My Review of Boy Still Missing

Boy Still Missing: A Novel by John Searles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Dominick Pindle is a fifteen-year-old boy with far too much on his plate. Whenever his alcoholic father goes AWOL from the family apartment, it’s always Dominick sent to retrieve the man from any one of the small bars and pubs dotting the landscape of Holedo, Massachusetts. Then, on a June night in 1971, Dominick is sent by his suspicious mother to the home of one Edie Kramer, possible mistress to the boy’s father.

While he finds his father there, passed out in Edie Kramer’s bed, the aimless teenager doesn’t report the discovery to his mother, choosing instead to lie. But the lie isn’t meant to protect his philandering dad; Dominick Pindle finds himself in lust with the beautiful (and pregnant) Ms. Kramer.

The teen becomes confidant to the older woman. Secrets are spilled, confessions are made, and Dominick Pindle’s life—his very world—will never be the same again.

Edie needs money and Dominick knows just where to get plenty. But in taking this cash for his friend, Dominick triggers a chain reaction that will ultimately take away the one person he loves most in this world.

Author John Searles has painted a vivid portrait of the prototypical dysfunctional family, with a skill not usually witnessed in debut novels. The story itself is strong and quite intriguing, drawing readers in with little effort. The plot remains solid from start to finish. Searles’s characters are more than believable—they are people we’ve known throughout our own lives.

The only complaint I have against this work is that at times the writing slips from fresh and unique to generic and dull. The ending drifted into the sappy and cliché. But don’t let that deter you. If you’re searching for a good, solid read, I recommend this story.




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