The Orange County, California, that the Becker brothers knew as boys is no more -- unrecognizably altered since the afternoon in 1954 when Nick, Clay, David, and Andy rumbled with the lowlife Vonns, while five-year-old Janelle Vonn watched from the sidelines. The new decade has brought about the end of the orange groves and the birth of suburban sprawl. It is the era of Johnson, hippies, John Birchers, and LSD. Clay becomes a casualty of a far-off jungle war. Nick becomes a cop, Andy a reporter, David a minister. And the decapitated corpse of teenage beauty queen Janelle Vonn is discovered in an abandoned warehouse.
A hideous crime has touched the Beckers in ways that none of them could have anticipated, setting three brothers on a dangerous collision course that will change their family -- and their world -- forever.
And no one will emerge from the wreckage unscathed.
Another wonderful book by a favorite of mine. This book spans 30 years and covers the lives of 4 brothers and the murder of a young girl they all knew. I loved this book. Very well done....
Maryann M. (maryannwrites) from WINNSBORO, TX wrote on 4/23/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Another good story from a master of words.
Judy H. (hart2hart) from PANTEGO, TX wrote on 4/20/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Winner of the 2005 Edgar Award for Best Novel. The times, they are a-changin'...The Orange County, Calfironia, that the Becker brothers knew as boyd is no more---unrecognizably altered since the afternoon in 1954 when Nick, Clay, and Andy rumbled with the lowlife Voons, while five-year-old Janelle Vonn watched from the sidelines. It is the era of Johnson, hippies, John Birchers, and LSD. Clay becomes a casualty of a far-off jungle war. Nick becomes a cop, Andy a reporter, David a minister. And the decapitated corpse of teenage beauty queen Janelle Vonn is discovered in an abandoned warehouse. A hideous crime has touched the Bekcers in ways that none of them could have anticipated, setting three brothers on a dangerous collision course that will change their family---and their world---forever. An no one will emerge from the wreckage unscathed.
Diana H. from BERKELEY, CA wrote on 4/13/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
An excellent and unusually mature mystery novel. The story of three brothers who grew up in Orange County in the 70's-- one a priest, one a cop, one a reporter. The county beauty queen, who they all knew, is found decapitated and they're al somehow involved in the mystery.
Marjie H. from PALMDALE, CA wrote on 3/5/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book! Brilliant epic tracing the lives of 4 brothers. The main plotline is regarding the murder of a young woman, interwoven with the social/cultural changes occurring in the 1960s in southern Califonia.
Marshall S. (Silvergreyhound) from BROOKLINE, MA wrote on 2/20/2007...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a great read evocative of the time and Orange County. Excellent characterization. Couldn't put it down.
Dave R. (DaveR) from JENKINTOWN, PA wrote on 12/13/2006...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very well written - a murder mystery spanning over 30 years.
Terri F. wrote on 9/9/2006...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I didn't like this book. Too slow.
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Rose Mary D. from SIGNAL MTN, TN wrote on 9/4/2006...