In this “brilliant…deeply felt” (Stephen King) novel by the New York Times bestselling author of the Chet and Bernie mystery series, a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone. LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan as a rising star in the … star in the military, and came back a much lesser person, mentally and physically. Now missing an eye and with half her face badly scarred, she can barely remember the disastrous desert operation that almost killed her. She is confused, angry, and suspects the fault is hers, even though nobody will come out and say it.
Shattered by one last blow–the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci–LeAnne finds herself on a fateful drive across the country, reflecting on her past and seeing no future. Her native land is now unfamiliar, recast in shadow by her one good eye, her damaged psyche, her weakened body. Arriving in the rain-soaked small town in Washington State that Marci called home, she makes a troubling discovery: Marci’s eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog–a powerful, dark, unreadable creature, no one’s idea of a pet–seems to adopt LeAnne, a surprising connection is formed and something shifts inside her. As she becomes obsessed with finding Marci’s daughter, LeAnne and her inscrutable canine companion are drawn into danger as dark and menacing as her last Afghan mission. This time she has a strange but loyal fellow traveler protecting her blind side.
Enthralling, suspenseful, and psychologically nuanced, The Right Side introduces one of the most unforgettable protagonists in modern fiction: isolated, broken, disillusioned–yet still seeking redemption and purpose. As Harlan Coben raves, this is “a great suspense novel, and so much more. You won’t forget the heroic LeAnne Hogan–and the same goes for her dog! Not to be missed.”
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The story of a wounded warrior and a dog who adopts her both broke my heart and lifted me up. The dog attaches himself to warrior, supporting her through her journey to create her best life in her changed reality. I had difficulty putting the book down to sleep as I was so vested in the character’s outcome I needed to know the end but did not want to miss word.
Excellent book!
This is the first book by this author that I have read. Probably will not be the last.
The characters are interesting, very human and wonderfully developed. The plot is very much related to today’s news and troubles of the world. The dog is a great part of both the plot and characters of the book. Loved the dog as she has Rottweiler in her and someone or something docked her tail wrong. The main character, LeAnne, and the dog, Goody, are not close but do bond before the end of the book. Included in the plot is human greed, betrayal, love, revenge, finding hope, dealing with family and most importantly a look at the world from a soldier’s perspective.
This book is a departure from Quinn’s “Chet and Bernie” series (which I love), but like that series Quinn is able to give us a clear perspective on the world from a dog’s eyes as well as those of the humans. Often the dog’s (no surprise) is the clearer. The character portrayals and the insight into those who have challenges that I don’t have made this a favorite read in quite a while.
Really liked this book, if I could give it 4.5stars, I would. Being a huge fan of Spencer Quinn’s Chet and Bernie series, this book is a really different turn for Quinn. So unlike his Chet and Bernie cozy mystery series, this book was kind of dark and sad but not in a depressing way. For anyone who has ever known a returning vet with severe PTSD, you will see the damage that the war has inflicted on those that served their country and the struggles that they face everyday.
While the book summary references the storyline of LeAnne looking for a comrades missing child, that is only a small part of the book and isn’t really introduced and begin to playout until about 75% into the book. Most of the story is about an injured LeAnne returning to the US, her stay in Walter Reed, her memories of her last mission and her going AMA from the hospital and kind of AWOL from the army.
I hope Quinn continues this series, despite the subject matter, there were times that had me laughing. In spite of everything that’s happened to her, LeAnne does still have a sense of humor (occasionally) and life with a dog is still entertaining at times (I speak from experience). There is so many ways he could go with this character or characters if you include Goody (who I LOVE!!!).
Excellent book very interesting read. The characters were great and complex and the introduction of the doggie was a gem
I enjoy the Chet and Bernie series more, but really liked this one. Too.
While I love Spencer Quinn’s writing, this book was difficult to stay with in the beginning. I considered closing it up and forgetting about it. About that time, it started making more sense. Both the main character and the story. Glad I finished it. Unexpected ending.
LeAnne Hogan, who had plans for her life, by going to a military school on a full scholarship, instead decides after her fathers sudden death to enlist in the military. Once in Afghanistan and with a promising career ahead of her, all changes when she is sent home after a mission left her missing an eye and with half her face badly scarred and not remembering all that happened to leave her that way. While in a military hospital recovering in Maryland, LeAnne meets Marci her roommate who has also been injured overseas, missing a leg due to a improvised explosive device while on a mission. They develop a strong connection, Marci has told LeAnne about where she was from in Washington State and about her ex husbands and little girl. Marci all of a sudden dies from a complication and LeAnne has a hard time dealing with it. LeAnne decides to leave the hospital before she has clearance, not telling anyone or taking any of her medicines with her, She buys a used car and starts driving towards her hometown and eventually to Marci’s hometown, where she finds that Marci’s little girl has gone missing, after her funeral. Here in Washington State, LeAnne is adopted by a large stray dog who becomes very protective of her, and also quite therapeutic for her and the two of them go one the search for the missing girl.
The book was interesting, but I could never quite connect with the main character as I found her to be too hardened by her life. I did love the inclusion of the dog, who like LeAnne had many issues.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC of this book.