From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: The Right Side by Spencer Quinn

Author: Spencer Quinn

Publisher: Atria Books

Date of publication: June 27, 2017

In this riveting new novel by the New York Times bestselling author of the Chet and Bernie mystery series, a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone.

LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan as a rising star in the military, and came back a much lesser person, mentally and physically. Now missing an eye and with half her face badly scarred, she can barely remember the disastrous desert operation that almost killed her. She is confused, angry, and suspects the fault is hers, even though nobody will come out and say it.

Shattered by one last blow—the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci—LeAnne finds herself on a fateful drive across the country, reflecting on her past and seeing no future. Her native land is now unfamiliar, recast in shadow by her one good eye, her damaged psyche, her weakened body. Arriving in the rain-soaked small town in Washington State that Marci had called home, she makes a troubling discovery: Marci’s eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog—a powerful, dark, unreadable creature, no one’s idea of a pet—seems to adopt LeAnne, a surprising connection is formed and something shifts inside her. As she becomes obsessed with finding Marci’s daughter, LeAnne and her inscrutable canine companion are drawn into danger as dark and menacing as her last Afghan mission. This time she has a strange but loyal fellow traveler protecting her blind side.

Enthralling, suspenseful, and psychologically nuanced, The Right Side introduces one of the most unforgettable protagonists in modern fiction: isolated, broken, disillusioned—yet still seeking redemption and purpose—LeAnne takes hold of the reader and never lets go.

Visit the publisher’s website for more information about The Right Side, including a Reading Group Guide.

I'm not sure who wrote the synopsis for The Right Side.. I definitely didn't get the book the synopsis implied. I thought this would be a good gripping mystery, but it really wasn't. I'm a bit conflicted about my feelings on the story.

I did like the portrayal of LeAnne's PTSD. The story is told through her eyes. At times, the narrative felt chaotic and confused, much like it was probably in her brain. She loses time, thoughts and says things that don't make sense. She isn't really a very likable character, but I found myself sympathizing with her. She went through something horrifying in the war and was left broken. Through flashbacks, we get to see how she became so tough and what led her to be in the Army as well as what happened over in Afghanistan.

What I didn't really care for was the overall story. It takes over half the book before she even gets to the town. I didn't really understand her motivation for going to Marci's hometown. I never got the sense that they were particularly close from their time at the hospital. I also never got the sense that she was obsessed with finding Marci's daughter, Mia. There is another "mystery" but that was pretty easy to figure out before anyone else in the book. The ending was pretty open ended. I didn't get a sense of closure or the feeling that LeAnne would be OK.

I'd recommend giving this one a shot. I think it's one of those books you have to read and decide on for yourself. It is well written, I just was expecting a different story.

Purchase Links

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About Spencer Quinn

Spencer Quinn is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the ongoing Chet and Bernie mystery series, as well as the bestselling Bowser and Birdie series for middle grade readers. He lives on Cape Cod with his wife Diana—and dogs Audrey and Pearl. Keep up with him by visiting SpenceQuinn.com.

Spencer Quinn’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, June 19th: Books and Bindings