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mbkarapcik's review
3.0
Pekkanen’s latest novel is about a typical, suburban family where the husband/father is a respected policeman in an undisclosed area in and around Maryland and Washington, DC. After a harrowing incident injures his partner for whom he feels terrible guilt, he ends up shooting a teenage Hispanic boy who possibly pointed a gun at the officers when they were contending with another dangerous situation. But what really happened? Did Officer Mike accidentally shoot the young man? Did he do it on purpose in a cloud of undiagnosed PTSD? And was the young man really in possession of a gun, locked, loaded and ready to shoot?
The author, whose past includes crime journalism in Baltimore, tackles a crime similar to the controversial shootings which resulted in campaigns such as #BlackLivesMatter. So we bear eye witness to a typical, white, middle-class family enduring trials like PTSD, doubt, race relations, the media, marital problems and family dynamics for which Pekkanen is an expert. Whether the crime was committed in self-defense or anger really isn’t the main theme of the story but how the characters interact with each other and pick up the pieces in the aftermath.
Pekkanen handled the story subtly without pressing the issues but presenting it honestly from the perspective of the officer’s wife. Jamie’s a stay-at-home mom just trying to make ends meet and raise her kids without them driving her crazy. In the meantime, she deals with her husband’s previous girlfriend who shares custody of their teenage son and is saucy, sassy and the polar opposite of Jamie. She also has a younger sister Lou who is kind of a lost soul and relies on Jamie for stability. What was missing was the alternate perspective of the mom who loses her son.
This topic was depressing yet interesting, but the story was just okay. Although I really like her books, this one wasn’t a favorite. The main character Jamie dealt with too much melodrama from her kids while the real crime drama played out beside it. I felt like it was laid upon too thick with the air conditioner breaking down during a stretch of impossibly hot weather, the dog running away, and the whiny kids creating another colossal mess – all simultaneously and daily. Kind of ridiculous and this is coming from a stay-at-home mom who works part-time.
I liked Christie’s subplot where she traded in her hair salon job for one as a decoy for a private detective. Even though her job plays a part in the outcome of the story, it really wasn’t tied up that well. Actually, I really enjoyed this particular story and would have liked more details about it because it was quite engaging, and I wanted to know more.
Jamie’s stepson and Mike and Christie’s son Henry carried on another storyline that seemed too abrupt in its importance. In order for his story to be executed with success, his character needed more personality and purpose. So much more could have been done with a teenager and juxtaposing him with the gunshot victim who was about the same age.
One storyline I could not stand was the one with Jamie’s younger sister Lou who I found boring and insipid. She just seemed like a very lost soul and sad sack who couldn’t get her life together. I didn’t enjoy the passages with her work at the zoo and her beloved elephant. Maybe because I’m not that much of an animal lover and usually turn off any nature programs involving animals. Even though I do like cats, dogs and horses, I was not engaged in any of the actions of Tabby the elephant. Lou was too simple for the book and not an interesting enough character. I even wondered if she may be on the autism spectrum or another similar disorder because of key characteristics like her lack of social skills, her discomfort and awkwardness around people, and her inability to connect with her ex-boyfriend who was just as dull. Also, she was unbelievably absorbed with her work. Having a child with autism, if Lou had a similar diagnosis, it would have been more interesting to read about her personal struggles, instead of concentrating on the elephant. And her struggles with remembering her mother reached a very dull climax that didn’t move me at all. I think the reader was supposed to relate her relationship with her mother which wasn’t really outlined to the elephant giving birth.
From reading her other novels which I’ve greatly enjoyed, I noticed she generally has about three main characters. Jamie and Christie engaged my interest but Lou did not. Another character who would have been an excellent person to focus on was the victim’s mother who dealt with different struggles than the other characters due to her lifestyle and environment. Her story rivaled any of the others as being the most interesting and a good dichotomy to that of Jamie’s and Christie’s struggles in being mothers and part of a family.
The author, whose past includes crime journalism in Baltimore, tackles a crime similar to the controversial shootings which resulted in campaigns such as #BlackLivesMatter. So we bear eye witness to a typical, white, middle-class family enduring trials like PTSD, doubt, race relations, the media, marital problems and family dynamics for which Pekkanen is an expert. Whether the crime was committed in self-defense or anger really isn’t the main theme of the story but how the characters interact with each other and pick up the pieces in the aftermath.
