A Book A Week

"That's when life can feel most chaotic, when things that you aren't controlling keep falling into place..."

Last summer I was simultaneously shocked and thrilled by Nathan Ripely's debut thriller Find You In The Dark. It was the kind of book that dared to explore the darker sides of society, a part of the world that you always knew exist but couldn't bring yourself to look into. I remember breathlessly turning the pages, appalled by what was taking place, but too enthralled to stop. I was so taken by Ripley's writing that I eagerly awaited his next offering. When his publisher offered me a copy of his latest novel Your Life Is Mine, I jumped at the chance to review it.

Parents are supposed to be a model that we strive to emulate. When we're young, we look up to them, copy their actions and mannerisms, confide in them, and love them.  Young Blanche Varner is no exception to this rule. She loves and obey's mother, but she absolutely adores her father. The family of three live a simple life in their rent-by-the-month trailer park, but Blanche knows of nothing different. Her father Chuck has taken her by his side and molded her into the person he wants her to be. Blanche dutifully does her part by attentively listening to his lectures and completing all the tasks and activities that they do together. One afternoon, Chuck takes her to the local mall and patiently sits her at a table in the food court. He tells her to watch him carefully and to stay quiet. Then he pulls the gun outs and starts to shoot.

Years later the shadow of Chuck's horrendous acts still haunts Blanche. She's changed her last name and moved away from the town where the nightmares happened, but it is hard to completely purge herself of a childhood of horror. The worst part is that after the mass shooting that took the lives of many innocent victims, Blanche quietly walked back to her home as if nothing had happened. So entangled in the cult-like web of Chuck's "Your Life Is Mine" teachings was she, that Blanche continued to adhere to his strict guidelines for years to come. In an ironic twist of fate, she now is carving out a career as a true-crime documentarian. For obvious reasons, Blanche keeps her past tucked neatly away from the public, but the death of her mother threatens to reveal all of her secrets.  Chuck's teachings live on and Blanche is about to see that her life is still very much intertwined with them.

In Your Life Is Mine, Nathan Ripley once again dares to shine a light in the darkest recesses of his imagination. With this second novel, he proves that he is unafraid to tackle the taboo. Frankly, it is this willingness to cross lines that others fear that makes his writing so endearing. The best part of all of this is that Ripley shocks and frightens without ever needing to be graphic or obscene. The mere suggestion of events is enough to chill you to the bone. All of this darkness melds with the very real emotional drama and turmoil that helps ground the story in undeniable humanity. Blanche walks a thin line between innocent bystander and willing accomplice. She is always morally questionable, but I couldn't help but empathize with her. On the surface, Your Life Is Mine looks like any other summer thriller, but I found it to be deeper than the summary would have you believe. If you're willing to lose yourself in Ripley's writing, you just might discover the kind of book that lingers long after the last page.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2019, 18)