This book is well-written, with many turns and twists. I was gripped by the story and read it quickly. When I finished, however, I reflected on the many implausible plot turns that make it impossible for me to give it a 5. This is a psychological thriller that builds to an exciting, though unlikely, ending. If you can forgive these questionable surprises, you are in for a fun read. I will recommend it to friends.

I was reading another book when this one arrived. I decided to read a few pages, but I could not put it down. It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. I have never read a book in which the narrator describes for you, as if you are the only reader, what is going on in his mind. The story was heartbreaking, but poignant, filled with love and revelations and Matthew's insightful descriptions. I was enthralled at the opportunity to delve into the mind of a person with mental illness and see the trajectory of his disorder. GREAT book that I will wholeheartedly recommend to friends.

The very flowing and sometimes quite expansive writing style in The Affairs of Others gave me early concern. I was reminded of Elegance of the Hedgehog, which was also set in an apartment building and whose concierge gave rambling diatribes about her superior intelligence and discourses on Foucault and postmodernism. I did not like that book at all, but I soon realized that at least The Affairs had a plot! My real problem is that I did not care about the characters and thought that some of the evolving relationships were contrived. I was not compelled to pick up the book and continue reading, though I did finish it. I will not recommend this book to others

Like many readers, I was drawn in by the prologue but quickly became puzzled. Brigid believes the man in the prologue was hired to kill her. Where does one find an assassin specializing in old women? It isn't until much later in the book that an explanation is even attempted. The characters were not well-developed. Brigid's marriage to the "perfesser" was as much of a mystery as anything else in the book. I think the novel is a very good first draft, not a final product. The story line was good enough to keep me reading, but this was not a page turner for me. (I hope that there is a good copyeditor waiting in the wings.)

Although I guessed some of the trajectory of the plot, that did not diminish my enjoyment as it unfolded. Beautifully written, with exquisite detail, this book was engrossing from beginning to end. The background of ethnology in Indian territory was very informative. Enjoying a book and learning new things is the best of reading for me! The author did provide a few surprises at the end that made up for the ones I easily surmised. I also enjoyed the author's earlier book, An Inconvenient Wife. I smiled when she repeated almost verbatim one description from that novel in the current book. Research says, I guess, that a good wife in the 19th century was a harlot if she moved during sex! I highly recommend Bone River as an enjoyable read.

I absolutely loved this page-turner and have already recommended it to friends. The author did an admirable job of integrating an intricate plot with the history of Key West; lighthouse keepers in the Keys; and, to a lesser, but interesting extent, Havana in the mid-19th century. Her main characters were well-fleshed out. I finished the book in two days and am still thinking about it, which is one of my criteria in giving the highest recommendation for a novel (e.g., The Kitchen House). Brady’s thorough research was obviously an integral part in providing a realistic setting. If you want a mesmerizing love story, you’ll find it here! I look forward to what I hope is a long career for Joanna Brady.