An unevenly executed tale for animal lovers with a sympathetic lead character but little suspense.
In Tobbek’s novel, a woman’s dogs are at risk of being destroyed after allegedly killing a neighbor’s pet sheep—so she steps up to be their advocate.
It’s 2013, and photojournalist Miriam Levy has always been content with her life in her Henderson, Nevada, community where she considers herself not only the mother of three children (with her husband, Elliot), but also the “Jewish mother of…two dogs, three cats, and a bunch of fish.” Then, one day, her neighbors, Leah and Ken Alpert, accuse the canines, Kasey and Luca, of fatally attacking their beloved pet sheep—and everything begins to fall apart. The Alperts had always been standoffish and somewhat unsupportive of their son, Eli, dating Miriam’s daughter, Michelle, but they turn openly hostile after the alleged sheep incident. They call animal control and the police, insisting that the Levys’ malamutes are dangerous and should be put down. Miriam maintains that her beloved pets have never displayed any signs of aggression and are well trained; she can’t explain how Kasey and Luca ended up covered in blood, but she’s certain the story is not as cut-and-dried as the neighbors would like everyone to believe. The Alperts’ story is inconsistent, and many people maintain that the dogs aren’t aggressive, but, at trial, the judge’s ultimate decision doesn’t make anyone happy. The Alperts file additional cases and work hard to turn their community—including the local rabbi—against her. The battle stretches on for years and only ends when a confession finally brings the truth to light.
The emotional heart of Tobbek’s novel lies in the obvious love that her characters have for the animals in their care. Miriam is effectively shown to be unwavering in her affection for her pets, her children, and her friends. She even admirably attempts to extend the same sympathy to the Alperts and to her rabbi, when the latter chooses to avoid the issue instead of jumping to the Levys’ defense. However, readers may find it difficult to credit Miriam with much else, as she comes across as largely a static figure in the story. She is, from the start, unequivocally and unwavering in her faith in her pets and in her forgiving attitude. The Alperts, meanwhile, are similarly underdeveloped as characters; they never feel believable as accusers, and their desire for vengeance seems suspect from the very start. Their only possible motivation for lying about the dogs will be clear to many readers early on, and the truth comes out because a character arbitrarily chooses to divulge a revelation, rather than as a result of Miriam’s persistence or wit. In addition, much of the novel is tied up in transcript-style descriptions of court trials in which various characters go over the same details. The lack of new clues or investigative efforts lowers the stakes, which makes the denouement a relief, but not a surprise. Although the protagonist is a clear advocate for her dogs, her advocacy ultimately makes little difference in the end.
An unevenly executed tale for animal lovers with a sympathetic lead character but little suspense.Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 10, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A standout in the series.
The sixth adventure of Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon explores the mysteries of human consciousness, the demonic projects of the CIA, and the city of Prague.
“Ladies and gentlemen...we are about to experience a sea change in our understanding of how the brain works, the nature of consciousness, and in fact…the very nature of reality itself.” But first—Langdon’s in love! Brown’s devoted readers first met brilliant noetic scientist Katherine Solomon in The Lost Symbol (2009); she’s back as a serious girlfriend, engaging the committed bachelor in a way not seen before. The book opens with the pair in a luxurious suite at the Four Seasons in Prague. It’s the night after Katherine has delivered the lecture quoted above, setting the theme for the novel, which features a plethora of real-life cases and anomalies that seem to support the notion that human consciousness is not localized inside the human skull. Brown’s talent for assembling research is also evident in this novel’s alter ego as a guidebook to Prague, whose history and attractions are described in great and glowing detail. Whether you appreciate or skim past the innumerable info dumps on these and other topics (Jewish folklore fans—the Golem is in the house!), it goes without saying that concision is not a goal in the Dan Brown editing process. Speaking of editing, the nearly 700-page book is dedicated to Brown’s editor, who seems to appear as a character—to put it in the italicized form used for Brownian insight, Jason Kaufman must be Jonas Faukman! A major subplot involves the theft of Katherine’s manuscript from the secure servers of Penguin Random House; the delightful Faukman continues to spout witty wisecracks even when blindfolded and hogtied. There’s no shortage of action, derring-do, explosions, high-tech torture machines, attempted and successful murders, and opportunities for split-second, last-minute escapes; good thing Langdon, this aging symbology wonk, never misses swimming his morning laps. Readers who are not already dyed-in-the-wool Langdonites may find themselves echoing the prof’s own conclusion regarding the credibility of all this paranormal hoo-ha: At some point, skepticism itself becomes irrational.
A standout in the series.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780385546898
Page Count: 688
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
Soapy, suspenseful fun.
A remembered horror plunges a pregnant woman into a waking nightmare.
Tegan Werner, 23, barely recalls her one-night stand with married real estate developer Simon Lamar; she only learns Simon’s name after seeing him on the local news five months later. Simon wants nothing to do with the resulting child Tegan now carries and tells his lawyer to negotiate a nondisclosure agreement. A destitute Tegan is all too happy to trade her silence for cash—until a whiff of Simon’s cologne triggers a memory of him drugging and raping her. Distraught and eight months pregnant, Tegan flees her Lewiston, Maine, apartment and drives north in a blizzard, intending to seek comfort and counsel from her older brother, Dennis; instead, she gets lost and crashes, badly injuring her ankle. Tegan is terrified when hulking stranger Hank Thompson stops and extricates her from the wreck, and becomes even more so when he takes her to his cabin rather than the hospital, citing hazardous road conditions. Her anxiety eases somewhat upon meeting Hank’s wife, Polly—a former nurse who settles Tegan in a basement hospital room originally built for Polly’s now-deceased mother. Polly vows to call 911 as soon as the phones and power return, but when that doesn’t happen, Tegan becomes convinced that Hank is forcing Polly to hold her prisoner. Tegan doesn’t know the half of it. McFadden unspools her twisty tale via a first-person-present narration that alternates between Tegan and Polly, grounding character while elevating tension. Coincidence and frustratingly foolish assumptions fuel the plot, but readers able to suspend disbelief are in for a wild ride. A purposefully ambiguous, forward-flashing prologue hints at future homicide, establishing stakes from the jump.
Soapy, suspenseful fun.Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781464227325
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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