"Anatomy of a Disappearance" by Hisham Matar is fiction, but it touches the real-life story of the author, whose Libyan father spoke out against the Gaddafi dictatorship and disappeared several decades ago. Here's a look at this memorable novel, Matar's second.
Month: August 2011
Swedish crime from Karin Alvtegen
Here's an author to keep your eye on. She has three novels published in the U.S. and a style in the crime novel genre that's smart and captivating. I paid a hefty exchange rate so I could read her newest book "Shadow," and it was worth every British pound sterling.
A sisterhood of lonely hearts
If you're looking for that one final good book to read on the patio or take on vacation these dog days of summer, "Break the Skin" by Lee Martin just might be the one. The gathering of lovelorn, irrational characters in a Midwest small-town setting create the perfect, relaxed page-turning draw.
Hype that doesn’t pan out stateside
Stephen Kelman's "Pigeon English" is getting lots of attention for its unique narrative voice. It's even long-listed for the 2011 Man Booker Prize. But the plot draws from a true British crime, and that affects the success of the story this side of the pond.
