Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
Helpful Score: 11
The basic plot of The Life We Bury isn't new: Young man sets out to write about a dying man, learns of an injustice, clears the older man's name, and saves himself in the process. But if writing were judged solely on the uniqueness of each plot, most books would fail the test. No, the plot of The Life We Bury isn't new, but what matters is what author Allen Eskens does with it.
Joe Talbert is an extraordinary young man who desperately wants a life of his own. Unfortunately-- due to his irresponsible, alcoholic mother-- Joe has always been the parent of the family. From a young age, he's the one who's had to make sure the bills are paid, there's food on the table, the clothes are clean, and his brother Jeremy is taken care of properly. Joe is at the age where he feels as though he's drowning under the weight of all his responsibilities, and if anyone feels that the life of this character is unrealistic, they should feel fortunate for having led a sheltered existence.
Joe is the bright and shining light in this book, and all the other characters and all the other elements strengthen this. He may have a cast iron sense of responsibility, and that sense of decency of his may be incredible, but he's still a kid. A kid who wishes his mother would somehow magically grow up. A kid who wishes his little brother didn't need him so much. A kid who'd like to have a girlfriend and be normal instead of having so much homework and working more than one job to pay his bills and tuition. And... as most kids do... he has this belief in his own immortality which (to him) means that when he finds the dragon and goes out to slay it, the dragon will simply roll over and die without a fight.
Joe's voice carried me effortlessly through each and every page of this book. His story may have been told many times and in many ways over the centuries, but that doesn't make Allen Eskens' first book any less powerful. I look forward to his next with a great deal of anticipation.
Joe Talbert is an extraordinary young man who desperately wants a life of his own. Unfortunately-- due to his irresponsible, alcoholic mother-- Joe has always been the parent of the family. From a young age, he's the one who's had to make sure the bills are paid, there's food on the table, the clothes are clean, and his brother Jeremy is taken care of properly. Joe is at the age where he feels as though he's drowning under the weight of all his responsibilities, and if anyone feels that the life of this character is unrealistic, they should feel fortunate for having led a sheltered existence.
Joe is the bright and shining light in this book, and all the other characters and all the other elements strengthen this. He may have a cast iron sense of responsibility, and that sense of decency of his may be incredible, but he's still a kid. A kid who wishes his mother would somehow magically grow up. A kid who wishes his little brother didn't need him so much. A kid who'd like to have a girlfriend and be normal instead of having so much homework and working more than one job to pay his bills and tuition. And... as most kids do... he has this belief in his own immortality which (to him) means that when he finds the dragon and goes out to slay it, the dragon will simply roll over and die without a fight.
Joe's voice carried me effortlessly through each and every page of this book. His story may have been told many times and in many ways over the centuries, but that doesn't make Allen Eskens' first book any less powerful. I look forward to his next with a great deal of anticipation.
Rosemary F. (canadianeh) reviewed The Life We Bury (Detective Max Rupert, Bk 1) on + 242 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 10
Since others have told the story, I will stick to my reactions: totally captivating, well-written, great characterizations. Suspense without gore; sadness without tragedy; unputdownable. I can't say the book was totally without gore: part of the tale takes place in Vietnam during the war. But this is a truly wonderful and haunting exploration of how past guilt is ever-present no matter how we bury it or keep it alive and how it can change us. I hope you read it.
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
Helpful Score: 7
This is so well written. I was sucked into the lives of the characters and I could not put this down. Some twists and turns building in intensity to the conclusion. A fantastic journey!
Helpful Score: 6
A debut mystery/thriller with likeable characters on a mission to clear a dying Vietnam veteran's name convicted of murder and rape of a young girl 30 years prior.
The book was well written, intensely held my interest; I adored college student Joe and his relationship with his autistic brother and girlfriend. There was plenty of excitement, mystery and a thrilling climax. I will look for more from this author.
The book was well written, intensely held my interest; I adored college student Joe and his relationship with his autistic brother and girlfriend. There was plenty of excitement, mystery and a thrilling climax. I will look for more from this author.
Karen S. (MKSbooklady) reviewed The Life We Bury (Detective Max Rupert, Bk 1) on + 974 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Allen Eskens writes about ordinary people, in an ordinary world, caught up in extra ordinary circumstances. I went through this book in about two days. You want to get back to it every time you put it down. Well written.
Betsy W. (jakiebooks) reviewed The Life We Bury (Detective Max Rupert, Bk 1) on + 20 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This novel is nothing short of amazing.. The character development is about the best I've ever experienced. I do not read much in the crime/thriller genre however this was a true page turner!
