Life Without Summer Author:Lynne Griffin Tessa Gray is beginning to fight her way through the death of her child. Outside the gate of her preschool, her only child, Abby, was hit and killed by an unknown driver. The police claim there is little evidence and no witnesses. Abby's death is deemed unsolvable. Tessa, a staircase of emotion, reluctantly agrees to her husband's reques... more »t that she see a therapist.
Tessa begins to confide in her therapist Celia. Listeners learn Celia is remarried to Alden, a man whose outward demeanor is centered and safe; a man her son Ian despises. In sharp contrast is her ex-husband Harry, an animated, sensitive man who dealt with the loss of his own beloved daughter by drowning his family in alcohol. As Ian descends into depression, Celia, a strong advocate for counseling for everyone but herself, fights Harry to get Ian help.
The investigation stalled, Tessa vows to find out Abby's murderer herself. She becomes obsessed with a list of repeat drunk driving offenders in the area. She's desperate to do anything to keep herself from falling into the grief abyss, and hopes the list will lead to answers about what happened to Abby. As Celia inadvertently brings Tessa closer to finding and accepting the truth about what happened to Abby, Tessa unknowingly brings Celia closer to facing the death of her own daughter. The women's lives converge when the answers one needs turn out to be the other's only chance for peace.« less
A very sad but touching story. Written as the journals of two women whose lives are intertwined by a sad event. Although not my usual type of book, it kept me enthralled the entire time and I did not want to put the book down.
Life Without Summer is heartbreaking yet has a deeply satisfying ending. As the author,Lynn Griffin, states in the essay following her story,"I've been known to let What Ifs get the better of me." I tend to do that myself . Expect tears if you plan to read this one.