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The Amateur
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26When a young woman, a golf prodigy, accidentally kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs, predatory men, and a teenager on trial in this spellbinding novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant.
1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a practice ball from her tee with a wooden club. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, travels 150 miles per hour for fifteen yards and slams, with sickening force, into the forehead of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, causing a traumatic rupture in the frontal lobe of his brain. Kenny brings his right hand to his forehead, then topples to his side. He is dead before the ambulance even arrives.
In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong places: In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man forty years her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when Henry Fallows, the golf pro, looks more closely at the torn net, when the detective investigating the case recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a district courtroom, The Amateur What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?
1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a practice ball from her tee with a wooden club. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, travels 150 miles per hour for fifteen yards and slams, with sickening force, into the forehead of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, causing a traumatic rupture in the frontal lobe of his brain. Kenny brings his right hand to his forehead, then topples to his side. He is dead before the ambulance even arrives.
In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong places: In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man forty years her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when Henry Fallows, the golf pro, looks more closely at the torn net, when the detective investigating the case recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a district courtroom, The Amateur What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 4, 2026
6 people are currently reading
11748 people want to read
About the author
Chris Bohjalian
41 books13.2k followersChris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 26 books. His new novel, THE AMATEUR, arrives on August 4, 2026. He writes literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His goal is never to write the same book twice. He has published somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.7 million words.
His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.
He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.
His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.
His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.
Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.
He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.
His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.
He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.
His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.
His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.
Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.
He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 4, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
this was such a unique story! i can honestly say i’ve never read anything like it.
first of all, i loved mira. she felt so real to me. the way she thought, reacted, & spiraled, reminded me so much of myself in high school. chris bohjalian absolutely nailed her voice. i think he did a really great job writing from a teenage female POV, which isn’t always easy to pull off. overall it held my attention and felt fresh.
the entire premise hinges on one horribly unfortunate golf ball accident, and the fallout from that moment is what really drives the story. it’s less about the swing itself and more about reputation, blame, and how fast a young woman can become the center of scrutiny.
huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
this was such a unique story! i can honestly say i’ve never read anything like it.
first of all, i loved mira. she felt so real to me. the way she thought, reacted, & spiraled, reminded me so much of myself in high school. chris bohjalian absolutely nailed her voice. i think he did a really great job writing from a teenage female POV, which isn’t always easy to pull off. overall it held my attention and felt fresh.
the entire premise hinges on one horribly unfortunate golf ball accident, and the fallout from that moment is what really drives the story. it’s less about the swing itself and more about reputation, blame, and how fast a young woman can become the center of scrutiny.
huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It's the summer of 1978, and Mira Winston is a golf prodigy, soon to head to Yale to play golf, when she hits a ball into a practice net that goes through the net and into the temple of a caddie, killing him. Mira is a complicated character, not very likable, hot tempered, privileged, and sleeping with a much older married man. The novel is written as the memoir of an adult Mira, now an author, and seemingly without a reason to lie. As what at first seems like a freak accident progresses to a search for blame and for accountability, Mira finds herself involved in the civil case against the country club and the net manufacturer, and then accused of manslaughter. Bohjalian skillfully portrays late 1970s attitudes towards women, drinking, and drugs, explores the fault lines of class in the affluent suburb where Mira lives, and the effect of one moment on the lives involved. A propulsive read with a masterly twist. I couldn't put it down
Review of advance copy received from Author
Chris Bohjalian has done it again! I never thought golf could be interesting but Chris made it so. Throw in death, a mystery, an unreliable narrator and you've got a hell of a story. Whether Chris is writing historical stories or thrillers, he takes us on an incredible journey. Highly recommend and I hope to see this book in lots of beach totes this Summer. Perfect beach read!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you are a fan of Chris Bohjalian, then you are familiar with his penchant for writing in the first person from the point of view of a young female main character (Midwives; The Double Bind; Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands), and that is exactly what you get in The Amateur. And like those first two books listed, this is a true bildungsroman; it covers the evolution of the main character from adolescence to maturity and even old age. How that is accomplished in The Amateur is through a unique and fresh female protagonist, Mira Winston. Mira is an author in her 60s writing a memoir that begins with a perfect storm of events that crash down on her when she is 18. It continues by analyzing the consequences of that storm on her life since. Bohjalian cleverly frames it as a memoir, yet the story arc is that of a mystery thriller.
