Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: erin kelly

In Gone Girl, Amy Dunne goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary. Her husband, desperate to clear himself of suspicion resulting from incriminating passages written in Amy's diary, realizes that something more disturbing than murder may have occurred. This smash hit, written by Gillian Flynn (one of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time), has been wildly popular and has already spent 73 weeks on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List.

Are you a fan? If so, you may like these read-alike titles recommended by NoveList, our book database dedicated to reader's advisory:

Two couples out to dinner discuss their shared challenge of protecting their teenage sons' from an act of violence that has triggered a police investigation. The Dinner by Herman Koch is sure to delight fans of books that feature unlikeable narrators who reveal details of their crimes throughout the course of the story.

The Burning Air by Erin Kelly is a chilling thriller about the wealthy MacBride family and their unfortunate discovery of a stranger who has been exacting vengeance on the family for years, without them ever knowing about it.

The Breaker by Minette Walters is a psychological suspense story that follows the investigation into a brutal rape and murder of a young mother. Why was the woman's three year old daughter, a witness to the murder, allowed to survive? Is her husband really as devoted as he seems to be?

Looking for more? Stop by the Information Desk on the main floor of the Community Library. We'll help you find your perfect next read!

Title: The Poison Tree

Author: Erin Kelly

Rating: 3 out of 5 (OK)

Review: In 1997, Karen is a straight laced university student. After meeting the bohemian Biba and becoming romantically involved with her brother, Rex, Karen spends the summer in the sibling's crumbling mansion fueled by sex and drugs. Her party comes to a shocking end when a complicated family history collides with violence. Ten years later, when Rex is released from prison, he comes home to live with Karen and their nine year old daughter. Their life is beginning to fall into place when old secrets come back to haunt Karen and threaten to destroy her family. Good story-semi cheesy application.

Reviewed by: Jessica O.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

If You Like 'Gone Girl' You May Also Like...

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly: Reader Review