Review: Red Leaves

Just released in the UK by a new publishing house, this Edgar nominated novel has haunted me deeply and remains carved into my thoughts, such is the power of this little book. Not strictly a crime novel, but a look at how a family that has everything, can unravel and be destroyed when fate blows darkness in their lives - like the way trees lose their leaves when autumn comes as a precursor to winter.

Eric Moore and his beloved wife Meredith have everything, trading the corporate world for a small house and son Keith, funded by Eric's camera and photoshop, and Meredith's part-time job at the College. Red Leaves illustrate that life can be very fragile and that dark external forces outside of a family can have huge and catastrophic factors to happiness. In the Moore family's case, trouble comes to their door when a neighbor's child, eight year old Amy Giordano is abducted. The problem is that Eric's son Keith was the baby-sitter that night.

Written in first person from the point-of-view of Eric; we see his mind and thoughts rage as he tries to understand his son Keith, as well as his older [and alcoholic] brother Warren who also becomes implicated in the case. Eric's paranoia makes him seek out clues from his own childhood and his own fractured family, and the tragedy that resided in the mist of the past. The death of his sister and then his mother's tragic life seems linked to a trail that leads to his elderly father. A man who sits on the porch of a nursing home, lost with his memories which may or may not be reliable. This book is deeply descriptive but Cook is careful not to allow his description to burden or overwhelm the dark plot, as he uses terse phrases and a few nods, and winks to convention. But what raises this novel to the top of the league is Cook's command of the English Language, because he is like an artist painting in your head, but the colours he uses will take a long, long time to erase, such is the intensity of his skill.

As Eric Moore struggles with the police and his lawyer; the town now becomes a hotbed of whispered talk about Amy's disappearance. Rumors circulate like smoke trails about the Moore family, and you know that tragedy will follow in the wake of these whispers. What you don't realize is the enormity of the tragedy that awaits Eric Moore and his family, and how in life really bad things can happen to decent, honest people. This novel is a truly startling look at families but also reinforces something my own Father used to tell me when as child I'd retort - "But that's not fair Dad?" and he'd reply, "did I ever tell you that life was fair? And this books shows you how true my own Father's words were; as this is a real ride down the dark side of fate, but beware the ending, tragedy, sheer tragedy, upset this hard-boiled reader in a big way.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ali Karim - RAM

Book Review: Red Leaves