Tragic Sandwich

If you haven’t yet discovered Laura McHugh, then hie thee to the bookstore or library and dive right in. Or, like me, you can listen to the audiobooks. I’m not going to quibble about the medium.

The first of her books that I read was actually her second, Arrowood. The story of a young woman at a turning point in her life, coming to terms with her family’s tragic past, is a gripping slow build. Arden Arrowood’s life was forever changed by the disappearance of her younger twin sisters–but what happened that day?

A little later, I read her first novel, The Weight of Blood. It centers on another mysterious disappearance and how it has affected the family and community, but the characters and plot are completely different from Arrowood.

And now I’ve just started her third, The Wolf Wants In, and it hooked me immediately. Sadie Keller is trying to find the truth about her brother’s death, and Henley Pettit wants nothing more than to leave her family and small town behind. What’s going to happen? I can’t wait to find out.

McHugh centers her novels on themes and issues that could be described as “ripped from the headlines” — abduction, trafficking, addiction — but her approach is so thoughtful and human that the lurid feel of that phrase doesn’t apply to her work at all. She creates complex, imperfect characters who feel very real, and about whom I find myself caring very much. The books are moody and atmospheric, but in ways that feel very organic.

She also provides a strong sense of place. The settings are an integral part of the stories and characters, and I love that the books take place in different parts of the Midwest; cities, particularly New York and Los Angeles, are so prominent in American pop culture that I always appreciate getting to know a different location.

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The books aren’t part of a series, so you don’t need to read them in any particular order. Just read them. I think you’ll be glad you did.