College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe’s life is ever the same.Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran–and a convicted … convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.
As Joe writes about Carl’s life, especially Carl’s valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory.
Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Another thrilling contribution by Allen Eskens. What I love most about Eskens is his incredible voice. Lots of people can weave a good mystery thriller. But his prose sets him well above the rest. Can’t get enough.
Very good read! Our book club read this and everyone thought it was terrific.
I really liked this one. It was slow in some parts but worth getting through. The suspense really drew me in at the beginning. I do wish it had more drama throughout though. It’s a good lesson about life and the need to not judge but rather get to know everyone. Everyone has a story to tell.
Recently finished reading THE LIFE WE BURY by Allen Eskens. Wow. 5 stars of powerful writing, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and characters that feel like your new best friends.u202c
One of the best debut novels I’ve ever read.
I may or may not have book hangover.
WOW.
This was an unexpected fantastic read.
CANNOT wait to dive into the next one.
A college student assigned to interview finds a willing subject in a nursing home–but the subject murdered a man. Intriguing. Thoughtful.
Allen Eskens introduces his readers to the dynamics within a dysfunctional family while unraveling a long ago murder in The Life We Bury. The journey begins with a simple college English assignment that requires students to interview an elderly person about a life-changing experience. This story illustrates how messed up one can become by trying to bury unpleasant, guilt-ridden life experiences and how important it is to talk through one’s guilt with others in order to gain different perspectives. This book is a real page-turner That has many twists and turns.
One of the things I love about Goodreads is the excellent recommendations I get from my friends there, and one of the best recently was The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. This was one of those fabulous, unputdownable books that has you holding your breath up until the very end. Where have I been, and why have I not heard of this remarkable author before now?
College student Joe Talbert must write a biography for an English class of a stranger, and he chooses a dying patient in a nursing home who happens to be a convicted murderer. Carl Iverson, a decorated Vietnam veteran, was sentenced thirty years ago for murdering and raping a fourteen-year-old girl. Joe’s life is soon drastically changed by his interviews with Carl and the evidence he discovers. Along with his budding friendship with his neighbor, Lila, he begins to question Carl’s conviction. In the meantime, he must contend with the burden of his bipolar mother and autistic brother, a responsibility he has carried all his life.
Such a simplified synopsis of an extremely moving and captivating story, fair warning this book will suck you in until the very end. Joe is a very fleshed-out character, a mix of insecurities and strengths. I was rooting for him all the way through, and several parts had my heart was pounding for him. Thank you again, my Goodreads friends, for your recommendation! I am adding Eskens’ backlist to my TBR as I don’t want to miss any more of this writing excellence. I gave this book five stars!
The Life We Bury (Joe Talbert, #1; Max Rupert, #1), my second read/listen from author Allen Eskens, 8-hours, 23-minutes of excellence! Slow to start, but as it builds speed it becomes unputdownable. I read/listened to this in one sitting. Well-written & enjoyable suspense read, the first book in a series. When I started this I didn’t realize I’d read The Deep Dark Descending (Detective Max Rupert #4) back in April of 2018. I look forward to reading more in both series & from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 – July 24, 2018).
College student Joe Talbert must interview a stranger for an English assignment. At a local Senior Home, he meets decorated Vietnam War Vet – and convicted murderer/rapist – Carl Iverson. Carl was released from prison because he’s dying of cancer. Joe juggles his complicated home life, work and school schedule, and his growing interest in Carl’s case. With the help of his girlfriend, Joe deciphers an uninterpreted code in the dead girl’s diary which pokes holes in the prosecution’s 30 year old case. Yet Carl had admitted to Joe that he’d committed murder.
The Life We Bury is a thriller with heart. It examines the heavy weight of guilt and the liberation of understanding. My favorite part of the book was the patient interactions between Joe and his autistic brother. Apparently there are other books featuring Joe and the police detective who assisted him as well. Perhaps I’ll have to check them out some time.
As someone who grew up during the Viet Nam war and saw some how some of our retuning vets have been affected, I read this book with interest. Joe Talbot, a college kid interviewing a Viet Nam vet, Carl, for his class assignment. This vet is actually dying of cancer, and a convicted murderer. According to the conviction, Carl raped and killed the 14 year-old girl. Carl does not remember the night because he was drinking. As Joe learns more about Carl’s history, and connects with the dying man, he begins to doubt that he is guilty. Aided by his girlfriend Lila, and autistic brother Jeremy, Joe investigates, leading to the eventual resolution. Good read overall, some parts (like a chase scene) go on a bit too long, and Joe’s investigation and solution are certainly remarkable for a college kid. This book was interesting, however, and I would recommend it.
In his debut novel, author Allen Eskins has crafted a story that is deeply moving and thought-provoking, populated with compelling and empathetic characters, but also a fast-paced mystery. The Life We Bury is replete with surprising plot twists and long-held secrets, as well as pulse-pounding danger.
