Objects in the Rearview Mirror

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author, but his generosity didn't influence my review.

The blurb makes this book sound like a horror novel, but the haunting is not all that scary. So, even if horror is a genre you avoid, you shouldn't avoid this book. However, although the supernatural aspects didn't bother me, the real-life themes upset me a lot. This story is really about two survivors of child abuse and how that trauma shaped who they are. A parent also dies (in flashbacks) and her illness is described in detail.

So, the material is heavy, and the characters are unhappy for most of the book. The depiction of Jonathan and Eddie's love for each other does temper the sadness, though. Their relationship is sweet, and while they do have a conflict in the middle of the story, it gets resolved pretty quickly. I also liked their fast friendship with their new neighbor, an older lady named Maggie. This version of small-town life overall feels real to me; Maggie knows almost everything about her old neighbors, and she's always been willing to help any way she can. In general all of the dialogue feels very natural to me.

Overall, the book is well written, with some lovely prose. The theme of abuse survivors helping each other find peace is interesting, and the author executed it with both skill and sensitivity. There is also an uplifting ending. I didn't have strong feelings about any of the major characters, but that was okay, since it's mainly a plot-driven book.

I recommend the audiobook. The narrator has a calm and ordinary delivery, and his performance really works well for such a serious book.

I haven't read the other books in this series, but this one stands alone. There's only a very short bit at the end which is completely unrelated to this book and probably ties it in to the series.