Pekkanen handled the story subtly without pressing the issues but presenting it honestly from the perspective of the officer’s wife. Jamie’s a stay-at-home mom just trying to make ends meet and raise her kids without them driving her crazy. In the meantime, she deals with her husband’s previous girlfriend who shares custody of their teenage son and is saucy, sassy and the polar opposite of Jamie. She also has a younger sister Lou who is kind of a lost soul and relies on Jamie for stability. What was missing was the alternate perspective of the mom who loses her son.
This topic was depressing yet interesting, but the story was just okay. Although I really like her books, this one wasn’t a favorite. The main character Jamie dealt with too much melodrama from her kids while the real crime drama played out beside it. I felt like it was laid upon too thick with the air conditioner breaking down during a stretch of impossibly hot weather, the dog running away, and the whiny kids creating another colossal mess – all simultaneously and daily. Kind of ridiculous and this is coming from a stay-at-home mom who works part-time.
I liked Christie’s subplot where she traded in her hair salon job for one as a decoy for a private detective. Even though her job plays a part in the outcome of the story, it really wasn’t tied up that well. Actually, I really enjoyed this particular story and would have liked more details about it because it was quite engaging, and I wanted to know more.
Jamie’s stepson and Mike and Christie’s son Henry carried on another storyline that seemed too abrupt in its importance. In order for his story to be executed with success, his character needed more personality and purpose. So much more could have been done with a teenager and juxtaposing him with the gunshot victim who was about the same age.
One storyline I could not stand was the one with Jamie’s younger sister Lou who I found boring and insipid. She just seemed like a very lost soul and sad sack who couldn’t get her life together. I didn’t enjoy the passages with her work at the zoo and her beloved elephant. Maybe because I’m not that much of an animal lover and usually turn off any nature programs involving animals. Even though I do like cats, dogs and horses, I was not engaged in any of the actions of Tabby the elephant. Lou was too simple for the book and not an interesting enough character. I even wondered if she may be on the autism spectrum or another similar disorder because of key characteristics like her lack of social skills, her discomfort and awkwardness around people, and her inability to connect with her ex-boyfriend who was just as dull. Also, she was unbelievably absorbed with her work. Having a child with autism, if Lou had a similar diagnosis, it would have been more interesting to read about her personal struggles, instead of concentrating on the elephant. And her struggles with remembering her mother reached a very dull climax that didn’t move me at all. I think the reader was supposed to relate her relationship with her mother which wasn’t really outlined to the elephant giving birth.
From reading her other novels which I’ve greatly enjoyed, I noticed she generally has about three main characters. Jamie and Christie engaged my interest but Lou did not. Another character who would have been an excellent person to focus on was the victim’s mother who dealt with different struggles than the other characters due to her lifestyle and environment. Her story rivaled any of the others as being the most interesting and a good dichotomy to that of Jamie’s and Christie’s struggles in being mothers and part of a family.
sapphiresoul's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
judithdcollins's review
5.0
A special thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
THINGS YOU WON'T SAY is Sarah Pekkanen's "best work" thus far; she keeps getting better and better--if this is even possible!
An avid fan for many years, having read all of Sarah's books--she has always had a "thumb" on modern day relationships and parenting, and interjects plenty of wit and humor, wisdom, and inspiration; tackling single life, marriage, extended family, ex-wives, careers, divorce, and other contemporary issues, like no other, appealing to a wide audience of women.
In her latest compelling novel, the ongoing theme is parenting and communication, with three very different women: Jamie, Lou, and Christie; however, as an added bonus, Pekkanen tackles some highly-charged emotional topics, crossing genres with racial, police procedural, a shooting, mystery/crime, firearms, motherhood, teens, family bonds, and emotional human dynamics--making THINGS YOU WON'T SAY a gripping, and thought-provoking suspenseful read, with well-developed characters, keeping you glued to the pages for hours.
Jamie, age thirty-two, is a mother of three children; Sam (age eight), Eloise (age three), and Emily (age six). She is a busy mom and married to a cop, Mike. Years ago, before meeting Jamie, Mike had a relationship with Christie and they have a teenage son, Henry, sharing joint custody. Jamie is a wonderful step mom to Henry, unfortunately, Christie is always in their life and most of the time, not a plus – now she is a character!
Recently things have been stressed as Mike’s best friend and partner, Ritchie was shot in the line of duty, and will never be the same. Mike has much guilt as his friend walked out the door a step ahead of his partner, and he was not hurt.
