Friday, September 30, 2011

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!

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