THE HAUNTED REFRIGERATOR

This series opener centers on the machinations of a turbulent family.

Nine-year-old Theo Schism squeezes himself into a refrigerator and shuts the door in 1953. After his death, the Schisms ultimately split apart: George and Lucy divorce while Theo’s little sister, Isabel, goes off on her own at a young age. In a story that spans decades, the family members’ lives are generally tumultuous. Lucy, at one point, threatens to kill herself; George’s second wife actually commits suicide; and Isabel’s stepfather, Rance Murdock, should be nowhere near an adolescent girl. Also populating the story is Leif Lambrochet, the father of teen Isabel’s baby, though his sister, Clare, is doubtful he’s the dad. While Leif enlists in the Army and fights in Vietnam in the 1970s, his friend Roberto “Robot” Larch dodges the draft by hiding out in Canada. As the years pass, shocking revelations await some of these individuals, including Isabel’s daughter, Abra Cadabra “Snap” Weaver. In the early 21st century, Snap, as executor of Lucy’s will, scatters her grandmother’s ashes and learns a surprising amount of information about the woman’s past. Veith’s novel, despite being only Book 1 of a trilogy, is extensive. The nonlinear narrative hops around decades, although its intermittent focus on Leif and Robot keeps it mostly in the Vietnam War era. The author’s polished prose generates smooth scene transitions, making ever changing time periods easy to track. The writing is furthermore consistent, such that there’s not much distinction between different voices, including in Clare’s journal entries and George’s memoir that Isabel periodically reads. Regardless, the lively characters are embroiled in absorbing melodrama (one family member may blame another for what happened to Theo) and the occasional crime (Isabel seems convinced that one particular death is a murder).

An engrossing and epic family tale bursting with curious characters and subplots.