Missing Isaac ~ Review

Missing Isaac
By Valerie Fraser Luessse

Isaac Reynolds was the first to let Pete McLean, his mother, and grandfather know that something bad had happened to his daddy. That day Isaac became the closest friend Pete had until the night he disappeared.

Pete knows that Isaac wouldn't just up and disappear without a word to anyone. But in Glory, Alabama, the disappearance of a black man is of no consequence to the sheriff, but not to Pete's way of thinking. And Pete's determined to discover just what happened to his friend. But some thing are just impossible and Pete can't find any clue as to what happened to Isaac.

In his efforts to find Isaac, Pete meets a young girl by the name of Dovey Pickett. The Picketts don't mix with the rest of the citizens of Glory on account of their social standing and being considered by the proper people to be poor white trash. But Pete doesn't see things the way most of Glory does. He's more like his Daddy seeing beyond what is there for all to see and seeing to the heart of a person. What starts on that day is a friendship that will see him through many a day and make a lasting impact on not only his life but those closest to him. And as to Isaac the worst is feared by those who know him best.

Missing Isaac takes place between 1962 and 1968, period of turbulence and change. But through it all this a book that dwells on the value of family and the loyalty of friendship. Like most places life isn't perfect but Pete knows what is important to him and he is willing to fight for what he feels is right. No, there is not a lot of fighting in this book, rather Pete knows what should be done and he persists in his efforts.

Missing Isaac was an enjoyable read - there were periods of sadness, times of joy, and good honest living in-between. Through it all Pete stayed true to who he was and the roots he was given. Often people lament the loss of simpler times but life has always been what you put into it and that is never simpler. I look forward to more from this author in the future, if this debut novel is any indication readers will be drawn into a world that they'll enjoy staying in for a spell.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher Revell through their blogger program with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Isaac believed in luck. But from Pete's point of view, Isaac's luck had all run out.

When Pete McLean loses his father in the summer of 1962, his friend Isaac is one of the few people he can lean on. Though their worlds are as different as black and white, friendship knows no color. So when Isaac suddenly goes missing, Pete is determined to find out what happened--no matter what it costs him. His quest will lead him into parts of town that he knows only through rumors and introduce him to a girl who will change his life. What they discover together will change the small Southern town of Glory, Alabama--forever.

With vivid descriptions, palpable atmosphere, and unforgettable characters, debut novelist Valerie Fraser Luesse breathes life into the rural South of the 1960s--a place where ordinary people struggle to find their footing in a social landscape that is shifting beneath their feet.