Book Review: Apples Never Fall - Highly Recommend

It is thrilling to read a book by a skillful writer. I shake my head in wonder at Liane Moriarty's expert ability to pace the plot, reveal clues with gradual aplomb, people vivid scenes with three-dimensional characters, and keep the reader turning pages (even when there are a lot of them). Somehow I didn't pick up Apples Never Fall until four days before it was due back to the library. I had no idea whether I could finish it in time. My reading mojo seems hit or miss. But I read the first half in three days and the last half in one. Setting it down, I wanted to pick the book up all over again to take notes on each well-timed clue. I wish I could chat with the author about the writing prompt she said propelled the story and about how she knows what bits to milk and what bits to cut. This was an adventure.

The book portrays the children as an extension of the parents. Joy and Stan Delaney run a tennis academy. Tennis is their life. Their four children grow up in this driven environment and develop competitive natures, not unlike their parents. But when Joy Delaney goes missing, the siblings must ferret through their past and decide if they believe their father is guilty or innocent. To complicate things, perhaps their unanticipated house guest plays a role. The Delaney's welcome Savannah, a victim of domestic violence, into their home. Now the siblings must also deal with feelings of jealousy and protectiveness.

I marveled at how each seemingly insignificant detail comes into play when the dust settles. Moriarty weaves an intricate web of emotional fragility and personality quirks! And then, there is the undercurrent of human truth upholding the responses of the characters. The author expertly taps into the fatigue of motherhood, the intensity of sibling rivalry, and the fear of inherited failures. I would have picked it up again and dissected the master strokes of character and plot development if not due back. This was a supremely satisfying read. Far better than Nine Perfect Strangers and even worth wading through some material that might have caused me to set it aside if I hadn't trusted the skill of this author. I even wondered if the author wrote the final chapter first. It had that feel. Moriarty is a true artist. She paints with words and knows from the outset the image she desires to craft. I am in awe of her talent!