Secrets Of Eden – by Chris Bohjalian – 370 pages
Book Blurb:
“There,” says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational books about . . . angels.
Heather survived a childhood that culminated in her own parents’ murder-suicide, so she identifies deeply with Alice’s daughter, Katie, offering herself as a mentor to the girl and a shoulder for Stephen – who flees the pulpit to be with Heather and see if there is anything to be salvaged from the spiritual wreckage around him.
But then the State’s Attorney begins to suspect that Alice’s husband may not have killed himself. . .and finds out that Alice had secrets only her minister knew.
Heather survived a childhood that culminated in her own parents’ murder-suicide, so she identifies deeply with Alice’s daughter, Katie, offering herself as a mentor to the girl and a shoulder for Stephen – who flees the pulpit to be with Heather and see if there is anything to be salvaged from the spiritual wreckage around him.
But then the State’s Attorney begins to suspect that Alice’s husband may not have killed himself. . .and finds out that Alice had secrets only her minister knew.
My Review: 3 stars
Although the story is captivating, I guessed the ending early on, which of course is disappointing in a mystery. I enjoy a story told with several voices yet one of the voices was too long with too much extraneous detail that I felt wasn’t relevant. I love the supernatural so the angel aspect was highly enjoyed. The main character Stephen was my favorite and I wish I knew more about Alice so I can understand why she continued in an abusive relationship. This author has a good handle on abusive behavior and family dynamics.
Quotes I liked:
We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we never outgrow those small wounded things we were when we were five and six and seven.”
– “I have lived with magic and without magic, and I can tell you with certainty that a life with magic is better….”
– “Food is a gift and should be treated reverentially–romanced and ritualized and seasoned with memory.”
– “With age comes acumen. With experience comes insight.”
