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There are currently 20 member reviews
for The Life I Left Behind
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Leslie W. (Burlingame, CA)
Another Winner
This author has such a talent for luring her reader in. She makes the predictable quite unpredictable! If you are a fan of suspense this should be your next new read. This novel is filled with surprises from the very start. Don't even try guessing the outcome because with every twist and turn this book takes you will only end up frustrated by finding out how off base you were with your prediction.
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Mary G. (Purcellville, VA)
Enjoyable Reading
The Life I Left Behind is about two women who have lost their lives--one to death and one to fear. The book is divided into two sections and alternates, in first person, between two protagonists: Melanie who survived an attempted murder but now lives as a virtual recluse and Eve, speaking posthumously, who investigated the attack on Melanie six years later to try and exonerate the man accused of the crime. I found the first part of the book a little slow when the speaker was Melanie because I found her timidity annoying. However, the book picked up considerably in the second part as Melanie finally started fighting to get her life back.
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Arden A. (Longboat Key, FL)
A Page Turner!
Eve is dead, but Melody lives, though they both experienced an almost identical attack. We hear Eve from the afterworld, and Mel, trying to recover from the devastation of the attack, and the betrayal of the person who was proved guilty of attacking her. But did he? Eve's attack and death followed her investigation into the did he or didn't he of the convicted attempted murderer, and she got too close to the truth.
A well written thriller with the requisite twists and turns.
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Peggy K. (San Diego, CA)
Friendship
Interesting psychological mystery. Attacked and left for dead by a close friend, Melody Pieterson no longer trusts anyone. She has locked herself away from the world.
Now her attacker is free and there is a new victim. Melody can no longer hide from the rest of the world. This new victim, Eve, will raise questions in Melody's mind about what really happened to her all those years ago and whether the wrong person went to prison.
Readers will get a narrative done by Melody and by Eve. The question of how much one can truly trust friends will strike a chord with many readers.
This is a great book for Book Clubs. There should be discussions about how women view friendships and just how much trust we put in our friends. Do we perhaps not think as much about safety and security with friends. Security criteria should be the same whether for friends or acquaintances.
This is a good read for ages 16 and up.
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Norman G. (Washougal, WA)
Slow with a throw from left field
This story may have satisfy some readers but I struggled to maintain interest. The characters never define themselves in a manner to bring sympathy or empathy. I find it difficult to categorize the story as a mystery or romance/mystery as it lacked in both. However, the most upsetting part of the novel is the conclusion that quickly, very quickly, ties the story together. It felt like the author was ready to move on and just ended it.
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Laurie B. (Jacksonville, FL)
not my type of book
I had high hopes for this book, but the alternating narrators seemed gimmicky to me and I thought the author was over-descriptive about people and feelings when it didn't add to the story. The writing is pretty good, but it seems like the author is trying too hard. I just couldn't feel engaged in this story.
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