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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great debut, September 22, 2006
At 23, veterinarian Rachel Goddard has mixed emotions about life--satisfied with her job and life in general, she harbors regrets about her relationship with her mother, Judith and younger sister, Michelle. Although they live together in Judith's well-appointed home, they're not as close as Rachel would like; she's always felt that her mother favored Michelle over her.
She had chalked her negative feelings up to petty jealousy until the opening scene of this debut novel when she becomes convinced that there's another explanation for her distress. Certain it has something to do with her father, who died when she was a toddler, Rachel begins asking uncomfortable questions of her mother; this further poisons her family relationship, as Judith refuses to answer, and Michelle, ever the dutiful daughter, chastises her sister for the impertinent queries. Driven by impulses she doesn't fully understand, Rachel persists, forcing revelations that are as shocking as they are painful.
For a first novel, this book is surprisingly polished and accomplished--Parshall knows her stuff, and it shows. Readers will thrill to Rachel's journey of discovery, which leads to the book's first "ending." But it's the part of the book that follows that crescendo that makes this novel stand out, as Rachel is forced to react to her discoveries. It's here that she, and Parshall, prove themselves worthy of readers' attention and admiration; the book's true climax is touching and memorable.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Higly recommended!, September 12, 2006
Veterinarian Rachel Goddard is comforting a young girl whose dog was injured by a car, when a vivid memory of comforting her own younger sister resurfaces. They were very young, alone and frightened in the rain. Where did this memory come from? Why had she never remembered it before?
Rachel's mother has always been unwilling to speak of Rachel's father who died when Rachel was about the age of her new memory. What is her mother afraid of? Why is there only one photo of him still in existence? Rachel wants to know what other memories she may have buried from that time yet she is afraid of what she might find. And she doesn't know who can be trusted to help her uncover the truth.
This is an exquisite psychological mystery. Parshall peels away the layers of the world as Rachel has always known it to uncover the truth she isn't certain she wants to know. The story drew me in and held me enthralled straight through to the end. It will haunt me for a long time.
I highly recommend it.
Armchair Interviews agrees.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Ali Jenkins and Barb Radmore, June 16, 2007
This review is from: The Heat of the Moon (Paperback)
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.
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