Strange but True

Brief Description: Philip Chase has moved back home with his mother Charlene after suffering a fall from his New York apartment. Charlene, who never really recovered from the death of her youngest son Ronnie five years earlier, has turned into a bitter overeater—filled with anger at Ronnie’s death and her divorce from her husband Richard (who is now remarried). When Ronnie’s old girlfriend, Melissa Moody, shows up unexpectedly and tells Philip and Charlene that she is pregnant and she thinks Ronnie is the father, it sets into motion a series of events that take us into the past and into a rather strange and unexpected present.

My Thoughts: I didn’t really expect much from this book (which I picked up for the Take A Chance show more challenge) and was pleasantly surprised to find it to be an engrossing and affecting read that surprised me midway with a major U-turn that was unexpected but thrilling. I know the plot might sound a bit weird/paranormalish, but the book is fully grounded in reality and deals more with lost souls and desperate, lonely people than with the paranormal. As I got to know Philip, Charlene and Melissa, I wanted all of them to find the happy ending that they deserved. I was surprised how much I got involved in their stories, and Searles does a wonderful job of developing these characters so that they feel real and lived-in. And, as I mentioned, the book takes a rather strange turn in the middle, which I found both shocking but oddly pleasing in its weirdness. If you’re looking for a different read that will both surprise you and affect you emotionally, try this book. It was an unexpected delight. show less

This book was very strange, just like the title. The main characters were extremely unlikable for the most part, but that is what made this book work. It was suspenseful and very interesting. I recommend it!

When Highschool football player, and all around good guy, Ronnie, dies in a nasty car crash that occurred on the way home from the senior prom. The facts are that the limo driver was way above the alcohol level that was safe, all the money from law suits cannot bring him Ronnie back.

Ronnie leaves behind a community, a school, his grieving parents, his brother, and Melissa, a girl friend who, five years after the accident, is pregnant and claiming through divine intervention, Ronnie is the father.

While the plot is twisted, it is easy to follow. Ronnie's parents are divorced. His surgeon father remarried and moved to Florida. Ronnie's mother cannot help but be incredibly, darkly bitter.

Ronnie's brother is the narrator of the story, and we show more follow him as he leaves Radnor, PA and moves to New York City in the hope of writing a best seller book of poetry.

Melissa finds a run down cottage owned by a husband and wife who look after her. The husband become just a bit too friendly. There are three cottages. The husband and wife who own the properties live in one cottage, the other is rented to Melissa and the third, unbeknownst to others, contains the bodies of some of the husband's targets/

He previously belonged to the Radnor, PA police force, but because of a scandal regarding a young woman who claims he physically exploited her, he is asked to leave his job.. In support of him, his wife Gail who worked at the police station, leaves as well.

Various characters are in states of grief or denial. The ending is very suspenseful.

I've read three other of John Searle's books, all of which are excellent.

Four Stars show less

A great read. Searles never disappoints. This is a story of suspense but infused with wit and mystery. The cast of characters is this novel are so well written and so interesting. Philip must confront his past along with his mother and this journey is filled with many ups and downs. When Ronnie's high school girl friend shows up and drops her bombshell, I was sucked in. I couldn't put this one down.

An interesting but twisted plot - not at all like I thought it would be...

This was a tough read for me. I think it was because the plot seems to be bouncing around all over the place.