I'd Know You Anywhere

Lately I have felt like there have been quite a few books out dealing with abduction. Chevy Stevens' Still Missing was a great read. Stolen, a YA novel, felt eerily similar and Lisa Unger's Fragile was also a story of a missing person. Each of these books was well written and entertaining and suspenseful. And I enjoyed them all. However, I am a bit kidnapped out. I had already checked out I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman, which looked very good by the time I realized that I had already read several stories along the same line. I decided to just wait a bit before reading this one - a tactic I am not sure my librarian appreciates (because of course I couldn't return the book without reading it!), and was glad I had waited. I was also glad I had read it because I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lippman's work, which has been around for a while, is new to me. What a treat - I have found a new author whose other work I will be looking into.

Elizabeth was kidnapped at the age of fifteen by Walter, a man who had not had much luck with women or dating. When Elizabeth stumbles upon him digging a grave for a girl he has murdered, he quickly takes her and keeps her for over a month. Elizabeth is the only girl abducted by Walter that was not killed. Walter is now on death row, nearing his date of execution. Over two decades have passed, and Elizabeth (now known as Eliza) is a wife and mother, living a happy, traditional life in a suburban community. She seems to have put her past behind her and moved on. Except she has been contacted by Walter through a woman who has befriended him. Now Eliza is beginning to think about what really happened to her all those years ago. Could she have done something to help Holly?

Walter's perspective, his friend Barbara's, and Holly's mother's are explored along with Eliza's as we see how differently each person perceives the other.

Written mostly in Eliza's voice, it was easy for me to understand and feel compassion for her and all she went through. Walter and Barbara were harder for me to relate to since they both seemed to have ulterior motives that weren't very honorable.

This is a quick read - fun, entertaining, suspenseful. I appreciate Lippman's writing style and how easy this book was to get into. I can't wait to check at my library for more of her work.