Cello, folks! Cheers, my dears!

 

You're getting Boo in rare form today, spitting out a quick communiqué before I head out with the fam to a friend's summer house in the lake region of Maine. I'm in a pretty solid state of chill, as we just did a week in Mexico to celebrate wrapping up my mystery. And I didn't work a bit! Actually, fate decided that for me, as my fairly new Apple computer completely bugged out on the first day down there. It's off to the shop now, getting all fixed up and ready for my next Red Mountain novel, the origin story of Otis. I'm about a third in and eager to find out what happens to the poor guy down in Sonoma in the 1970s. 

 

I want to recommend a novel. If you're like me, you often stop reading books a hundred pages in, or even halfway. These days, I refuse to finish just to finish. Let me tell you, I've put down a lot this year. But The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August hit me in the most glorious of ways and drew out all the feels. I don't know if I'm ready to say it's the best book I've ever read, but it darn well may be. It's Shantaram meets The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. Such soulful writing, beautiful characters, thrilling scenes, subtle yet stunning humor, atop a canvas of… I guess you'd say science fiction. More specifically: alternate reality. I'm not an expert in this genre, but after reading The Midnight Library, Addie Larue, and now this, I'm super interested. I might even have to write something like it one day. This book came out a few years ago, and I don't know how I (or anyone else) missed it. But this is storytelling brilliance!

 

In short, Harry lives a similar life over and over, chasing his arch nemesis and trying to save humankind while exploring various parts of the world during different decades of the last century.

 

My only disclaimer is that there are a couple of brutal parts that will make your toes curl, but I think those scenes were crucial. This book is a page-turning masterpiece, with the propulsion of The Davinci Code, but with striking prose and fresh ideas that often draw tears of awe. I won't say much more than: just read it. Read it, read it, read it.

Last thing, as some of you saw via my social media, I made a big mistake and didn't realize the signup for my newsletter wasn't working for more than a year. If you're getting this, you're all good. But if you know anyone who might have tried to sign up, or who might enjoy these occasional notes, please forward along this newsletter, or suggest they sign up via this link or on my website.

 

Okay, everyone, enjoy the holiday and please let me know if you read Harry August. You won't regret it.

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