Fyodor Dostoyevsky's comment that "much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid" applies to Kristina Riggle's new novel, Things We Didn't Say. The book is centered on a young woman named Casey, who is engaged to Michael, a divorced father of three kids. Though she clearly loves him, Casey is considering leaving Michael as she struggles for acceptance with his children, for tolerance of his mentally disturbed ex-wife, and for continued concealment of her alcoholic past. When Michael's teenage son goes missing, the interactions among Casey, Michael, his ex-wife and the other children become increasingly problematic as the tension escalates.
It is the consequences of things left unsaid that nearly destroy this family in the making, and Casey must decide if she is willing to initiate the honest communication that will keep the relationships intact. Unfortunately, there are all sorts of miscommunications that stand in the way, including Casey's own journal, which she leaves in her bedroom--and which Michael's daughter finds, reads and uses to Casey's detriment.
Riggle is the author of two other novels, Real Life & Liars and The Life You've Imagined. She is gifted in her ability to vary the narrative voice of each chapter among her primary characters, and she writes realistically about their strengths and weaknesses. Given the themes of the dysfunctional modern family, the consequences of secrets, and the difficulties of addiction, Things We Didn't Say will make an excellent book club selection. --Roni K. Devlin, owner, Literary Life Bookstore & More