All Things Cease to Appear

A novel

By: Elizabeth Brundage

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

A dark, riveting, beautifully written book—by “a brilliant novelist,” according to Richard Bausch—that combines noir and the gothic in a story about two families entwined in their own unhappiness, with, at its heart, a gruesome and unsolved murder

Late one winter afternoon in upstate New York, George Clare comes home to find his wife killed and their three-year-old daughter alone—for how many hours?—in her room across the hall. He had recently, begrudgingly, taken a position at a nearby private college (far too expensive for local kids to attend) teaching art history, and moved his family into a tight-knit, impoverished town that has lately been discovered by wealthy outsiders in search of a rural idyll.

George is of course the immediate suspect—the question of his guilt echoing in a story shot through with secrets both personal and professional. While his parents rescue him from suspicion, a persistent cop is stymied at every turn in proving Clare a heartless murderer. And three teenage brothers (orphaned by tragic circumstances) find themselves entangled in this mystery, not least because the Clares had moved into their childhood home, a once-thriving dairy farm. The pall of death is ongoing, and relentless; behind one crime there are others, and more than twenty years will pass before a hard kind of justice is finally served.

A rich and complex portrait of a psychopath and a marriage, this is also an astute study of the various taints that can scar very different families, and even an entire community. Elizabeth Brundage is an essential talent who has given us a true modern classic.

Slow building mystery

Book starts out slow but like a spider weaving its web the families of the story begin weaving you in. About half way in you are totally wrapped in the web of innocence, cruelty, survival and death, and you can not stop, you have to go on to find out what happens to the Hale boys, Katherine and Franny and George. The ending leaves you angry! You want George to suffer and you want JUSTICE for Katherine!

Having gone to Russell Sage College in Troy, NY the references to landmarks, streets in the area is a teasing treat for someone who once knew the area. Hope author gives another book about Franny, the Hale brothers and Willis so we find out what happens to them







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Very slow

Good mental pictures drawn of the characters but the story was long and drawn out without a purpose to some of the wondering thoughts

Too Much Detail

I enjoy good character development and seen description, but the amount of detail the author added slowed the plot to make it very laborious to read. In addition, I did not like the large jump in timeframe. Too much with left to the readers imagination they could’ve happened over 20 years. I do give the author credit for providing good insights about women who remain coercive control of their husbands.

really disappointing ending.

the jumping timelines were sometimes hard to keep up with as there were no separation of the current and past. main characters husband (antagonist) was an absolutely reprehensible character. he was a truly horrible person. the ending is very abrupt, there is no real resolution at all.

Highly recommend.

Fantastic book, richly drawn characters and plot. Listened non-stop.
Looking for more by this author.