THIS IS NOT OVER is one of those wonderful genre-bending novels that is not what you might expect but that ultimately exceeds your expectations. It deals with a number of very contemporary issues --- social media, drug addiction, alienation and child abuse, to name a few --- but also dips into timeless topics such as child rearing, marriage and careers. As author Holly Brown notes in a post-section, the book is inspired by an actual event that, fortunately, didn’t go as far as what is portrayed here. The story that is laid out is quietly stunning nonetheless.

The novel is told through the alternating voices of two women. Dawn is nearing the perilous age of 30 and working on a degree that may or may not lead to the dream job she is looking for. She is doing this with the love and support --- financially and emotionally --- of her seemingly perfect husband while they are living in a small apartment in one of Oakland’s better neighborhoods. Miranda is nearing 60 and is married to a wealthy physician with whom she lives in Beverly Hills. Their lives intersect after Dawn and her husband rent a house that Miranda owns --- her parents’ former home --- for a few days’ vacation through the website getaway.com.

"THIS IS NOT OVER is one of those wonderful genre-bending novels that is not what you might expect but that ultimately exceeds your expectations.... It is also an intricately constructed book about envy, anger, revenge and...redemption."

The book begins after the vacation, when Dawn receives an email from Miranda informing her that Miranda is withholding part of Dawn’s security deposit due to damages. Dawn is incensed, denies any damage, and retaliates by posting a scathing review of Miranda and her property online. Let the games begin! The two start exchanging emails and texts, with Dawn escalating the situation with additional posts on getaway.com and other, similar websites. As things unfold, we learn much about both women who seem to have wonderful lives at their respective stages in life, and who envy each other as the result of conclusions reached from information obtained on the web.

Yes, indeed, it is amazing what you can find out about someone with a few characters and clicks, and how quickly an online feud can get out of control, particularly when one of the participants simply cannot be placated. However, chain reactions can explode both ways, and when one of them takes things a step too far, it not only puts her own life in danger but also threatens to upset the delicate balance in the life that each woman has carefully constructed. Secrets abound, and it ultimately takes the final encounter between these two antagonistic strangers who know each other so well to reveal them...and perhaps, in the end, to rectify them

THIS IS NOT OVER is so right now. It’s frightening in many ways, particularly with respect to the manner in which it reveals how much is really out there and readily available to someone who is able to connect bits of information and has the desire to blow up another person’s life. It is also an intricately constructed book about envy, anger, revenge and --- right where it counts --- redemption. Read it before your friends do.