Brenda Corrigan Went Downtown

A tragic event brings a family together in Kaulkin’s novel.

On the day of her “un-Super Bowl” party, Brenda Corrigan takes a trip to the farmers market to pick up a few final things. Walking a cheery trail in scenic Oak Grove, Calif., Brenda crosses the footbridge to a trail usually populated by dog lovers, bicyclists and walkers. On this Super Bowl Sunday, however, she’s alone except for one homeless man. Flashing the man a courteous smile, Brenda doesn’t realize she’s in danger until it’s too late. The man attacks her, drags her into nearby bushes and brutally rapes her after smashing her in the mouth with a rock. Left for dead, Brenda is discovered after three men are caught burglarizing her condo and confess to where they found her keys and wallet. As Brenda lies unresponsive in the hospital, her adult children, Lynn and Jeff, and dearest friends gather around her hospital bed. While she deals with the trauma of her attack, Brenda’s son and daughter come to realize that there’s much more to their mother than they knew. In her debut novel, Kaulkin tells a taut story. The prose, however, dwells on action rather than emotion, and the reader rarely gets a glimpse inside Brenda’s mind. Instead, all is revealed through diary entries and past memories. Even her current thoughts about her recuperation feel remote. While the story is well-conceived, the attempt to provide an intriguing back story for Brenda featuring secret affairs, covert operations and foreign travel may give pause; the concept seems plausible, but the execution feels somewhat forced. Superfluous details sometimes overwhelm the plot, but Kaulkin neatly reveals the complex, surprising layers in her characters. Through Brenda’s journals and recuperation, Lynn gains a new take on the person she previously saw merely as a caregiver.

A sometimes overly detailed story of intrigue, pain and strength.