Helpful Score: 1
This book has very sympathetic characters and a well-developed plot. The first half of the novel is especially engaging. Joe Talbert is a college student from a dysfunctional family assigned to write a biography of someone he doesn't know, and he chooses a frail man in a nursing home with terminal cancer. The man, Carl Iverson, was incarcerated for thirty years for the murder of a teenaged neighbor girl. Joe is aided in this project by his neighbor, Lila, as they uncover the facts of the case. Carl's character and his history slowly emerge, and they are drawn into solving a mystery with unexpected consequences.
Kimberly N. (kimberlyrav) -
Helpful Score: 1
Oh my goodness what an amazing ride. I felt like I was really watching a movie. I cried in the end and it was a perfect one!
Easy 5 stars! I look forward to the follow up book.
Easy 5 stars! I look forward to the follow up book.
The writing of this story is EXCELLENT!!!
I was drawn into the story from the very beginning and it was hard to put it down for any reason, toward the end you won't put it down until the last page and you might have a tear in your eye!
EXCELLENT BOOK!
I was drawn into the story from the very beginning and it was hard to put it down for any reason, toward the end you won't put it down until the last page and you might have a tear in your eye!
EXCELLENT BOOK!
Nadine (23dollars) -
I read The Life We Bury for the August 2017 pick in my online book club, The Reading Cove.
I really liked being effortlessly pulled into Joe's life right away. I empathized with the situation he found himself in with his mother and autistic brother, Jeremy. Once he chooses and meets Carl Iverson for his class assignment, the 30-year-old murder mystery gets off and running, and Joe finds himself dealing with a lot more than he bargained for.
While I did find the mystery itself rather predictable in the way it unfolded, Joe, Lila and Jeremy were enough to hold my interest, and I enjoyed the story overall and loved the HEA ending! 3.75/5 stars
I really liked being effortlessly pulled into Joe's life right away. I empathized with the situation he found himself in with his mother and autistic brother, Jeremy. Once he chooses and meets Carl Iverson for his class assignment, the 30-year-old murder mystery gets off and running, and Joe finds himself dealing with a lot more than he bargained for.
While I did find the mystery itself rather predictable in the way it unfolded, Joe, Lila and Jeremy were enough to hold my interest, and I enjoyed the story overall and loved the HEA ending! 3.75/5 stars
Kept me up too long at night to finish this book. I love, LOVE this author! Easy to read, a story that follows logically and tightly. Mystery is not my usual genre, but Eskens IS my new favorite author! Excellent writing. D.
Jeanne G. (IlliniAlum83) -
Joe Talbert has an assignment for a college English class to interview a stranger and write a short biography. He heads to a nearby nursing home to find an interesting subject and becomes a regular visitor for Carl Iverson, a medically paroled convicted murderer and Vietnam vet. Carl is near death from cancer so only has a few months to live, hence the reason he was released early from prison. Joe cannot understand how Carl's heroic actions in Vietnam coincide with the despicable murder of a teenage girl decades ago. After interviewing Carl's friend whom he in saved in Vietnam, Joe sets out with the help of his neighbor, Lila, to discover what really happened to the body discovered burned in Carl's shed all those years ago. Could Carl actually be innocent of that atrocity?
If you liked 'The innocent Man' or 'Just Mercy', renowned non-fiction books promoting The Innocence Project, you will enjoy this fictional whodunit with Joe and Lila's developing relationship as they delve into the investigation of potential subjects. There are excitng & unexpected twiists and turns along the way in this journey to the truth as Joe deals with his alcoholic mother and the care of his vulnerable autistic younger brother.
If you liked 'The innocent Man' or 'Just Mercy', renowned non-fiction books promoting The Innocence Project, you will enjoy this fictional whodunit with Joe and Lila's developing relationship as they delve into the investigation of potential subjects. There are excitng & unexpected twiists and turns along the way in this journey to the truth as Joe deals with his alcoholic mother and the care of his vulnerable autistic younger brother.
Joe is a struggling college student with a dark past, a bad family life, and relationship issues. He takes on more than he can handle when he signs up for a biography class in college. The term paper is to write a biography on someone who has led an interesting life. Joe decides to write his term paper on a convicted felon who has been released from prison because he is dying of cancer. Joe starts to question whether this convicted felon really did commit the crime. He gets pulled into family drama and soon he is solving a 20 year old murder mystery while trying to keep his head above water. Quick, predictable read, but very much enjoyable.
I really enjoyed this book. The story line is about a college kid writing a biography on a convicted murderer. It held my attention through the whole book and I look forward to reading more by this author, Allen Eskens
This was Allen Eskens first book and I truly enjoyed it. He is an excellent writer and I am looking forward to reading more of his work.
Really enjoyed this book! Very good for a debut novel.
