All That is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay

All That is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay

May 2023
FIVE STARS!!

This is the kind of book I really enjoy reading, one burning question . . . where is Jane Larkin? She is married to a successful defense attorney and they have three children. Their elementary-aged daughter comes home from school and her mother is not there. Jeff the middle son attends a private school and his best friend is Phillip. The case is widely publicized causing even more tension for the family. Although there is nothing more than speculation in the beginning, the husband becomes the focus of the investigation.  With only circumstantial evidence he is never prosecuted at first, he remains under public scrutiny. The book is based on a true story and penned by none other than Jeff’s childhood friend Phillip who became a writer. He was contacted by the victim’s family to tell the story of their missing mother. Years later her remains are found, and the investigation comes back into the spotlight. Two of the adult kids believe their father murdered their mother, one does not.
     The book is written from first-hand accounts of family and investigators, except the portion where the victim Jane tells her own story. Since her point of view would have to be speculation on the author’s part, and completely different than first-hand accounts from the family members and investigators, I anticipated this portion could shoot down a gripping storyline was enjoying. But that didn’t happen, her voice made the story even more compelling. The mystery of what happened to Jane, kept my interest until the last page. The story telling is superb. The last few chapters are surprising with enough twist to garner a five star rating. Great book! –Kim Luke