Set in a New England town of taciturn, silent people, Game of Secrets
Marne has recently returned to her small hometown because of her mother’s illness, but she’s having a hard time being back. She’s working at a restaurant, making origami birds to sell, and kind of killing time when she runs into Ray, Ava’s youngest son, and falls hard.
The book moves back and forth in time. We see Janie as a young girl who loves her father in spite of his shortcomings, and again as a teenager falling in love. We see Ava as an abused wife, as an errant wife, and, currently, as a still-beautiful and intelligent scrabble player, who has made her peace with Janie as they meet for weekly games. The pivotal events of the summer of 1962, when a new bridge and highway connected the small town to the larger world around them, are evoked with much detail; that is also the summer in which the body of Janie’s father was discovered with a bullet hole through his skull.
All 3 women are dealing with loss. Ava and Janie have lost children and Janie her father, and Marne deals with a more unspecified sense of grief in this world. She struggles with what her burgeoning relationship with Ray means to her sense of loyalty to her family. Huck was the town troublemaker and is now its elderly ne’er-do-well, but the few chapters from his youth present a teenager alive to life in all its senses, but constantly beaten down. And the chapters following the scrabble game between Ava and Janie reveal, slowly and tantalizing, the truth of what happened during that long-ago summer, and the cost keeping its secrets has taken on their lives.
Full of lush descriptions that bring this small-town and its characters to vibrant life, Game of Secrets
I’m also really happy to announce that one of you can win a copy of your very own! Simply leave a comment below to enter, and tell me…have you ever found yourself revealing a secret during a Scrabble game? We’ll announce the winner on June 27th. Open to US addresses only. This giveaway is now closed.
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Elizabeth usually finds during Scrabble games that she has a higher vocabulary than her husband, which has led to some, er, interesting discussions. Learn more at her blog Planet Nomad.
Nope, I never reveal secrets.
Have to say no to this one, I haven’t really played scrabble in years.
This book looks great! I haven’t played scrabble in a long time, but I think the only secrets I revealed were words that others had never heard of!
I never did reveal a secret during a scrabble game.
I haven’t played scrabble in a long time and I never did reveal a secret when I did play.
I love to play scrabble but I have never given away a secret during the game. I had to learn to have a poker face when getting a letter ‘X” and a “Q” and “U” at the same time!
I don’t remember ever revealing a
secret while playing Scrabble…
Many thanks, Cindi
This sounds really good! I can’t say that I have ever revealed any secrets during a scabble game but I can see how people could let their guards down and do so!
Looks good! I love scrabble, but haven’t told any secrets!
No, I have never revealed a secret playing scrabble. I would like to read this book, though.
[email protected]
our extended family plays tons of scrabble, but no secrets come out. Inside jokes do, though.
No secrets. I think it’s been 10 years since I last played!
I know my girlfriend would like this book.
Lush descriptions without losing its sense of plot? Sounds perfect.
Hi, Barb, you have won this book! Please reply to this email with your address to receive your copy.
The wife would like this one.
Of course not! I never reveal secrets 😉
You never tell your real secrets.
I also love Scrabble but I don’t think I have ever revealed any secrets.
I haven’t played scrabble in ages and never gave anything away when I did.
Have never told any secrets during a scrabble game. Too busy trying to get some big point words.
Like the game, but never tell any secrets.
No, I have never revealed any secrets while playing scrabble. This sounds like a really good book. I like that it is set in the 60’s and has a murder mystery. Please enter me. Thanks!
Oh yea – well it depends on who I”m with, but sure. 🙂
I cannot even remember the last time I ever played the game scrabble.
I have never done this.