Joe Talbot grew up in Minnesota with no father, an equally fatherless autistic brother, and an alcoholic bipolar mother. When Joe’s maternal grandfather was alive, he brought stability to the family. Joe recalls him as “a quiet man who could command attention with a simple glance or nod, a man who possessed equal parts strength and gentleness and wore them not in layers, but blended like fine leather.” However, his grandfather died tragically when Joe was just and since then, Joe’s mother has been spiraling further out of control.
Through hard work, hiding some of his earnings from his mother, and determination, Joe completed community college and has transferred to the University of Minnesota as a junior. As the story opens, Joe, 21 years old, is working as a bouncer and living in a small apartment with a bathroom across the hall as he pursues his studies. He needs to complete an assignment for his English class: write a biography about an elderly individual. So he proceeds to a senior center in search of a willing participant where the director steers him to Carl Iverson, a convicted murderer dying of pancreatic cancer.
Eskins immediately draws his readers into the complexities of Joe’s life. No sooner does Joe seem ready to launch into the project for his English class than he’s sucked back into the life he left two hours away when his mother is arrested and demands that Joe bail her out. Because she left eighteen-year-old Jeremy home alone, Joe must race back to his mother’s apartment to ensure Jeremy is safe. With no alternative arrangements available, Joe takes Jeremy back to his apartment with him and contemplates how he will juggle all of the demands upon him.
Of course, Iverson is not an easy person to get to know. Aside from his debilitated physical condition, he was incarcerated for 30 years and is not eager to unburden himself by confessing his crimes to Joe. Joe is naive when he first meets Iverson and immediately gets the sense that there is much to learn about what really happened all those years ago, especially when Iverson cryptically declares that there is a difference between killing and murdering. “I’ve done both. I’ve killed . . . and I’ve murdered. . . . It’s the difference between hoping that the sun rises and hoping that it doesn’t.”
Eskins deftly guides readers through Joe’s voyage of discovering the truth about Iverson’s past, including his service in Vietnam, and how he came to be charged and convicted of murder. In the process, Joe also discovers much about himself, his relationships with his mother and brother, and his own strength and resilience. His is a dangerous journey to the truth and Eskins expertly keeps the action moving at a relentless pace that is all-the-more fraught because he has already made his readers care deeply about Joe, the truth, and his future.
The Life We Bury is a beautifully crafted exploration of forgiveness, redemption, and the high price they often extract. Since he is a lawyer, Eskins get the legal and investigative details just right. But Eskins also proves himself an elegant writer, capable of exploring his characters’ emotions and inner turmoil in a deeply effecting, but never over wrought manner.
The Life We Bury is an impressive and promising debut novel. And fortunately, Joe’s story continues in the sequel, The Shadows We Hide.
What a fabulous book. I listened to this in audible and the narration was also great. I had not heard of the book or author before but was recommended by Readers Coffeehouse book club on Facebook. So glad as I really enjoyed it.
The plot was great the writing well balanced and I loved the characters. I loved this book and find it 5 star worthy.
Good book. Kept my attention!
Not a fast-paced, page-turner, but it didn’t drag; a good Saturday afternoon read. While I thought parts of it were predictable, there was an, “I didn’t see that coming” moment.
An assignment taken far too lightly turns into a full-on investigation into a thirty-year-old murder where the accused, who sits behind bars, still proclaims his innocence.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would try another of Allen Eskens’ titles.
This was my book club selection for July 2021. I was hesitant to get started with it, because honestly, the description did not coincide with my normal reading preferences. I have to say, I couldn’t be more surprised.
This story was a story that I will remember for a long time. Joe, our hero, is a struggling college student just trying to make it on his own. He registers for a biography class and finds out it will be a lot of work – and he has to interview someone to write the biography on. Because of Joe’s family situation, he doesn’t have anyone suitable to interview, so he finds himself at a retirement home interviewing a convicted rapist and murderer. Carl Iverson, the man Joe will interview, has been released from prison because he is dying of cancer.
It takes a while for Joe to build a relationship with Carl to learn the truth of what happened that day in 1980. As Joe hears Carl’s story, it becomes clear that Carl is innocent, and Joe sets about trying to clear his name. Through all of this, Joe is juggling being a part time caregiver for his autistic brother Jeremy, dealing with his irresponsible mentally ill mother, college, his job as a bouncer, and a budding friendship with his neighbor next door.
I loved the complexity of the story and the underlying mystery that Joe is trying to solve. This book was definitely out of my normal reading habit, but I will gladly add the next in the series to my TBR list.
This isn’t my usual genre but I really enjoyed this book, especially the vivid descriptions and excellent characterization.
A college course requirement was to write a biography abut a randomly selected person. When Joe Talbert finds himself interviewing a convicted murderer, Carl Iverson, dying of cancer, he finds himself sucked into the thought that maybe this time, the convict really was innocent.
Absolutely gripping!