The Life We Bury
A USA Today bestseller and book club favorite!
College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?
College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?
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Readers say *The Life We Bury* by Allen Eskens is a well-written, suspenseful mystery with thoughtful, well-developed characters and a compelling blen...
I’m not sure you can call a murder mystery book fun, but this book was a fun read for me. While it was engaging, it wasn’t overly dark or creepy or leaving me with an ‘ick’ feeling. I grew to appreciate the characters and enjoyed how the story unfolded. It is worth the read if you are looking for a light mystery with a touch of sweetness.
Thru at least halfway thru this book it was a solid five stars. Somewhere after the halfway mark, the shift of focus was not only less enjoyable, but often implausible. The narrator; however, did a very nice job.
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The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
300 pages
What’s it about?
Joe Talbert is a University of Minnesota college student with a complicated family life. Behind on a college assignment he decides to write the biography of a convicted murderer named Carl Iverson. Has he learns more about Carl he is slowly drawn into the circumstances of the crime. Who really committed the murder back in 1980? Was it Carl or someone else?
What did I think?
Unintentionally, I find I am reading one good first novel after another! This was a really good suspense thriller. A few times I had to check by disbelief, but in general I found the pages just flew by.
Should you read it?
Absolutely! This novel has crime, suspense, and romance- what more could you ask for in a page turner?
Quote-
“The idea of interviewing a murderer didn’t sit well with me at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I warmed up to it. I had put off starting this project for too long. September was almost over and I’d have to turn in my interview notes in a few weeks. My classmates had their horses out of the staring gate and my nag was still back in the barn munching on hay. Carl Iverson would have to be my subject- if he agreed.”
If you like this try-
The Hand That feeds you by A.J. Rich
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
300 pages
What’s it about?
Joe Talbert is a University of Minnesota college student with a complicated family life. Behind on a college assignment he decides to write the biography of a convicted murderer named Carl Iverson. Has he learns more about Carl he is slowly drawn into the circumstances of the crime. Who really committed the murder back in 1980? Was it Carl or someone else?
What did I think?
Unintentionally, I find I am reading one good first novel after another! This was a really good suspense thriller. A few times I had to check by disbelief, but in general I found the pages just flew by.
Should you read it?
Absolutely! This novel has crime, suspense, and romance- what more could you ask for in a page turner?
Quote-
“The idea of interviewing a murderer didn’t sit well with me at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I warmed up to it. I had put off starting this project for too long. September was almost over and I’d have to turn in my interview notes in a few weeks. My classmates had their horses out of the staring gate and my nag was still back in the barn munching on hay. Carl Iverson would have to be my subject- if he agreed.”
If you like this try-
The Hand That feeds you by A.J. Rich
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
I really enjoyed this book! The characters are real with feeling and depth. The story was intriguing, and different. I read this book whenever I could sneak in even a moment. First time in reading this author and I’d love to read more of his books.
Everyone in the Bookclub said this was a easy read that takes the reader into a historic murder case. Challenging personal life is in the way to finding the truth.
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