July 2011

I like books that I can describe really succinctly, like TURN OF MIND by Alice LaPlante. Here's the story. Dr. Jennifer White has Alzheimer's. Her neighbor --- her best friend, the godmother of her daughter --- has been found dead in her home. All clues point to Jennifer, who was a hand surgeon before she became too incapacitated to work, and she cannot remember if she killed her friend or not. It's brilliantly done as you weave in and out of Jennifer's world as it unravels.

Since I finished it, whenever I misplaced something, or forgot a word or phrase, I found myself reflecting on the panic and frustration that surrounded Jennifer's life. What if I never remembered? What must that be like? It's a book I have been telling people about for months; four chapters in, I knew it was going to be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Praise has been flying everywhere for TURN OF MIND; among the news, it was an IndieBound #1 selection for June.