To further complicate matters, Mike goes back to work after the incident, with PTSD, and now in the middle of an investigation when he shoots a Hispanic teenager trying to protect another fellow cop partner, breaking up a gang fight. However, all fingers and blame at pointed at Mike, since they cannot prove the teen had a gun.
Jamie has always been the protector of the family – her husband, and children; however, now she cannot fix their life this time and her marriage is falling apart. Jamie, the narrator seeks desperately to save her family and her marriage. However, she has to deal with the ex- Christie, who is totally the opposite, dressing provocatively, not a very responsible parent, acts impulsively, and happens to be there to support Mike and believes in his innocence when Jamie has doubts. No one seems to be communicating.
Christie brings so much fun to the book, as you will laugh out loud. She never fits in, and always getting into trouble. She gets a new job working for a PI, and going undercover to help weed out cheating husbands. She is hilarious and at the same time she is the one who steps up to help Mike. Of course, she would like to have Mike for herself and uses Henry, her son sometimes to get close to him.
With much friction from the two different women, readers get to see two opposite women in a realistic situation. Personally, I have been the wife, mother, the ex-wife, step-mom, and had to deal with ex-wives; not fun, so had to laugh at some of the things which were right on—how a lack of communication can lead you to ponder, things are not always as they appear.
Lou, the single sister, of Jamie is another major part of the story. Poor Lou is not a girly girl, and works for a zoo, as a full time animal keeper, and loves her job-she is not cut out to work in an office. She also works a second job at a coffee shop, to pay the bills.
She would rather sleep with the animals if she could. The guy she lives with has dumped her for another girl and all the while she still lives in the same apartment with him. Awkward! You feel so bad for her as she is run out of her own house, and the roommate she hooks up with is horrible, and then she takes time off from her job to help her sister, and at the same time she is there with love, passion, and devotion with her beloved elephant, Tabitha when giving birth. All three women connect in some ways with a powerful motherhood bond, making each woman unique in their own way.
Pekkanen can write chick-lit, humor, and women's contemporary fiction, like a rock star, right up there with Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin; however, with her latest, she has moved up next to Jodi Picoult, delivering a complex portrayal and exploration of human emotions with much depth and sensitivity, appealing to fans of all three authors with her latest "must read!."
Fans of Picoult's Leaving Time will enjoy the elephant/human motherhood connection. I enjoyed reading about the inspiration behind the book, and Christie's character was SO MUCH FUN--keeping me laughing throughout the book!
An ideal choice for book clubs and group discussions, with a detailed readers club guide included. Well-done, Sarah, another winner-highly recommend all her books!
JDCMustReadBooks
THINGS YOU WON'T SAY is Sarah Pekkanen's "best work" thus far; she keeps getting better and better--if this is even possible!
An avid fan for many years, having read all of Sarah's books--she has always had a "thumb" on modern day relationships and parenting, and interjects plenty of wit and humor, wisdom, and inspiration; tackling single life, marriage, extended family, ex-wives, careers, divorce, and other contemporary issues, like no other, appealing to a wide audience of women.
In her latest compelling novel, the ongoing theme is parenting and communication, with three very different women: Jamie, Lou, and Christie; however, as an added bonus, Pekkanen tackles some highly-charged emotional topics, crossing genres with racial, police procedural, a shooting, mystery/crime, firearms, motherhood, teens, family bonds, and emotional human dynamics--making THINGS YOU WON'T SAY a gripping, and thought-provoking suspenseful read, with well-developed characters, keeping you glued to the pages for hours.
Jamie, age thirty-two, is a mother of three children; Sam (age eight), Eloise (age three), and Emily (age six). She is a busy mom and married to a cop, Mike. Years ago, before meeting Jamie, Mike had a relationship with Christie and they have a teenage son, Henry, sharing joint custody. Jamie is a wonderful step mom to Henry, unfortunately, Christie is always in their life and most of the time, not a plus – now she is a character!
Recently things have been stressed as Mike’s best friend and partner, Ritchie was shot in the line of duty, and will never be the same. Mike has much guilt as his friend walked out the door a step ahead of his partner, and he was not hurt.
To further complicate matters, Mike goes back to work after the incident, with PTSD, and now in the middle of an investigation when he shoots a Hispanic teenager trying to protect another fellow cop partner, breaking up a gang fight. However, all fingers and blame at pointed at Mike, since they cannot prove the teen had a gun.
