The Right Kind of Fool

GIVEAWAY

THOMAS, SARAH LUDIN

THE RIGHT KIND OF FOOL

Thirteen-year-old Loyal Raines is supposed to stay close to home on a hot summer day in 1934. When he slips away for a quick swim in the river and finds a dead body, he wishes he'd obeyed his mother. The ripples caused by his discovery will impact the town of Beverly, West Virginia, in ways no one could have imagined.

The first person those ripples disturb is Loyal's absentee father. When Creed Raines realized his infant son was deaf, he headed for the hills, returning only to help meet his family's basic needs. But when Loyal, now a young teen, stumbles upon a murder it's his father he runs to tell -- shaping the words with his hands. As Creed is pulled into the investigation he discovers that what sets his son apart isn't his inability to hear but rather his courage. Longing to reclaim the life he abandoned, Creed will have to do more than help solve a murder if he wants to win his family's heart again.

My Review:

Impossible to define and indescribably good. Stunning, really. A plot with so many nuances you'll want to lose yourself in the story and breathe it all in.

There's a mystery -- a murder that needs solving and while that aspect of this novel is fascinating, the real attraction for me was  the burgeoning relationship between estranged father and son. Creed has been a largely absentee dad since Loyal became deaf. The journey into his psyche was both fascinating and heartrending. And Loyal, on the cusp of manhood, trying to find his place in a hearing world and desperate to find his father's favor. 

Brilliant isn't a strong enough adjective to describe the way the author weaves together all the elements of this plot. Layers of emotion, intrigue and heartbreak. And I haven't even touched on the redemptive healing of Creed's broken marriage.

Once again, Sarah Loudin Thomas has left me in a stupefied state of bibliophile delight.

Postscript: I listened to the audible edition narrated by Pilar Witherspoon and I have to say her rendering of the characters was just as brilliant as the story itself. The perfect marrying of talent to create a truly memorable listening experience.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Available in paperback or ebook format -- winner's choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Right Kind of Fool, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 13 2020. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!