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The Many
By Wyl Menmuir
Salt, 2016, 160pp.

The Short of It:

Mysterious. Deep. A lot to chew on.

The Rest of It:

On the surface, his move to the isolated village on the coast makes perfect sense. But the experience is an increasingly unsettling one for Timothy Bucchanan. A dead man no one will discuss. Wasted fish hauled from a contaminated sea. The dream of faceless men. Questions that lead to further questions. What truth are the villagers withholding? ~ the publisher

Grief, loss, societal and environmental collapse. It’s all here in this short book, but what a punch it packs. Tim is suffering a great loss. He heads to an isolated coastal village to begin fresh. The house he settles on, has been abandoned for years; once belonging to a man whom no one speaks of. Why is this man’s name taboo? Whenever Tim tries to find out, he’s shut down and sometimes in a violent way. Harm to his person as well as the house he just bought.

He wants very much to make a home for his wife, but he doesn’t feel comfortable bringing her there without completely understanding what he’s dealing with. He has nightmares. The fishing boat he finds work on detracts from the horrible visions in his head but once he’s back on land, he plummets once again into a very dark place.

This story that can be interpreted in many different ways. I’m sure Menmuir knew which direction he wanted to go with it, but I refrain from sharing what I believe as it could be a spoiler for anyone wanting to pick up this obscure novel.

Did I enjoy it? It’s not a book to enjoy. It took a little time to get a feel for the writing but it’s very atmospheric and welling with meaning. It was shortlisted for a Man Booker. You know the type of novels that make that list. This is that. I found it to be quietly disturbing and while reading it, it haunted my thoughts and still does.

My book club discusses it in March. It’s no longer in print, which makes it difficult to find a copy but I managed to snag the ebook from the library.

Recommend.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

Pinky Swear
By Danielle Girard
Atria, February 24, 2026, 288pp.

The Short of It:

Compelling story.

The Rest of It:

Lexi thought she knew everything about Mara Vannatta. Best friends since middle school, they drifted apart after a tragedy derailed their senior year. But when Mara shows up on Lexi’s doorstep sixteen years later fleeing an abusive husband, Lexi takes her in without question. Lexi’s own marriage has been strained by her desire to have a baby, and when Mara offers to become her surrogate, their friendship feels stronger than ever.

But four days before the due date, Mara disappears. ~ the publisher

What drew me into this story is the childhood friendship. I am a sucker for these stories. Mari, Lexi and Cate are best buds, but buds with a ton of secrets. Years go by, and they are never quite right after the death of Cate. It was an accident, or was it? Lexi honestly doesn’t know anymore. She thought she new Mari, but as the search for Mari deepens, she’s learning all sorts of things about her and none of it good.

Of course, the search for Mari is amplified by the fact that the baby is due any minute and Lexi has no idea if she will ever see either of them again. What’s coming out about Mari is not looking good. She had a dark side and was hanging with a rough crowd but it’s Mari, her dear friend Mari. In her mind, Lexi is convinced that Mari’s life is on the line and of course, that means her own baby too.

This story offers enough twists to keep you guessing and adds a few endearing characters that I really enjoyed getting to know. I found Pinky Swear to be a good distraction from the world I am currently living in.

Recommend. It comes out February 24, 2026.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

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