In 2008, college student Anna feels stuck in Milwaukee, with no real connections and parents who stifle her artistic talents. She is eager to have a life beyond the heartland. When she’s contacted online by a stranger from their homeland―a girl claiming to be her long lost sister―Anna suspects a ruse or an attempt at extortion. But her desperate need to connect with her homeland convinces her to pursue the connection.
Anna's fate will definitely surprise readers. It's rare to find a debut mystery crafted with such elegance and authenticity, let alone in a place that has been so neglected as a literary location. Slor's next novel will be one to anticipate.
This wonderful debut, by an author who herself trod Masha’s family’s path from the Soviet Union to the Midwest, is a match for patrons who enjoyed Zadie Smith’s White Teeth (2000) or Rachel Zhong’s Goodbye, Vitamin (2017). It’s also a must for anyone who has ever had a needy Grandma who anticipates death every morning (this character alone is worth the read).
... elegantly written and thought-provoking ... Slor keeps the suspense high in this unconventional detective story, using her characters’ musings on language and perception to enrich readers’ understanding of how and why events unfold as they do. Those looking for an intricately textured tale of family relationships will be rewarded.
