Back in 1962, eight-year-old Nonni lives with her family off the grid in the Californian desert. She’s living a happy, carefree life until a stranger approaches her and her little sister. For the next several months, she lives in terror that this man will make due on his promise to hurt her family.
I don’t read crime fiction often, but this one had a compelling plot. It’s told in the point-of-view of Nonni, her sister Tessa, their parents, and their grandmother. The characters’ tension and stress drove the story, as well as the mystery of when the bad guy was going to strike next.
Ms. Brashear did an amazing job of creating each character’s voice. The children sounded like kids and the adults each had their own personality, too. She did a great job of upping the tension and putting the characters at odds with one another. Her descriptions of the scenery were so vivid I could easily picture them in my head, and though I hate to say this, the pacing was slow at times. There are some unanswered questions about the villain, but none affected the plot.
Anyway, Gunnysack Hell offers a compelling mystery with an ensemble of fascinating characters sure to entertain for an evening.
4 Stars ( )