Book Review: Hurry Home (thriller) by Roz Nay

'"Some people are wired wrong... And sometimes they end up in your family."' (p. 153)

 

Can people change? That's the question Roz Nay addresses in Hurry Home. 

Buy this book

Published by Simon & Schuster

Published in 2020

Alexandra Van Ness and her older sister by five years Ruth grow up in Horizon a farming community in North Dakota.

The summer Alex is eight and Ruth is thirteen they devise a game they call "hurry home"--inspired by games like Capture the Flag. 

This childhood game defines the sisters' lives. Alex becomes the protector and Ruth? Well... 

The sisters' dad tells Alex:  '"You carry on down this road Alex, and you'll be ruined in no time. You're better than that." He turned to look at Ruth momentarily whose face crumpled a  little. "You want to end up like your big sister?"' (p. 132)

The sisters' mom tells Ruth:  '"You're oblivious, Ruth. You don't see the truth. You've created all the trouble this family has ever known."' (p. 143)

At the time of the story, Alex is 25 and Ruth is 30. The sisters haven't seen each other for ten years. Ruth travels from Pittsburgh to reunite with her sister in Moses River on the west coast of the United States.

Embracing her role as protector, Alex works in Family Services as a child protection worker. Among her clients are the Floyds--Frank and Evelyn and their one-year-old son Buster Kevin. Frank and Evelyn have a record of drug abuse and child neglect leading to death. Alex sees them as unfit parents and will stop at nothing to keep Buster safe. Even if it means fighting the system. But are Frank and Evelyn unfit parents or lacking in resources? Maybe it's all in the way you perceive them.

I had to read the last paragraph in Hurry Home three times to let the truth of what was written sink in. Chilling. Haunting. 

On July 22, I had an appointment on Vancouver Island. I left Mayne Island (my island home) with my E-reader but without my charger. Battery depleted, I was in despite need of a book to read on the bus, on the ferry. Hurry Home jumped off the shelf and into my hands. It entertained me right up to the last page which I enjoyed, fittingly, a day after World Book Lover day (August 10). Fittingly because I loved this book. 

photo by ldyck

Online Author Readings this week...

Tuesday, September 29 

Answering Machine

A romantic relationship fizzles away--when you finally let go and move on.

Friday, October 2

Independence

A tale of how two brothers gained their independence. 

photo by ldyck

On this blog in October

October 4

Short Story:  Larry

Leanne Dyck

A ghost story

October 11

Short Story:  Leanne Dyck, Blogger (a 3-minute memoir)

Leanne Dyck

To celebrate this blog's tenth anniversary, I take you way back to the beginning.

October 18

Book Review:  People Like Frank 

Jenn Ashton

This newly released (October 17) short story collection seeks to build bridges of understanding with those on the edge of normal

(I think that's me. It could be you.)

October 25

Book Review:  The Guardians 

Andrew Pyper

Traditionally in the last week of October, I treat us to a book from the horror genre. This year's selection will hold you in suspense

 

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Sharing my author journey...

I'm excited to write that I now have an 'Online Author Readings' page. I plan to...

Author reading on the radio (short story) by Leanne Dyck

One day I took a ferry from Mayne Island to a radio station on Salt Spring Island--it was a short trip, but a huge step forward. Inspired by memories of that day, I wrote this short story.

photo by ldyck

Thanks to radio producer Patricia’s directions I found Salt Spring Island's radio station. It was just a building. The only foreshadowing of the magic that lay within was the call letters—CFSI*.

Patricia met me at the door and showed me to her office. “Are you ready to be recorded?”

I took this as an invitation to read my story to her. As I read, my inner critic screamed, She’s judging you. She thinks you’re pathetic. She won’t let you on the radio. Why should she?

I fought through my nerves and when I was done, Patricia said, “That was good, Leanne. But I think, with a little work, we can make it even better.” 

Did she want me to rewrite my story right then, right there, while I was doing heavy combat against my nerves? Impossible. But if I said no would I blow this opportunity…

Patricia opened a desk drawer and took out a package of markers. Turns out no re-writing was required. She asked for my input as she worked and soon my black and white manuscript was a lot more colourful. Notes reminded me to read slower, identified words to stress, and indicated where to pause.

“Why don’t you read it again and see if those notes help.”

They did—a lot.

“I think you’re ready,” she said and escorted me into the recording room. “This is Leanne. She’s from Mayne Island,” Patricia told the man who sat at a desk of knobs and switches.

“Welcome to CFSI, Leanne. I’m the audio engineer but around here they just call me Bill. Have you been in a radio station before?”

“No, but I’ve always wanted to.”

He smiled. “I’d like to check the levels,” he told me. “put on the headphones and speak into the microphone.”

Patricia found a chair.

“What’s your story about, Leanne?” Bill asked.

“Dyslexia.”

“Oh, are you a remedial teacher? Is the story about one of your students?” As we talked, Bill adjusted the knobs and switches.

“No, I have dyslexia. I wrote the story about me.”

Bill stopped working and looked over at me. “Oh, that’s very impressive.” He said that and he hadn’t even heard my story yet.

After the first try, Bill looked at Patricia and said, “That was really good.”

She said, “I think that could be it. What do you think Leanne?”

Hadn’t they heard the word I’d fudged? “I think I can do better.”

I tried again, but there were even more errors that time.

“I think the first one was the charmer,” Bill concluded. Clearly, he had more to do then just record me.

I looked down at my watch and realized that if I stayed much longer I’d miss my ferry back to Mayne Island. 

Before I left Bill asked me to repeat the word I'd fudged. He said something about patching it. I wasn't sure what he meant. Maybe he just wanted me to prove to myself that I could say it right. 

Recording the word took seconds.

“Thank you for this amazing opportunity,” I told them both and booted it out the door.

*CFSI was a radio station on Salt Spring Island, BC licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The station broadcast from September 14, 2009, to July 25, 2015. To learn more about the radio station that replaced it on November 28, 2019, please visit Islands Radio

'Smoky' photo by ldyck

On-line author readings

Wednesday, September 23 

Short story:  Wanderlust 

inspired by Tom Paxton's song  Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound

Saturday, September 25 

Short story:  What's Bluegrass?

about my adventures in music

Next Sunday...

Book review:  Hurry Home by Roz Nay (thriller)

Can people change? That's the question Rox Nay explores in 

Hurry Home.

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On-line author readings

I've been recording my short stories since the beginning of August. 

To listen, please visit this blog's Virtual Readings

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