As mysteries go, it is not difficult to divine the likely outcome of Amateur by about midway through the book, so when the twist comes, it is not unexpected. That may disappoint some; however, it doesn’t seem to be Bohjalian’s intent to tease you through the book for a big reveal at the end like a formulaic murder mystery. Instead, he spends a great deal of the book exploring the development and evolution of Mira’s emotional stability as she goes through stages of trauma, guilt, shame, absolution, and acceptance after a horrible accident. And this is the true purpose of this story. It may not be immediately apparent, however, because one aspect of Bohjalian novels is that the rich storytelling and extensive inner dialogue of the characters tend to obscure the much deeper themes.
And thus, in Amateur, there is a tendency to get wrapped up in Mira’s personality and react to it in a visceral, judgmental way. You either empathize with her for her bad luck or pillory her for her own apparently self-inflicted reckless behaviors. Neither is the real point of the book. The real point is that women in American society were (in the 70’s) and continue to be taught that they are responsible for any bad behavior of men rather than being victims of men’s bad behavior. Even Mira is oblivious to this until she reaches some enlightenment in her older age. Once you recognize that theme, you start to see how all the elements of the story paint a background picture of societal complicity. And that complicity reduced the range of choices available to Mira, and women in general, from bad, at best, to awful.
Interestingly, there is not a single mention of the “me too” movement in Amateur. Instead, the entire manuscript could be imagined as filling a thought bubble shaped like “me too.” And that, perhaps, is the real reveal of this mystery thriller, one that comes not in written form, but only after thoughtful reflection.
If, in the early pages, Mira Winston puts you off, you may find it a challenge to get into The Amateur. However, as with Bohjalian’s other female first-person novels, if you can get comfortable in the main character’s skin, you will find yourself quickly immersed in her tragic story thanks to Bohjalian’s considerable first-person character-building skills.
4.4/5 stars
As mysteries go, it is not difficult to divine the likely outcome of Amateur by about midway through the book, so when the twist comes, it is not unexpected. That may disappoint some; however, it doesn’t seem to be Bohjalian’s intent to tease you through the book for a big reveal at the end like a formulaic murder mystery. Instead, he spends a great deal of the book exploring the development and evolution of Mira’s emotional stability as she goes through stages of trauma, guilt, shame, absolution, and acceptance after a horrible accident. And this is the true purpose of this story. It may not be immediately apparent, however, because one aspect of Bohjalian novels is that the rich storytelling and extensive inner dialogue of the characters tend to obscure the much deeper themes.
And thus, in Amateur, there is a tendency to get wrapped up in Mira’s personality and react to it in a visceral, judgmental way. You either empathize with her for her bad luck or pillory her for her own apparently self-inflicted reckless behaviors. Neither is the real point of the book. The real point is that women in American society were (in the 70’s) and continue to be taught that they are responsible for any bad behavior of men rather than being victims of men’s bad behavior. Even Mira is oblivious to this until she reaches some enlightenment in her older age. Once you recognize that theme, you start to see how all the elements of the story paint a background picture of societal complicity. And that complicity reduced the range of choices available to Mira, and women in general, from bad, at best, to awful.
Interestingly, there is not a single mention of the “me too” movement in Amateur. Instead, the entire manuscript could be imagined as filling a thought bubble shaped like “me too.” And that, perhaps, is the real reveal of this mystery thriller, one that comes not in written form, but only after thoughtful reflection.
If, in the early pages, Mira Winston puts you off, you may find it a challenge to get into The Amateur. However, as with Bohjalian’s other female first-person novels, if you can get comfortable in the main character’s skin, you will find yourself quickly immersed in her tragic story thanks to Bohjalian’s considerable first-person character-building skills.
4.4/5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Bohjalian’s books are hit or miss for me (case in point: I have an ARC of The Jackal’s Mistress that I still haven’t read!). I’m usually more intrigued by the concept than the actual story. Usually the scope expands to the point that the original story I was interested in hearing gets lost in the shuffle (or in the case of Hour of the Witch, only shows up in the last 30 pages). This novel has a much narrower, almost claustrophobic scope - it’s definitely a slow burn character study.
The titular amateur is Mira Winston, a Yale-bound high school senior with hopes of playing in the LPGA. One day she’s practicing on the driving range and, in a complete freak accident, drives the ball completely through the net, where it hits one of the caddies in the head and kills him. It’s clearly not intentional, but it sets off a string of events as the club, the net company, and Kenny the caddy’s parents try to determine who IS to blame for this kid’s death.
