As the New York Times has said, “Few writers can manipulate a plot with [Chris] Bohjalian’s grace and power.” Now he is back with an ambitious new novel that travels between Jay Gatsby’s Long Island and rural New England, between the Roaring Twenties and the twenty-first century. When college sophomore Laurel Estabrook is attacked while riding her bicycle through Vermont’s back roads, her life is forever changed. Formerly outgoing, Laurel withdraws into her photography and begins to work at a homeless shelter. There she meets Bobbie Crocker, a man with a history of mental illness and a box of photographs that he won’t let anyone see. When Bobbie dies suddenly, Laurel discovers that before he was homeless, Bobbie Crocker was a successful photographer. As Laurel’s fascination with Bobbie’s former life begins to merge into obsession, she becomes convinced that some of his photographs reveal a deeply hidden, dark family secret and falls into a cat-and-mouse game with pursuers who claim they want to save her. In this spellbinding literary thriller, rich with complex and compelling characters, Chris Bohjalian takes listeners on his most intriguing, most haunting, and most unforgettable journey yet.
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"harrowing, compelling opening, then a strange and wonderful mix of Gatsby and contemporary society. an impressively compassionate view toward people who are homeless (including powerful photos by a photographer who became homeless). and then a complete surprise ending that makes total sense and requires the reader to rethink assumptions made for the entire book. clever and rewarding." — Stephen (4 out of 5 stars)
"harrowing, compelling opening, then a strange and wonderful mix of Gatsby and contemporary society. an impressively compassionate view toward people who are homeless (including powerful photos by a photographer who became homeless). and then a complete surprise ending that makes total sense and requires the reader to rethink assumptions made for the entire book. clever and rewarding."
" Well written and has a very interesting twist. Not sure if it was obvious or if it was clever. A very good read. "
" This is a very engrossing but creepy read. I didn't figure out what was going on until near the end. "
" If I could give half stars, this book would get 3.5 stars instead of 3. But I'm rounding down b/c I thought it was just ok. A twist at the end is surprising, but doesn't quite make sense or pull everything together. Overall though, and interesting read with an unexpected ending. I would recommend it! "
" wow........... "
" I never read a book that made me so mad at the end. Great book and I didn't see the end coming at all. "
" Interesting story weaving real and imagined. "
" Having a hard time with this one I can't seem to get into it "
" Loved this and what an ending! Didn't see it coming and recommended to my Book Club which led to a great discussion! "
" Fascinating book! Shocking ending! I was totally captivated. Would recommend reading The Great Gatsby before this or at least refreshing your memory about it. Highly recommend this book. "
" enjoyed it very much...until the end. in so many ways it doesn't make sense, but it still kept me turning pages. "
" Interesting twist at the end ... but a little depressing for my taste. "
" I don't know if it's fair to review this, as I found the rape scene so disturbing that I stopped reading it - if I had known it was going to be so graphic, I never would have picked it up! "
" I gave this book an only ok review because I figured out the big twist early on and it made the rest of the book somewhat boring. The story was creative and interesting though, but I just wasn't in love with it. I'm eager to read some more of Bohjalian's books. "
" My least favorite of Bohjalian's books "
" I gave this book 5 stars! I couldn't put it down. "
" Incredibly depressing and disturbing....almost soul-suckingly so. "
" Nothing is what it seems...a very captivating story. I wanted to start it all over once I read it. Highly recommend. "
" Wow, I read this book twice!! "
" I liked how the author paced the story line. It was a steady build-up that was respectful of the book's delicate topics of mental health, homelessness and sexual violence. And I loved how it used The Great Gatsby. "
" This book was interesting. I could relate to the frustration and kept wondering about the truth of the Gatsby story. I had a hard time keeping with it towards the end...but the end turned in some crazy directions that made me think. "
" A very good book that had a surprise ending. "
" This book was interesting. In parts it was predicable, however, it made me want to read The Great Gatsby, which, I can't believe I haven't read. I think if I had read Gatsby first I would have understood the characters more. "
" I got into this book and was enjoying it until the very ending. It made the whole book seem like a waste of time. "
" Really enjoyed this one - my first read of this author's books so now getting some more on my TBR. "
" Boy, this had a surprise ending! I love his books, and they are all different from one another. "
" Great twist at the end!! "
" I really enjoyed the story overall, but the ending really made me mad! The ending ruined it for me. "
" Interesting tale of a young social worker who fights her personal demons as she seaches to find answers in a box of photos left behind by a homeless client. "
" It started me wondering about Nick Gatsby, so I had to read more about him. "
" I couldn't decide if the end was a fantasy, a brilliant piece of writing, or if I'd been had. On further reflection, I believe I was had. "
" Interesting story that initially had me confused. Jay Gatsby was real? But, of course, this is but one of the mysteries that kept me reading. "
" Very disturbing book. Well written but the kind of unsettling story that just stays with you. "
" three stars isn't entirely accurate. i think 3.75 stars would be better. perhaps the "ta-da! she had a psychotic break" finale was a bit cliche as literary fiction goes. however, i still really enjoy the author, and will continue to read his work. "
Chris Bohjalian is a playwright and the author of twenty-three books, including several New York Times bestsellers. The Flight Attendant has been made into an HBO Max limited series, and his novels Secrets of Eden, Midwives, and Past the Bleachers were made into movies. He can be found at chrisbohjalian.com or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Litsy, and Goodreads, @chrisbohjalian
Susan Denaker is an actress and Earphones Award–winning narrator. Her extensive theater credits include numerous plays in the West End of London, national tours, many English rep companies, including a season with Alan Ayckbourn’s company in Scarborough. In the US, she has appeared in Our Town and Sweet Bird of Youth at the La Jolla Playhouse and Breaking Legs at the Westport Playhouse.
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