The Heat of
the Moon
Sandra Parshall
Reviewed by Ali Jenkins and Barb Radmore
The Heart of the Moon is a compelling
debut by Sandra Parshall which hooks the reader from the first
page. Rachel Goddard, a young
veterinarian, has overwhelming yet confusing reaction after watching a
toddler in her office, crying and screaming for her mommy. This scene
seems
like it is reminiscent of one she
experienced
in her childhood but it is nothing she can place in her concrete
memory.
Rachel
remembers bits and pieces of such a scene, but a feeling tell her there
is
more. And the feeling will not go away. As Rachel keeps digging trying
to remember her childhood more questions
than answers arise.
Rachel wants answers from her mom about what
happened but
her mother doesn't want to discuss the past. As a psychologist,
Rachel's mother has always been the controller, the perfect parent who
expects nothing less of those around her. Rachel enlists the help
of a friend of her mother's from the past but
he doesn't want to betray Rachel's mother's trust or friendship. He
also isn't sure he knows exactly what transpired himself. Her boss, fellow veterinarian Luke Campbell , encourages her
to delve into the
mystery of what might of occurred to cause her feelings. But
Rachel is up
against the desire of her mother and her beloved sister to leave the
past alone. To make matters worse, the mutual attraction between Rachel
and Luke is not appreciated by her mother who has taken an active
dislike to him. Her sister, whom she has been close to all her life, is
becoming distant and distinctly unsupportive of her quest for answers.
The Heart of The Moon is a page turning mystery as one tries
to figure out what secrets Rachel's mother is hiding from her and her
sister. In this psychological thriller Sandra Parshall has
created
characters that sizzle and steam, not women easily forgotten. Using the
emotion between a mother and her grown daughter, the eternal struggle
to grow up and separate from a parent as the launches this plot's
suspense to a place we can all understand. It examines the bonds
between mother and daughter, the ties that hold sisters together and
the knots that can become hopelessly entangled. The ending, both
explosive and heart wrenching, is as powerful as it is
unexpected.
Sandra Parshall won an Agatha for Best First
Novel for The Heat of the Moon. Readers will easily see why she
won this one the honor and agree that it is well deserved. She has now
also written Disturbing the Dead,
again featuring veterinarian Rachel Goddard. It will be interesting to
watch if Parshall continues to develop the character of Rachel even
more in the future.
Author Web Site