The Life We Bury

Outstanding story with engaging characters you can't help but love and root for. Beautfiul writing and an addictive pace that keeps you wanting to keep reading. Can't wait to read more by this author.

The Life We Bury – Allen Eskens I have discovered a new author that I hold in high esteem upon reading Allen Eskens’ The Life We Bury. I definitely hope to read more Eskens’ work before class dismisses. He is a joy to read, whom heavily engages his plot to serve up the reader a very well-thought, credible, wonderful story. Please put a very heavy emphasis on “wonderful story.” If the reader is looking for a bang-bang, shoot-them-up, high body count, in contention with the next Marvel Super-hero movie, The Life We Bury will not be their cup of energy drink. This guy has game to spare. The book is written with the thoroughness of a thesis paper and Eskens dots all of the I’s and crosses all of the T’s, and then he carefully thinks what could happen, what should happen, what would happen and then derives at the actual theme and what will happen. Wow, what a story, wow what a plot, and wow what a good book is The Life We Bury. Off the record, I should also mention that I had no idea at the wealth of great authors hailing from the Minnesota-Wisconsin-Iowa triangle of the United States. It must have something to do with the weather. This book received great reviews and was in the running for better than five hefty awards. The University of Minnesota, College student Joe Talbot is assigned a brief biography for an English class. Joe must write a brief biography on someone whom is a complete stranger to him. Procrastinating somewhat, Joe finally drums up the idea of going to a nursing home to see what kind of folks are currently in-residence there. So, Joe goes to a nearby nursing home to chat with some of the nurses and aides to see what he can come up with. Joe was not sure what to expect but after some talking back and forth Joe decides on a Vietnam Vet who served a sentence for murder and rape and is dying of cancer. Moreover, the person, Carl Iverson also agrees to this arrangement. Carl has two reasons – he wishes to clear his conscience, and he is innocent. Say what? However, Carl’s time remaining is measured, so Joe needs to get busy on this project. So, thus, with the above situation laid before the reader, Eskens spins out a luscious and wonderful tale. Joe’s neighbor, Lila, gets wind of the assignment and she anxiously wants to be on board with Joe. Joe and Lila team up as two of the most unlikely protagonists imaginable, but it folds together nicely. Unrelated background material of the past, and family, and work also are very interesting reading. Lila tells Joe how to lay claim to the court files of Carl Iverson’s case since they are Carl’s property. Joe acquires these files and he and Lila hungrily delve through these during Joe’s somewhat busy life. Armed with knowledge, Joe and Lila visit Minneapolis Cold Case detective, Max Rupert. He is intrigued but with a heavy backlog, he needs a bit more evidence and information to move this case to the top. He refers them to a Professor Sanden, and things start to happen. The case is re-opened. The interviews with Carl prove to be very worthwhile and interesting. Joe meets Virgil, an old army friend of Carl’s, and really the only living friend that Carl has, and even more leads and information surfaces. By now, Carl definitely appears to be innocent. The only questions are who did murder and rape 14-year old Crystal and will the case be solved before Carl passes? Of course, by this time, Rupert and the Minneapolis police want Joe and Lila to cease all involvement, but of course this falls on deaf ears. I was very impressed with The Life We Bury. Allen Eskens has written a fine book here. I believe that anyone who likes to read this type of a mystery will be delighted with the book, too. Eskens gets an easy 4-1/2 stars on this one, an unusually high rating from me. Thank you, Mr. Eskens.

So glad I took a shot at this book. Very real characters and a story that took many paths I didn’t expect. It was belabored or rushed. It moved at an appropriate pace, getting me more engaged as it progressed. It’s nice to read a story of this type where you feel good after finishing it. So many you don’t. Highly recommended.

In looking over the many reviews written on this book, I'd say my own falls somewhere in the middle. I was up for a thriller/mystery, and this one had an artful cover and solid description (my top two criteria), but as I started reading, I did stumble on some of what the more negative reviews mentioned: clunky analogies written in overly descriptive, hyperbolic prose. I noticed this particularly at the beginning of the book, which pulled me out of the story enough that I stopped to check if this was a self-published book (sorry to make that connection, many self-published books are excellently written, but this kind of clunky writing is so often present in that demographic!). But still, there was an earnestness to the story that kept me reading, and ultimately I got into it enough to want to see how it turned out. While certainly the narrative had predictable elements we've seen or read in other stories, I felt the heart of Joe's journey was true. The author painted a largely authentic image of the character's dysfunctional family, and there was a tenderness to his relationship with his autistic brother that was touching. The character of Carl was believable, as was Lila, the love interest, and while the villains in the piece were somewhat broadly drawn, I have no reason to believe people that evil don't exist or couldn't exist in a story such as this. If anything beyond the clunky prose seemed a bit off, it was the "voice" of the protagonist. While he was described as a somewhat marginal student struggling through school while dealing with a challenging family situation, his verbosity, his turn of phrase, his general way of putting things felt more aligned with, I'd guess, the author's voice than the character's. At times he seemed TOO articulate, too artful in his speech and vernacular, which became a little confusing when trying to picture and imagine who he was as a person. But even with all that, it ultimately held my attention. The mystery aspect was entertaining; the suspense, the violence, the cat & mouse elements all kept me reading to the end. I liked the emphasis on the Innocence Project, a very important organization, and I felt he brought that believably into the story. All in all, I'd say it was a decent read. Not a great one, but a decent one.

Incredible story and perseverance and determination. Pulls you in and keeps you reading…wanting more. Negative experiences in one’s personal childhood can spark a desire in their adult life to do better; to set things right. The main character’s resilience is outstanding.

This book kept you on the edge of your seat. Stumbled across this author by chance and glad I did. Now on to my second book of his.

Um suspense de alto nível. O personagem principal , Joe Talbert , um estudante iniciando a faculdade , tem que fazer trabalho biográfico. Por um acaso do destino , o entrevistado é Carl Iverson, veterano do Vietnam, que cumpria pena de 30 anos por assassinato. Ao longo das conversas entre os dois , e através de pesquisas do estudante , muita coisa é descoberta e com isto a história vai se modificando . O autor tem um estilo muito interessante. Procura não cair no lugar comum . O livro prende o leitor . Ótima leitura e distração para os que gostam do tema .

Great story, great grammar, story flows nicely, creditable storyline. Highly recommend. Really couldn't put book down. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The book came on time and was in very good condition (new), but I guess it won't stay long this way because it belongs to the kind of books who want to read and re-read. Although the whole plot was not really original (you can quicly guess what's going to happen), the characters that are depicted are really realistic and go under your skin. The hero is not a good-looking guy, Mr. perfect, but he is not a bad-boyish "ugly duckling" either. He is just someone who struggles a lot but try to keep its shit together. He has envy, he can be jealous of his autistic brother, just because he has better looks. And yes, he wants to impress the girl, living next door, who has quite a story herself too. She is not that pretty cheerleader, but she is not that dark lost soul either. She is just someone who had a hard time, but does not blame the world for it. And she has brains too. In all, without saying too much: alone for the main character's backstories, you should definitely buy this book. I di not say on purpose too much, to not spoil the story. But there is way more behind this two persons. The author knows the human nature as it really is (far away from clichés) and knows how to write a good story.