The conceit is that this book is a memoir by adult Mira, by now a successful author herself (most of the books she describes sound like Bohjalian’s own novels - it’s weirdly meta in a way I didn’t care for). She’s looking back at the self-destructive teenager she once was and spotting all the ways things could have broken differently for her. At the time, she convinced herself that Kenny’s death was somehow HER punishment for sleeping with a 40-something married man. And she also has a history of being reactive and prone to violence, having once taken a golf club to a classmate’s windshield (in Mira’s defense, the dude assaulted her). So once the course pro starts examining the net and thinking back on Mira’s prior tantrum about the net having a built-in target (which was NOT there the day Kenny was killed), everything starts to look pretty bleak. And the case she kept being assured would “never make it to trial” no longer looks so open and shut.
It’s an interesting character study, how quickly the town turns on Mira after her affair with Theo comes to light (thanks to none other than Kenny’s father, who spotted them at a hotel). And how even though we KNOW Mira didn’t do it on purpose, she can still be held criminally liable for this kid’s death, and how that can lead a person to spiral. It’s not really a mystery (though we do eventually learn what happened to the target), but a tightly focused character study of how one small moment can have a devastating ripple effect.
The titular amateur is Mira Winston, a Yale-bound high school senior with hopes of playing in the LPGA. One day she’s practicing on the driving range and, in a complete freak accident, drives the ball completely through the net, where it hits one of the caddies in the head and kills him. It’s clearly not intentional, but it sets off a string of events as the club, the net company, and Kenny the caddy’s parents try to determine who IS to blame for this kid’s death.
The conceit is that this book is a memoir by adult Mira, by now a successful author herself (most of the books she describes sound like Bohjalian’s own novels - it’s weirdly meta in a way I didn’t care for). She’s looking back at the self-destructive teenager she once was and spotting all the ways things could have broken differently for her. At the time, she convinced herself that Kenny’s death was somehow HER punishment for sleeping with a 40-something married man. And she also has a history of being reactive and prone to violence, having once taken a golf club to a classmate’s windshield (in Mira’s defense, the dude assaulted her). So once the course pro starts examining the net and thinking back on Mira’s prior tantrum about the net having a built-in target (which was NOT there the day Kenny was killed), everything starts to look pretty bleak. And the case she kept being assured would “never make it to trial” no longer looks so open and shut.
It’s an interesting character study, how quickly the town turns on Mira after her affair with Theo comes to light (thanks to none other than Kenny’s father, who spotted them at a hotel). And how even though we KNOW Mira didn’t do it on purpose, she can still be held criminally liable for this kid’s death, and how that can lead a person to spiral. It’s not really a mystery (though we do eventually learn what happened to the target), but a tightly focused character study of how one small moment can have a devastating ripple effect.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE AMATEUR by Chris Bohjalian in exchange for my honest review.***
4.5 STARS
I always feel like I’ve won an ARC lottery when I’m allowed early access to one of Chris Bohjalian’s novels. That THE AMATEUR turned out to be one of my favorites of his is an extra bonus. So why 4.5 stars instead of 5, I’ll address that later in the review.
Amateur tennis prodigy Mira can also be described as a professional train wreck. Both victim and victor, perpetrator and prey, Mira suffers consequences that most teenagers escape. In the late 1970s-early 1980s, I was a few years younger than Mira. I experienced the days when teenage girls were blamed for their married adult (what we’d now call) statutory rapists actions. Girls, even the prepubescent, were seen as temptresses to “helpless” men. They were (what now call) slut shamed.
When Mira takes a golf club to her attempted date rapist’s car, she never thinks to explain her motivations and even allows misinformation about her reasons to persist.
After accidentally killing a caddy with a well-hit golf ball, Mira spirals into a series of self-destructive relationships and behaviors.
I can’t stress how much I loved Mira’s story and hate that all my comments can’t reflect that. I became distracted when Bohjalian mixed present day knowledge with 1978 knowledge. The premise of THE AMATEUR is that it’s the memoir of a best seller writer’s experience in her young adulthood, which she’s writing in 2026, so some of the modern references like Wordle used in a metaphor are explained that way. My distraction came when facts unknown in 1978 were attributed to that time period. The most disruptive was that in 1978, recent a high school graduate would know that brain development continues into the 20s and the frontal lobe isn’t fully developed in teenage years. Scientists didn’t know this, until studies in the 1990s early 2000s. I’m probably being overly picky, but as a child psychologist and someone who’s studied child development, I was distracted. If Mira as a mature adult in 2026 was opining, I wouldn’t have been. The confusion between Mira’s feelings in 1978 and 2026 appeared other times and distracted me enough to not say 5 full stars.
Again, I loved THE AMATEUR.
4.5 STARS
I always feel like I’ve won an ARC lottery when I’m allowed early access to one of Chris Bohjalian’s novels. That THE AMATEUR turned out to be one of my favorites of his is an extra bonus. So why 4.5 stars instead of 5, I’ll address that later in the review.
