I am a huge fan of mysteries based in small towns because the characters seem to know each other closely. At the same time, these characters find that the ones they think they know have a lot to hide. So, Hawthorn Woods by Patrick Canning captures that small-town closeness that is hiding enormous secrets. Set in the summer of 1989, Francine Haddix flees to her sister’s house in Hawthorn Woods. The quaint neighborhood seems like the best place to escape from her devastating divorce.
Yet, the quaint small town of Hawthorn Woods isn’t what it appears. It starts out with her getting a drink thrown in her face at a party and a woman who seems to have a vendetta against her, without any rhyme or reason. Then there’s another new man in town, who seems to have his own secrets to hide. He might be attractive but that still doesn’t negate the fact that he’s there for some other reason than a vacation.
Her friend Laura Jean is a charming breath of fresh air and has taken her under her wing, determined to make sure that Francine has a good time and leaves feeling like a new woman. Francine also takes care of her adorable nephew, Charlie, who is off onto his own adventures to figure out the secrets in the town. She also enjoys bending the ear of Roland Gerber, a distinguished older man, who might have his own secrets to hide. No matter where Francine goes, there are mysterious, unexplainable things that follow closely behind her. At another party, a violent animal killing leaves questions about who is to blame, while antisemitic crimes crop up along the way as well.
Francine finally gets the chance to get close to the new man in town, whose name is Bruno, and finds out he’s in town to investigate a mystery.
Reading this book made me feel like I was getting to know a real group of people. In fact, I was actually disappointed when it was all over. I loved the twist in the end and learning about the mystery that Francine and Bruno explore. It’s connected to Nazi Germany, and that surprising historical element proved to be a captivating element introduced in the book. There are small things that bugged me like the switch in POV between Francine and Charlie but then there’s a reason for that which is explained in the end.
I’d absolutely recommend this book and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!
Be sure to add this book to your Goodreads reading list, or purchase a copy for yourself on Amazon. Make sure you check out the author’s website to stay up to date on his new fiction.
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