In burglaries and robberies, the loss of the physical objects stolen often pales in comparison to the loss of a sense of security and safety in one's home. In WHAT WE'VE LOST IS NOTHING, Rachel Louise Snyder’s debut novel, the loss of safety and predictability is explored after eight homes on the same street are robbed in one afternoon.

Oak Park, a suburb on the west side of Chicago, prides itself on its history of racial and socio-economic integration. But what the residents of Ilois Lane share in early April is not a commitment to these social ideals, but a sense of amazement at the string of single-day burglaries they are all victims of. Yet each household and each resident responds very differently to the crimes. For some it is a moment of awakening, shaking them out of complacency and worse. Others are filled with rage and fear, and find themselves striking out against neighbors. Snyder shares the perspective of many of the Ilois Lane residents over the course of less than three days, but because each voice is distinct and the writing style so clear, the novel is never confusing. In fact, it is a compelling glimpse into the lives of a group of virtual strangers confronting something extraordinary and challenged to react quickly.

"WHAT WE'VE LOST IS NOTHING is a fantastic read about the meaning of home and fragility of values and worldview.... a highly recommendable, canny, well-paced and well-crafted story. "

Arthur Gardenia was the first person to call the police and was actually home when the burglaries took place. Visually impaired and losing what remains of his sight, Arthur stayed upstairs at his desk when he heard someone in his house. The event doesn't make Arthur feel any more vulnerable but highlights the vulnerability others project onto him. At the end of the book, it is his quiet strength that provides comfort and security for those who have become truly vulnerable.

Dan and Alicia Kowalski were far from Oak Park, vacationing in Florida, when their house was robbed. Alicia's parents, overprotective but loving, rid the house of all evidence of the crime before the couple came back in keeping with their attempts to protect their daughter from all the harsh realities of life, fearing her too fragile to cope with them. But, like so many characters in the novel, Alicia responds surprisingly to the crimes, and she and Dan move toward some life-changing decisions.

Sofia, like Arthur, also had a close call with the thief. She and her fellow cheerleader Mary had skipped school that afternoon and taken the drug ecstasy. They were, as the burglar nabbed a laptop, iPod and more, under the dining room table at Mary's house and watched his feet walk past them. Sofia's parents, Cambodian refugees, find themselves questioning their life in America after the robbery. Sofia's cousins, judged by their appearance and culture, are viewed as suspects by neighbor Michael McPherson, Mary's father.

Of all the people on Ilois Lane, it is the McPherson family that is the most affected by the burglaries. The work that mom Susan does to continue efforts of integration in Oak Park is called into question, and Michael's anger is directed at the neighbors he doesn't know. All of this is complicated by Mary having been home, not to mention skipping school and taking drugs, and then her violent encounter with a boy from school who is drawn to her status as a victim of the crime. In writing from the perspective of the McPhersons, all of whom lose control and come to physical harm, Snyder crafts the most intense, chilling and rewarding passages in the novel.

WHAT WE'VE LOST IS NOTHING is a fantastic read about the meaning of home and fragility of values and worldview. The revelations that the characters come to are often surprising but also compelling and understandable. Though not an overly dramatic novel, but a thoughtful one instead, the tale of the McPherson family is affecting, powerful and resonant. This is a highly recommendable, canny, well-paced and well-crafted story.