Richard Probert

I received an ebook copy of this book through the Early Reviewers program. I was interested in it because part of it, albeit a very small part, took place in Indiana. It's a good story and held my interest. Most parts of it read really well, but I thought that some of the dialog seemed stilted, especially in the earliest part of the book. I believe that if a little more editing happened, this book could really go somewhere. It's a captivating version of the age-old story of young love show more hindered by elders who believe they know more than the youngsters ever could. Think Romeo and Juliet. I will watch with interest to see where Mr. Probert goes from here with his writing. show less

Left without family after her parents are killed in a car accident, eighteen-year-old Beth Adamski sets off to find her long lost sister after finding a letter hidden among her late mother’s possessions. Interwoven with Beth’s story is that of Jim, a fatherless boy growing up in 1950s Milwaukee who finds friendship with a crusty neighborhood stone carver who takes him on as an apprentice. The reader is left to discover how Beth and Jim, and their stories, come together.

Quite frankly, I show more found the connection between Beth and Jim fairly obvious from the very beginning and not much of a surprise or at all mysterious, if indeed either of those were the author’s intentions. Lack of surprise notwithstanding, each storyline was engaging and charmingly rendered, particularly Jim’s. I really liked that Beth’s storyline did not take place in the present day and thus not easily resolved by the of Internet technology and cell phones. Overall, Richard Probert’s Whereabouts Unknown was an easy read, done over a weekend. show less

This is a touching story of life, love, loss, and the burning desire we have to know who we are and where we come from. The storyline and characters are well-developed, believable and relatable, and I quickly became immersed in the story. I really enjoyed everything about this book, from the cover design, characters and plot, to the landscape, trade and work site descriptions, it was clearly evident to me that the author completed a great deal of research before crafting this book. The trade show more Jim spends his life becoming skilled in is an old master craftsman art and was threaded beautifully throughout the story. I’ll definitely be looking to read more from this author. I was selected to receive a copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers and I hope that my unbiased review encourages other readers to grab a copy and enjoy this great book. show less

From the beginning to the end, this book keeps you engaged in the lives of the strength, the weakness and leaps of faith of the characters. Not just the main characters but even those of the minor characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and the ending....oh, the ending!!!! Perfect!!! This was a wonderful novel to preview and look forward to more writing from Robert Probert.