The Last September:Book Review

Disclaimer: I received this ARC book(digital version) from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was like getting re-acquainted with an old friend. The setting was Cape Cod where I spent many a vacation. It is autumn and one can hear the waves gently lapping on the shore. The novel is suppose to be a murder mystery but it is also a love story. Brett is married to Charlie and is working on her Emily Dickinson dissertation. The novel has snippets of Dickinson’s poetry and some facts regarding her life.(some I was not aware of until I looked up the information) Charlie is a gourmet cook but he doesn’t always use his talents other then to cook for his wife. He doesn’t hold jobs for very long. But he is fiercely loyal to his brother Eli and despite his faults he does love Brett and his daughter Sophie. Eli may be the saddest character in the book. From the first sentence you know that Charlie has died but it is the back story that gives life to the Charlie character. And as we learn more about the relationship between Charlie,Eli and Brett the “who dunnit” aspect of the book almost takes a back seat.The writing overall is lovely. The characters are well developed. I loved this book for the easy telling of the story.Because of the beautiful prose one feels as if they are drifting through the story rather then just reading it. Despite the murder,I felt like I was witness more to a story where the power of love prevails.