Marcus is a one-hit wonder author who is suffering from a severe case of writer's block. He reaches out to his old mentor, who is also a successful author, to ask for help. Harry Quebert is still swimming on the waves of the success of his own novel, The Origin of Evil, and has been for the last thirty years.
In a way this is the story of the spell of a Lolita on an entire town, and yet at the same time also the story of the innocence of a child being abused.
Nola captivates the men in her vicinity and certainly manages to ensnare Harry. The relationship between them grows into an obsession for both, which ends with the disappearance of Nola and the murder of the woman trying to help her.
When Nola's body is found on Harry's property his whole narrative about the last thirty years is thrown into doubt. Did he kill her to keep her quiet? Did someone bury her there to frame Harry?
Marcus finds himself drawn into the quest to prove Harry innocent, but what he learns along the way threatens his life, his career and his faith in his dear friend.
About a quarter into the book I knew what Harry was hiding. Not the who per se, but definitely the what. A scene that takes place in Nola's house just opened my eyes to the meaning behind the words and the advice Harry gives to Marcus.
Even as the plot unravels slowly Dicker keeps on hitting the reader with reveal after reveal. The safe small town aura gives the scenario a realistic feel and the read is riveting until the very last word. It is a frightening look behind the closed doors of a supposedly quiet town.
Buy The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: MacLehose Press
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