The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair

A Novel

By: Joël Dicker

Narrated by: Pierce Cravens

Length: 17 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

The number-one internationally best-selling thriller and ingenious audiobook within an audiobook, about the disappearance of a 15-year-old New Hampshire girl and, 30 years later, a young American writer's determination to clear his mentor's name - and find the inspiration for his next best seller.

August 30, 1975: The day 15-year-old Nola Kellergan is glimpsed fleeing through the woods before she disappears; the day Somerset, New Hampshire, lost its innocence.

Thirty-three years later, Marcus Goldman, a successful young novelist, visits Somerset to see his mentor, Harry Quebert, one of America's most respected writers, and to find a cure for his writer's block as his publisher's deadline looms. But Marcus's plans are violently upended when Harry is suddenly and sensationally implicated in the cold-case murder of Nola Kellergan - whom, he admits, he had an affair with.

As the national media convicts Harry, Marcus launches his own investigation, following a trail of clues through his mentor’s books, the backwoods and isolated beaches of New Hampshire, and the hidden history of Somerset’s citizens and the man they hold most dear. To save Harry, his writing career, and eventually even himself, Marcus must answer three questions, all of which are mysteriously connected: Who killed Nola Kellergan? What happened one misty morning in Somerset in the summer of 1975? And how do you write a successful and true novel?

A global phenomenon, with sales approaching a million copies in France alone and rights sold in more than 30 countries, The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair is a fast-paced, tightly plotted, cinematic literary thriller and an ingenious book within a book, by a dazzling young writer.

©2014 Joel Dicker (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Muy buen thriller pero muy largo

Si me entretuvo mucho, pero se me hizo súper súper largo. Hay varios plot twists súper buenos en la segunda mitad que te hacen meterte mucho más en la historia. Una joya no es, pero esta bueno. Es un interesante thriller policiaco con un poco de romance a través de la mirada de un escritor.

Very good--but not a blockbuster

This turns out to be a rather intricate story that begins innocently enough. Marcus Goldman, a young man who has struggled with self-esteem in high school so much, that he has re-invented himself to become "Marcus The Magnificent." But he gets this title (partly in his own mind) by doing things in which it is so easy to excel that he gets a lot of (undeserved) adoration from others. He vaguely feels himself to be a bit of a fraud.

However, when, as an adult, he finds himself faced with writer's block and a huge book contract to fulfill, he has to face his own fear of failure. So he goes back to Somerset, NH to consult with his old friend and mentor, Harry Quebert. Harry is a successful author whom Marcus turns to for support and encouragement, just at the time when the body of Nora Kellergan is discovered. It turns out that when Harry was 34 and Nora 15, they had had an affair. And then she disappeared and it is only now, years later, that the case is re-opened because the body has at last been found. Buried on his property.

This is a book that is interesting, held my attention for sure, but puzzling at some level. The story builds with a large number of suspects that grow as the story progresses, and the plot development and twists and turns--especially at the end, are probably what holds the book together.

However, I found the contrast of characters who were often meant to be amusing (but occasionally were simply silly or unbelievable) with this murder investigation not to work as well as I would have wished. Possibly the author tried to put too much into the book--I don't know.

What works very well, is his clever use of a "story within a story" technique, in which he has Marcus finally write the book that has eluded him, by investigating the murder of Nora, in order to free his old friend who is immediately suspected of having killed her, and then arrested. This provides lots of space for Joel Dicker to explore what it means to be a writer, the behind the scenes aspects of writing that a reader would not be privy to, and the interaction between writer and publisher. I found that part to be very interesting and unusual.

This is a good book, and appears to have received rave reviews from everywhere. I liked it, but I didn't think it rose to the 5 star level in any category. Now that I have finished it, I find myself ironically comparing this whole work to the original "Marcus the Magnificent"--who got a lot of praise by accomplishing something rather too easily. It is surely worth the read, and others may find it more of a blockbuster than I did. But I found the writing itself pretty plain (possibly due to translation) and some of the characters were just off-putting instead of humorous (as I think the author intended). I do recommend this book--these are just my own reactions to it. The story and mystery are quite well put together and overall, despite my discomfort with some characters, was a fun read (listen).

ok but not a favorite!

A little confusing to follow due to moving back and forth in time. Kept repeating the same thing and added just a little more each time. Kept my interest to find out who did it, but I didn't like the way it was written. I also never got to like the characters.

A Not so Pleasant Surprise

I'm historically a snob. After reading Sartre and Dostoyevsky in high school, most everything bored and annoyed me outside of Vonnegut, Tan, and Danielewski. Unless something is interesting-- I mean, really out there-- straight into the depths of uncanny valley and veering woefully into the abyss-- I tend to dismiss it as a "beach book" or something "perhaps entertaining but painfully vacuous."

Perhaps that's why I liked Marcus. We had something in common. Both plagued with ego sickness and a need to outshine our wax denizens in the smallest box we could find, we were as bold as one of 12-26 expected colors could be. Then someone befriended us and called us out for the frauds we were, and instead of dropping them we followed and mimed our master's, remembering every rule for life we could.

The cheesiness and banality of the people we knew suddenly became interesting, and perhaps we learned that stereotypes are for a reason, but we remained delighted to discover that the most tropish of characters we knew had a rich backstory and a capacity to do and say things we never imagined.

Following the death of Marcus and Harry and getting a glimpse at their ghosts felt haunting to me in the best way. And while the prose lacked the certain prolixity and je ne sais quoi that hallmarks most great works, I kept listening. The meaning the author was able to convey using plain language, focusing instead on the spiritual and philosophical maturation of two spoiled frauds and their journey into authenticity, was immense for me, a person who has just turned 32 and is also feeling a a blank slate. There really is something about escaping adolescence that abandons the exotic quixotic, and settles for plain old love. The tenacity of banality and the banality of evil are peppered with the vaguery of goodness in this American fish of a tale.

I was born and raised in the US, and a part of me can't help but think this book is so hated by us because we can't stand to see ourselves reflected back at us, and we don't like to think value can come from small change words.

Well, I liked it anyway. I haven't liked a mystery novel this much in a long time. glad I didn't read the reviews first!

A surprise from end to start

Clever story with many twists and turns. All the characters, with all their flaws makes one feel like they are real.

One of the best books I have read in years !

I simply could not put this book down. The twists and turns kept you guessing with every chapter. Just when you think you have figured it out you're wrong again

Awesome and suspenseful!!

Awesome! Never a dull moment. I'm not a reader and I could not wait everyday to see what the next twist would be.

Great murder mystery

This reminded me of the old murder mystery books that I used to enjoy many years ago. I didn't want to put it down. I wrongly accused at least 4 different people of the murder changing constantly. This may appear to be a long book but it moves so fast. Plus the concept of a book about a book is so unique!

Excellent read. Excellent performance!

loved it from start to finish. Twists and turns that always kept me guessing. The performance was superb!

Entertaining but not great

Classic whodunit with some surprises and a good twist at the end. But the characters are flat and predictable. Sentence structure is basically “subject verb maybe a few adjectives”. Moments of alliteration were almost embarrassingly overdone.