keep the secrets safe. In the end, Layla is able to help
Ruby, but the relationships she uncovers and the actions of people can be
devastating.
This is a complex
book with many characters, including the Calvary Church, used as
viewpoint characters. I thought the church was particularly effective
being a voice of the community. The problem with many viewpoints is
that the opening chapters are slow and can be confusing. However,
it’s worth persevering because the novel picks up at the end and
ties the characters together with a surprising twist.
The book has many
themes: violence and abuse, the intensity of sisterhood, and the
destructive potential of secrets. However, the books doesn’t
sacrifice story telling for a polemic. The themes are there, but the
characters have center stage. Each of the main characters comes to
life and the minor characters are well drawn and contribute color to
the story.
This is a mystery,
but it is also the story of a community.
I received this book
from Harlequin for this review.
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