Jamie has always been the protector of the family – her husband, and children; however, now she cannot fix their life this time and her marriage is falling apart. Jamie, the narrator seeks desperately to save her family and her marriage. However, she has to deal with the ex- Christie, who is totally the opposite, dressing provocatively, not a very responsible parent, acts impulsively, and happens to be there to support Mike and believes in his innocence when Jamie has doubts. No one seems to be communicating.
Christie brings so much fun to the book, as you will laugh out loud. She never fits in, and always getting into trouble. She gets a new job working for a PI, and going undercover to help weed out cheating husbands. She is hilarious and at the same time she is the one who steps up to help Mike. Of course, she would like to have Mike for herself and uses Henry, her son sometimes to get close to him.
With much friction from the two different women, readers get to see two opposite women in a realistic situation. Personally, I have been the wife, mother, the ex-wife, step-mom, and had to deal with ex-wives; not fun, so had to laugh at some of the things which were right on—how a lack of communication can lead you to ponder, things are not always as they appear.
Lou, the single sister, of Jamie is another major part of the story. Poor Lou is not a girly girl, and works for a zoo, as a full time animal keeper, and loves her job-she is not cut out to work in an office. She also works a second job at a coffee shop, to pay the bills.
She would rather sleep with the animals if she could. The guy she lives with has dumped her for another girl and all the while she still lives in the same apartment with him. Awkward! You feel so bad for her as she is run out of her own house, and the roommate she hooks up with is horrible, and then she takes time off from her job to help her sister, and at the same time she is there with love, passion, and devotion with her beloved elephant, Tabitha when giving birth. All three women connect in some ways with a powerful motherhood bond, making each woman unique in their own way.
Pekkanen can write chick-lit, humor, and women's contemporary fiction, like a rock star, right up there with Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin; however, with her latest, she has moved up next to Jodi Picoult, delivering a complex portrayal and exploration of human emotions with much depth and sensitivity, appealing to fans of all three authors with her latest "must read!."
Fans of Picoult's Leaving Time will enjoy the elephant/human motherhood connection. I enjoyed reading about the inspiration behind the book, and Christie's character was SO MUCH FUN--keeping me laughing throughout the book!
An ideal choice for book clubs and group discussions, with a detailed readers club guide included. Well-done, Sarah, another winner-highly recommend all her books!
JDCMustReadBooks
jbarr5's review
4.0
Things you won't say by Sarah Pekkanen
Jamie Anderson worries about her husband who is a policeman. Then she gets the call a policeman has been hurt, but it's not her husband but his partner. Mike struggles to go on with a new partner but nightmares keep him from getting good sleep.
Her sister Lew works with animals and lives with an ex boyfriend who's dating a new girl.
Story also follows Sandy and her husband who's laid up in the hospital for months....
Also it follows Christy who shares a boy with Mike and he gets to visit with Jamie and the 3 kids her and Mike have together.
She was a receptionist and now works for a PI, Elroy trying to find unfaithful husbands for a lot higher wage.
Lots of references to elephants and their habits.
Another call and now her husband has pulled his trigger and the teen died. There was no gun but he says he saw it. She needs to stand by him but she has her own doubts.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Jamie Anderson worries about her husband who is a policeman. Then she gets the call a policeman has been hurt, but it's not her husband but his partner. Mike struggles to go on with a new partner but nightmares keep him from getting good sleep.
Her sister Lew works with animals and lives with an ex boyfriend who's dating a new girl.
Story also follows Sandy and her husband who's laid up in the hospital for months....
Also it follows Christy who shares a boy with Mike and he gets to visit with Jamie and the 3 kids her and Mike have together.
She was a receptionist and now works for a PI, Elroy trying to find unfaithful husbands for a lot higher wage.
Lots of references to elephants and their habits.
Another call and now her husband has pulled his trigger and the teen died. There was no gun but he says he saw it. She needs to stand by him but she has her own doubts.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
carolpk's review
3.0
The Hook - The publisher’s blurb drew me in.
The Line – ”Just last year they’d gone three days without speaking after a ridiculous fight…”
There’s more to that sentence but this is telling quote and has much to do with the theme of the story.
The Sinker – Things You Won’t Say is just that, a story of a marriage without honest conversation, one where what is not said or discussed causes damage to the union.
It is also a story ripped out of recent headlines. Mike Anderson, a policeman is involved in a shooting. He’s not injured but his partner and good friend takes the bullet and is badly hurt. Jamie, his wife, breathes a sigh of relief that Mike is all right, but then realizes he’s a victim just the same. And then it happens again. Jamie gets the dreaded call. There’s been a fatal shooting. Once again, Mike is safe but he shot a teenager who he thinks pulled a gun on him. But then the gun can’t be found and the teen is a boy of color. The boy’s mother holds an unsparing press conference and the preliminary investigation leads to Mike’s indictment. The consequences of all this would rock a solid marriage but Mike and Jamie’s is on edgy ground.
