DRIFTWOOD

Rich girl Clem Jasper is drifting through life with no plan or purpose until her rock-singer father dies, leaving her a mysterious pack of letters that will take her on a road trip through California and a journey into his past.

Facing strong opposition from her mother, who fears digging up the past will unearth dark secrets, Clem follows her late father’s instructions, determined to make good on his last gift to her. Along the way, she grieves, ruminates on the nature of family and realizes some startling truths. While she doesn’t find any easy answers and uncovers more than she wants to know about her father’s past, she discovers that sometimes in order to find yourself you have to get lost in mind, body and spirit. Dutton (1,033 Reasons to Smile, 2011) tells an old tale but doctors it with fresh surprises that keep the reader turning the pages. Clem’s epiphanies are often clichéd, but her voice springs off the page as if she's speaking aloud. A little short on originality but so full of heart and humor that you keep reading anyway.

A road-trip novel that will make readers want to hop into the car alongside Clem and keep driving, even if they’ve already seen all the sights and sounds before and know exactly how the journey ends.