Leaving Time

A Novel

By: Jodi Picoult

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Abigail Revasch, Kathe Mazur, Mark Deakins

Length: 15 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Throughout her blockbuster career, number-one New York Times best-selling author Jodi Picoult has seamlessly blended nuanced characters, riveting plots, and rich prose, brilliantly creating stories that "not only provoke the mind but touch the flawed souls in all of us" (The Boston Globe). Now, in her highly anticipated new book, she has delivered her most affecting novel yet - and one unlike anything she's written before.

For more than a decade, Jenna Metcalf has never stopped thinking about her mother, Alice, who mysteriously disappeared in the wake of a tragic accident. Refusing to believe that she would be abandoned as a young child, Jenna searches for her mother regularly online and pores over the pages of Alice's old journals. A scientist who studied grief among elephants, Alice wrote mostly of her research among the animals she loved, yet Jenna hopes the entries will provide a clue to her mother’s whereabouts.

Desperate to find the truth, Jenna enlists two unlikely allies in her quest. The first is Serenity Jones, a psychic who rose to fame finding missing persons - only to later doubt her gifts. The second is Virgil Stanhope, a jaded private detective who originally investigated Alice’s case along with the strange, possibly linked death of one of her colleagues. As the three work together to uncover what happened to Alice, they realize that in asking hard questions, they'll have to face even harder answers.

As Jenna's memories dovetail with the events in her mother's journals, the story races to a mesmerizing finish. A deeply moving, gripping, and intelligent pause-resister, Leaving Time is Jodi Picoult at the height of her powers.

©2014 Jodi Picoult (P)2014 Random House Audio

Great book .. not for everyone

What did you love best about Leaving Time?

the ending was so great, mesmorizing and brilliant! .. you need to listen to believe it .. the hair on the back of your neck WILL stand up

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no, definitely requires investing some time, and pushing through some chapters.

Any additional comments?

While the ending made it up for me, I had to soldier through some chapters and I came close to stop reading it all together.Alice is so self-centered It's irritating, she's ruined Grace's marriage and when the latter killed herself, I had to hear Alice talking about how that affected her ! .. That chapter got brushed over so fast, I think I read only a third of it ..could have been a much shorter book .. but I guess it's a better bit to go with the abridged version then

Just loved

I had the best time reading this story. It got me so enraptured and I loved learning about elephants as well. Well written, thought provoking and just excellent.

NOT just about elephants (as one review stated)

This is a book about life, grief, love, loss, family and challenging what you think you know. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and the narration was okay (in my opinion, all the male voices sounded exactly the same, but it didn't distract from the story). If you enjoy mysteries with a twist, or books that make you think, I think you will like this one.
Anyone who has read one of Picoult's books before knows that she does loads of research for each book she writes. The topic of research becomes almost like another character in each story. This is something that I personally love about her books. So, when a main character in a Picoult novel is a scientist who studies elephant behavior, get ready to learn about elephant behavior and how it might be a metaphor for, or provide clues to, what is going on in the story. That does not mean that this is just a book about elephants.

I love Elephant s

Ending was a mind blower. Never expected it. Loved learning about elephants, but was a great story to. boot. Love JODIE'S BOOKS.

Long. Had a hard time sticking with the book

But the end had an interesting twist. Got pretty dark and dreary. Self indulgent. I do have a greater appreciation for the heart and soul of elephants.

Excellent Read

Jodi is fast becoming one of my favorite writers! She entwines this story with great facts, realistic characters and always a great twist that’s not that easy to anticipate. My daughter got into the story as we commuted to work/school every day and for a finance major that makes this English major super proud! I highly recommend this story and love the elephants’ role in the story.

Another Great Read from Picoult

She has done it again for me! I was so drawn in my the story and the characters. She manages to tell a story in such a way that you cannot wait to find out how each one's life is changed and evolved. Always a pleasure!

The mind of elephants

I couldn’t turn it off. The story is so informative while full of twists and turns. I know more about the plight of elephants than ever before. I loved the characters and the weaving of the story of the characters and the mind of elephants was hypnotic. Highly recommended.

loved it

this book kept me on my toes and completely surprised me. just when I thought I knew what was going on surprise. great listen

great book

this was unexpectedly a really really good book. the fact that everything about the elephants was true was even better than I anticipated. good book club read