There are other characters with an indirect role in the Anderson’s undoing. They are used possibly to lend support or other viewpoint to the story. I honestly never could get interested in the side stories the author presents. They added little to the whole.
What I took away from this is how important trust, respect and the need for honesty is in any marriage that is going to work.
My sincere thanks to Edelweiss and Washington Square Press for providing this e-galley for my review. Things You Won’t Say by Sarah Pekkanen is now available for purchase and your reading pleasure.
The Line – ”Just last year they’d gone three days without speaking after a ridiculous fight…”
There’s more to that sentence but this is telling quote and has much to do with the theme of the story.
The Sinker – Things You Won’t Say is just that, a story of a marriage without honest conversation, one where what is not said or discussed causes damage to the union.
It is also a story ripped out of recent headlines. Mike Anderson, a policeman is involved in a shooting. He’s not injured but his partner and good friend takes the bullet and is badly hurt. Jamie, his wife, breathes a sigh of relief that Mike is all right, but then realizes he’s a victim just the same. And then it happens again. Jamie gets the dreaded call. There’s been a fatal shooting. Once again, Mike is safe but he shot a teenager who he thinks pulled a gun on him. But then the gun can’t be found and the teen is a boy of color. The boy’s mother holds an unsparing press conference and the preliminary investigation leads to Mike’s indictment. The consequences of all this would rock a solid marriage but Mike and Jamie’s is on edgy ground.
There are other characters with an indirect role in the Anderson’s undoing. They are used possibly to lend support or other viewpoint to the story. I honestly never could get interested in the side stories the author presents. They added little to the whole.
What I took away from this is how important trust, respect and the need for honesty is in any marriage that is going to work.
My sincere thanks to Edelweiss and Washington Square Press for providing this e-galley for my review. Things You Won’t Say by Sarah Pekkanen is now available for purchase and your reading pleasure.
susanthebookbag's review
5.0
This was my first Sarah Pekkanen book and it won't be my last! I love the way she writes and how she takes a very timely issue and shows us the personal side of it.
Does this sound familiar to you?
'"How many times does young man of color need to be murdered by police before we as a country demand that it stop? Police are there to protect all of our citizens, especially the vulnerable. Especially the young. Tonight a family is grieving for no reason other than the actions of a trigger-happy police officer who decided to be the judge, jury, and executioner when he saw a brown face,'"
We get to see all sides of this controversial topic, from the victim's loved ones and what they are going through to the officer's family and how this tragedy is affecting them. This is a story that shows us what everyone goes through when something horrible like this happens. It is not easy on anyone.
'She wanted her life back so desperately. She wanted her biggest worry to be about the electricity bill, or the fact that she couldn't button her favorite jeans, or the state of the kitchen floor. She wanted to be annoyed with Mike because he'd gone out with the guys after work and had lost forty bucks in a poker game.'
I was totally engrossed in this story and got caught up in the emotions and drama of the families. Sarah writes wonderfully and I am excited to read more of her books.
'... normal life wasn't normal any longer. Maybe it never would be again.'
Does this sound familiar to you?
'"How many times does young man of color need to be murdered by police before we as a country demand that it stop? Police are there to protect all of our citizens, especially the vulnerable. Especially the young. Tonight a family is grieving for no reason other than the actions of a trigger-happy police officer who decided to be the judge, jury, and executioner when he saw a brown face,'"
We get to see all sides of this controversial topic, from the victim's loved ones and what they are going through to the officer's family and how this tragedy is affecting them. This is a story that shows us what everyone goes through when something horrible like this happens. It is not easy on anyone.
'She wanted her life back so desperately. She wanted her biggest worry to be about the electricity bill, or the fact that she couldn't button her favorite jeans, or the state of the kitchen floor. She wanted to be annoyed with Mike because he'd gone out with the guys after work and had lost forty bucks in a poker game.'
I was totally engrossed in this story and got caught up in the emotions and drama of the families. Sarah writes wonderfully and I am excited to read more of her books.
'... normal life wasn't normal any longer. Maybe it never would be again.'
meganpalmer731's review
4.0
Very timely story about the family of a police officer who shoots and kills a teenager. Quick and interesting read.