Long Drive Home by Will Allison

Will Allison's second book, after his debut What You Have Left details the catastrophic effects one small split-second decision can have on life.

Written in part as a letter to the main character's daughter, the book centers around Glen, an accountant who works from home and serves as his six year-old daughter's primary caregiver while his wife, Liz commutes to the city for her job as a banker. During a routine drive home from school, Glen, with daughter Sara in the backseat, pretends that he is going to turn in front of a reckless driver, causing an accident with fatal results. When he realizes no one else witnessed the accident, he quickly fashions a version of the truth that absolved him from all guilt.

Things quickly spiral out of control as Glen perpetuates the lie with his wife, his daughter, a police detective, even the victim's mother leading to unintended consequences that Glen never imagined.

This psychological drama builds tension effectively, demonstrating how such a simple act can lead to devastating results, causing the reader to ponder the significance of other small acts - how close have we all been to being in Glen's shoes? This is a short, but definitely thought-provoking novel. If you are looking for an uplifting story, however, this one is not for you!

Nerd Alert! Simon Pegg's Autobiography

Even if you are not a fan of Simon Pegg, chances are you've seen in him in one of his movies - Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Run Fatboy, Run and, most recently, Paul. As a particular fan of his work, I was super-excited to see that he had written an auto-biography, but hesitant because the vast majority of biographies that I have read usually turn me off of that person. Happily, this is not one of those. Pegg has written a poignant, sweet, and funny tale of his life thus far.

Born into a middle-class family in western England, Pegg's mother was an amateur actress and his father a musician, so his creative apple didn't fall far from the tree. Growing up in the 1970's and 80's, he details his triumphs and tragedies, first loves and bromances, and throughout it all his adoration of science fiction and other nerdy pursuits. He even includes the autobiography he WISHED he could write, interspersed with the factual accounts, detailing his superhero-like prowess, rugged handsomeness and robotic sidekick.

I don't believe this book will broaden Pegg's appeal beyond those who are already fans - but if you are interested in reading more about him and his background, give this bio a try.