A famous song warns, "Lord help the mister comes between me and my sister." In the case of Luanne Rice's Little Night, Clare is sent to prison for the attempted murder of her older sister Anne's abusive husband. While Clare's attack on the violent man probably saved her sister's life, a part of Clare died that day.
Twenty years after the attack, Clare lives quietly in Manhattan as an urban bird enthusiast. Her brainwashed and ungrateful sister hasn't spoken to her since that horrible night. Clare longs for family but she's alone--until her long-lost 21-year-old niece, Grit, shows up on her doorstep. Watching Grit become the family Clare was yearning for (and vice versa) is stunning to behold, as Rice weaves a tale of forgiveness, second chances and unconditional love.
The only dubious part of the story is abusive husband Frederik, a character so depraved he made Anne burn a teenage Grit with a hot poker before forcing her to disown her daughter. Why anyone would ever choose to stay with a character like this isn't an easy question to answer, although Rice attempts it with excerpts from Anne's journal.
Rice, who has published dozens of novels, makes Little Night feel fresh and engrossing. It's thrilling and poignant and you just don't want it to end, but it does--with a bang you won't predict. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend