Laura McHugh

'It is a long time since I have read a debut as impressive as Laura McHugh's The Weight of Blood. It is a chilling portrait of a small town in the Ozarks where violent men are protected and young women vanish.' Joan Smith, The Sunday Times People still whisper about Lucy Daneâe(tm)s mother who vanished years ago from the town of Henbane, deep in the Ozark mountains. When one of Lucyâe(tm)s friends is found murdered, Lucy feels haunted by the two lost women: by the mother she never knew, and the friend she couldnâe(tm)t protect. But her search for answers, in a place where secrets are easily concealed, leads her to a chilling discovery. And with this revelation, she must grapple with the meaning of family, the secrets we keep, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love.

The Weight of Blood

Sarah S

Gripping story, captivating characters, and a page turner for sure.

Although I truly loved the book, I found the narrative little hot and cold. When the story line would heat up for Lucy and your adrenaline would pump, pages turning faster than you can catch your breath you would be shot back to a slower pace in Lila's story. But I suppose that is the trend of a lot of this genre of book these days. The dual narrator is difficult to excel at, and Laura McHugh has given it here best. Falling just slightly short.

Would I recommend this book: YES.

I.m. ruzz

Good read. McHugh keeps the pacing tight enough to keep you drawn into the book--which is critical for book that really only has one voice, and despite a compelling story failed to teach anything, or raise questions about anything. 

I'm a corner bender when I read and theres something worth remembering, or digging deeper into, or something that simply impressed me with how it tickled my brain. I didn't fold a single corner but I also looked forward to reading it each day. 

A good editor could have possibly lifted this book from entertaining to memorable. Helping McHugh give each character a more unique voice--each one sounding more or less like the main character. But that didn't happen so she gets three stars and I got a good quick read which I likely won't remember in a year or so.

Amanda Schutz

Jane McCullough

Treated like an outsider by Ozark Mountain neighbors who regard her mother's disappearance years earlier with suspicion, sixteen-year-old Lucy is further haunted by a friend's murder, which compels her to investigate family secrets and sacrifices.

The Weight of Blood

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