Saturday, February 22, 2014

After I'm Gone

After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman 334 pages

When Felix Brewer skips town in 1976 to avoid a Federal charge and prison he leaves behind his wife Bambi, 3 daughters and a mistress Julie.  No one knows where he went.  In 1986 Julie disappears and everyone assumes that she left to join him until her body is found in 2001.  There are no leads the case becomes cold until Sandy Sanchez, a retired police officer, reopens the cold case and begins investigating the murder of Julie. What he discovers is bitterness, jealousy, resentment and longing stretching over five decades all surrounding Felix Brewer who has never been forgotten by the five women who loved him. The book examines each woman's connection with Felix and how his leaving affected their lives

Lippman always writes a well written novel and this is no exception. The character of Sandy Sanchez is well fleshed out and hopefully he will appear in Lippman's Tess Monaghan series.  The daughters are also interesting but the mother after her marriage to Felix fades into the background and we don't have much interaction with her memories and thoughts once Felix leaves.  I believe the character of Bambi could have been better. 

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