Missing Isaac

Author: Valerie Fraser Luesse
Genre: Historical Fiction/Coming of Age

Isaac believed in luck. But from Pete's point of view, Isaac's luck had all run out.

When Pete McLean loses his father in the summer of 1962, his friend Isaac is one of the few people he can lean on. Though their worlds are as different as black and white, friendship knows no color. So when Isaac suddenly goes missing, Pete is  determined to find out what happened--no matter what it costs him. His quest will lead him into parts of town that he knows only through rumors and introduce him to a girl who will change his life. What they discover together will change the small Southern town of Glory, Alabama--forever.

With vivid descriptions, palpable atmosphere, and unforgettable characters, debut novelist Valerie Fraser Luesse breathes life into the rural South of the 1960s--a place where ordinary people struggle to find their footing in a social landscape that is shifting beneath their feet. Reviewer: Sabrina Wade

Grief is no respecter of person. Has a way of being more a pest then a warm reminder when closure has not been met. Pete had to learn this the hard way.

​We can be so cruel to one another based on our individually held beliefs.In the grand scheme of things beliefs are not 101% truth, however they give us power to act when we hold tight to them. The sad belief of another human beings complexion created differently,a dark chocolate versus a white chocolate perse is enough to stir up hate and evil. Isaac and the community he loved and work in faced this evil head on. Evil and hate can only be conquered one act of kindness at a time. 

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.
Reviewer: Olivia R.

With a style of writing that brings to life a Southern town of glory, this author achieved many emotions in one book. Most of all was the laughter I experienced while watching Pete and Dovey grow close to one another, and Lila and John explore their different relationship. Then there was Geneva who literally had me choking back bursts of laughter. Talk about a woman who knows how to get her own way!! The beginning of the book pulled me in, especially the interaction with Pete and Isaac. There was some great dialogue between them on their fishing trip.

In some ways this book deserves a higher rating because the setting was well written, and I could picture everything so well. But sadly, I found the storyline somewhat disjointed. Time passed, but the way it was written, it was like you saw all that time passing when you really didn't. There also were quite a number of characters and it took me until the end to really distinguish between some of them. This may be my fault entirely because most of the characters were extremely unique.

The part with Isaac missing was different than I imagined. That initially wasn't a problem. It was more how the title gave the impression that him missing changed the story completely, when for a good chunk of the middle there was only a few passing conversations about his disappearance, and Pete missing him. Something didn't quite seemed tied together, although the ending of the book achieved more of what the title shows.

This is the sort of book that I believe many will enjoy despite my rating. It deals with segregation, Christianity, and emotions. There weren't deep Bible conversations, but a soft underlay of many of the characters attending church and serving in their church.

I can say that I definitely will look more by this author in the future, because she is an extremely talented writer.   
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Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.