It’s been a long time where I read a book that super challenged me, not to mention one that was over 800 pages long.
There were elements to the book that went over my head when it came to the details around the Air Force and war, but when it came back to the human character elements I was right there. A lot of poetic imagery as well, a lot of triggering and hard parts to read, but worth going to the end.

Almost anything I would say about why I loved this book might be a spoiler, and I don’t write spoilers. So....I’ll just say it’s one of the best novels I’ve read in decades. It probably helps that I was an Air Force brat, and literally exactly the same age as Madeleine at the time period in which the story is set, so it was a bit like revisiting my childhood. Don’t let the 800 pages intimidate you; they fly by.

There are so many different layers to this book. It starts in the 1960's with a Canadian airforce family moving to a new posting. Madeleine , the 8 year old daughter, gets caught up in an after 3pm club with her male teacher and her father Jack is caught in a web of cold war secrets.
Their life is turned upside down when one of Madeleine's classmates is found murdered.
Years later Madeleine tries to find out the truth and discover who the murderer was.

A very interesting book much more than just a thriller.

One of my favorites ever. Well-formed characters, descriptive setting and time period, tragic story, and excellent writing overall. Although I enjoyed her other novel, Fall on Your Knees, this one is a notch above it.