Pages in the Wind
Accused for murdering her father, nineteen-year-old Emily Quinn leaves solitary confinement to meet with Dr. Daniel Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist. Following a series of regression therapy sessions, Dr. Lieberman uses hypnosis to retrieve Emily’s repressed memories. The sympathetic doc strategically guides Emily through pointed moments in her childhood and teen years that eventually lead up to the very moment of her father’s murder. Memories recalled, the horrid truth of Emily’s past surfaces. Having experienced personal hardships, Dr. Liebermann’s gentle approach to Emily’s sessions are not just meant to gathering mitigating evidence, but also to providing a powerful healing catalyst for Emily as she faces her disturbing history. Coupled with the memories, Emily has to deal with are dark family secrets that include the most unsettling mystery of all: the disappearance of her twin sister.
De Smet pens a chilling tale in her extraordinary debut. Set largely in San Francisco during the 1950s and 60s, De Smet’s gripping plot centers on the life of a newly incarcerated young woman whose persona has been shaped by her traumatic upbringing. De Smet presents a tight principal cast lightly sprinkled with supporting characters. A balanced mix of good and evil, De Smet surrounds her troubled narrator with a cast that includes Dr. Lieberman, Emily’s parents—Jacob and Claire Quinn, her brother Robert, her boyfriend Reid, and close friend, Perry. De Smet keeps readers engaged by carefully weaving clues that are often shrouded in ambiguity while alternating between unanticipated and oft nail-biting present (Emily’s regression therapy sessions) and past (Emily’s memories) scenes. Although strictly a work of fiction, De Smet’s storyline shines a light on factual human-interest issues, such as repressed memories due to traumatic and dysfunctional backgrounds. Not intended for the faint of heart, Pages in the Wind is nothing less than a powerful and provocative read.
Author | Sally Saylor De Smet |
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Star Count | 5/5 |
Format | eBook |
Page Count | 400 pages |
Publisher | Greenly Publishing |
Publish Date | 2015-09-10 |
ISBN | 9780996527606 |
Bookshop.org | Buy this Book |
Issue | August 2016 |
Category | Mystery, Crime, Thriller |
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