College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same.Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran—and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Aided by his skeptical neighbor, Lila, Joe throws himself into uncovering the truth. Thread by thread, he begins to unravel the tapestry of Carl's conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it's too late to escape the fallout?
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"We listened to this on a road trip and we enjoyed it very much. There are so many twists and turns in this story, it leaves the reader waiting for the next chapter to find out what happens next. The narrator is excellent, too. I would suggest this book to anyone who loves a suspense-filled novel. " — Julie (5 out of 5 stars)
"We listened to this on a road trip and we enjoyed it very much. There are so many twists and turns in this story, it leaves the reader waiting for the next chapter to find out what happens next. The narrator is excellent, too. I would suggest this book to anyone who loves a suspense-filled novel. "
“Set against the backdrop of a brutal Minnesota winter, The Life We Bury is much more than a satisfying, suspenseful novel…The characters are as real as my next-door neighbors, the story compelling, and the writing superb.”
More complications ensue, until the novel's satisfying resolution.
“As Joe learns more about the events of the murder, he is faced with several threats to his own safety, yet refuses to give up his pursuit of the truth. More complications ensue, until the novel’s satisfying resolution.”
“Thriller fans should keep their eyes on Eskens; he’s a comer.”
“Compulsively suspenseful.”
“Eskens’ first-person narration grabs the reader and never relinquishes its hold.”
“Eskens’ debut is a solid and thoughtful tale of a young man used to taking on burdens beyond his years—none more dangerous than championing a bitter old man convicted of a horrific crime.”
“Narrator Zach Villa’s low-key but appealing performance of Eskens’ debut mystery is a true audio pleasure…Joe is a thoroughly decent and responsible character, and Villa renders those qualities perfectly. Jeremy is appropriately slightly wooden-voiced, and their mother is a shrewish drunk. Villa ratchets up the drama and pacing as Joe wades into danger when he identifies a likely alternative killer. He is also a master of evoking the cold loneliness of the rural Minnesota landscape. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
" This is a very good story. It had mystery with thrilling plot. Definite page turner. Excellent narrator. "
" I enjoyed this story. I especially injoyed the narrator. So much so, I looked for other books narrated by the same person. It was a nice change from the political thrillers I usually read. "
" This was a great book I would recommend it to everyone "
" I really loved this story. Gritty and sad event and by times, a little stretched...but hey, you really root for the characters and wish them well, who doesn't want a happy ending once in a while! "
" The life we bury was a very moving and impactful book. It talks about real life situations, making it both emotional and exciting. I could relate to the primary character on so many levels. Being only eight hours gives it two thumbs up in my book, lol. "
" I'm very hard to please with narrators, Zach was amazing !!! "
Allen Eskens is the USA Today bestselling author of the Max Rupert and Joe Talbert mysteries series and two stand-alone novels. His books have won two Barry Awards, the Rosebud Award, the Silver Falchion Award, and the Minnesota Book Award. He is a former criminal defense attorney.
Zach Villa is a stage, film, and television performer. Classically trained in acting, Villa’s audiobook work includes The World without You by Joshua Henkin and Butterfly Winter by W. P. Kinsella.
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