The Mourning Hours by Paula Treick DeBoard

Genre: Mystery/General Fiction
Publication Date: 25th June 2013
Pages: 336
Book Source: Thanks Harlequin Mira

Synopsis: A family's loyalty is put to the ultimate test in this haunting and unforgettable debut. 

Kirsten Hammarstrom hasn't been home to her tiny corner of rural Wisconsin in years-not since the mysterious disappearance of a local teenage girl rocked the town and shattered her family. Kirsten was just nine years old when Stacy Lemke went missing, and the last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Johnny-the high school wrestling star and Kirsten's older brother. No one knows what to believe-not even those closest to Johnny-but the event unhinges the quiet farming community and pins Kirsten's family beneath the crushing weight of suspicion. 

Now, years later, a new tragedy forces Kirsten and her siblings to return home, where they must confront the devastating event that shifted the trajectory of their lives. Tautly written and beautifully evocative, The Mourning Hours is a gripping portrayal of a family straining against extraordinary pressure, and a powerful tale of loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness.

My Thoughts: 

I fell in love with the beautiful cover of The Mourning Hours before even reading the synopsis. I'm an avid suspense/thriller reader albeit a little jaded, I don't like to be dished up obvious red herrings, and I don't like to have it all worked out early on, to find out I'm actually right, it spoils all the fun. This wasn't the case for me with The Mourning Hours ... I really didn't see it coming and I loved that. 

Debut author Paula Treick DeBoard gets it right with so much ... the small town feel, the rural landscape, dual time frame and a family torn apart by suspicion. It's a highly evocative read as much for the first person narration of keenly observant 9 year old Kirsten as the  growing tension and turmoil following the disappearance of Johnny's girlfriend Stacy. 

Another favourite point is the pace, slow simmer and compulsive reading, what a wonderful combination. I thoroughly recommend The Mourning Hours if you're partial to a compelling mystery and equally so, if you're enthralled by the study of relationships and the complexities of human nature. 

Cover: One of my favourites

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