A review by jennoharmo
We Now Return to Regular Life by Martin Wilson

5.0

A wonderfully written novel, We Now Return to Regular Life weaves together the story of the kidnapping and return of Sam Walsh, through the alternating perspectives of those impacted by his disappearance and subsequent return. What happened to the Sam that they once knew, and who is the Sam they've welcomed home? Why didn't he try to escape? How can his family and once-closest friend support him, even though they can't understand his experiences, and are hesitant to hear the details of what his life had been in the intervening three years? Facing one of our biggest fears - having a loved one taken from us - and the unexpected aftermath when suddenly they are returned to us, Martin Wilson has done an excellent job in exploring the many layers of the reality of wanting things to go back to the way they were before tragedy struck, and learning to accept and adjust to the new reality we are given. (Extra bit of entertainment for me was the fact that the story is largely set in my hometown, and therefore gave me relevant mental images of the locations referenced throughout the story.) Highly recommend!