Amateur tennis prodigy Mira can also be described as a professional train wreck. Both victim and victor, perpetrator and prey, Mira suffers consequences that most teenagers escape. In the late 1970s-early 1980s, I was a few years younger than Mira. I experienced the days when teenage girls were blamed for their married adult (what we’d now call) statutory rapists actions. Girls, even the prepubescent, were seen as temptresses to “helpless” men. They were (what now call) slut shamed.
When Mira takes a golf club to her attempted date rapist’s car, she never thinks to explain her motivations and even allows misinformation about her reasons to persist.
After accidentally killing a caddy with a well-hit golf ball, Mira spirals into a series of self-destructive relationships and behaviors.
I can’t stress how much I loved Mira’s story and hate that all my comments can’t reflect that. I became distracted when Bohjalian mixed present day knowledge with 1978 knowledge. The premise of THE AMATEUR is that it’s the memoir of a best seller writer’s experience in her young adulthood, which she’s writing in 2026, so some of the modern references like Wordle used in a metaphor are explained that way. My distraction came when facts unknown in 1978 were attributed to that time period. The most disruptive was that in 1978, recent a high school graduate would know that brain development continues into the 20s and the frontal lobe isn’t fully developed in teenage years. Scientists didn’t know this, until studies in the 1990s early 2000s. I’m probably being overly picky, but as a child psychologist and someone who’s studied child development, I was distracted. If Mira as a mature adult in 2026 was opining, I wouldn’t have been. The confusion between Mira’s feelings in 1978 and 2026 appeared other times and distracted me enough to not say 5 full stars.
Again, I loved THE AMATEUR.
March 9, 2026
I’m a longtime Chris Bohjalian fan, so it was no surprise that I was instantly hooked with this story of a young woman who accidentally killed a caddy while hitting balls at a golf course. However, two things about this multifaceted story did surprise me. First, that the author was somehow skilled at telling a story centered around a golf prodigy, and that such a story was somehow captivating to a person like myself, who has absolutely no interest (or basic knowledge) in the area of golf. Don’t let the premise or the description of this novel fool you— it is so much more than just a golf story. The reader quickly discovers that the golf course is merely the backdrop for the incident that shapes the story, which already began to unfold before the incident occurred, as Mira grew up in this small and somewhat exclusive community..
The real story lies in the heartbreaking but somehow relatable series of events that the main character, Mira, experiences in her formative years as a young woman who is planning to enter college before her life gets derailed. Which brings me to my second surprise: Chris Bohjalian is somehow incredibly skilled at writing from the voice of a young woman. There is an art to this, as your stereotypical country club brat is not typically the most likable individual. But just like the multi-layered story, there are layers to our protagonist, and the reader quickly discovers that she’s got issues and she’s been taken advantage of and she’s not just an entitled golf star.
As with the best mysteries, we are thrown a shocking turn of events, but not before we begin to understand Mira more deeply. This is a story of suspense, but there are other themes at play through the entirety of the novel, which are difficult to touch on without spoiling some of the best parts. Just know that this is the 70s, and times, they were different.
I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy crime and suspense fiction works, And if you’re like me and don’t particularly care for golf, don’t let that discourage you from giving this book a chance. It’s so much more than what it may appear. Just like Mira. If you’re like me, it will have you thinking about how a single brief moment in time can completely change one’s life, for good or for bad. And how every action has an equal and opposite reaction,
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel in advance of its publication
The real story lies in the heartbreaking but somehow relatable series of events that the main character, Mira, experiences in her formative years as a young woman who is planning to enter college before her life gets derailed. Which brings me to my second surprise: Chris Bohjalian is somehow incredibly skilled at writing from the voice of a young woman. There is an art to this, as your stereotypical country club brat is not typically the most likable individual. But just like the multi-layered story, there are layers to our protagonist, and the reader quickly discovers that she’s got issues and she’s been taken advantage of and she’s not just an entitled golf star.
As with the best mysteries, we are thrown a shocking turn of events, but not before we begin to understand Mira more deeply. This is a story of suspense, but there are other themes at play through the entirety of the novel, which are difficult to touch on without spoiling some of the best parts. Just know that this is the 70s, and times, they were different.
I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy crime and suspense fiction works, And if you’re like me and don’t particularly care for golf, don’t let that discourage you from giving this book a chance. It’s so much more than what it may appear. Just like Mira. If you’re like me, it will have you thinking about how a single brief moment in time can completely change one’s life, for good or for bad. And how every action has an equal and opposite reaction,
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel in advance of its publication
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Amateur is a slow-burn character study centered on Mira Winston, a Yale-bound high school senior and aspiring LPGA golfer whose life unravels after a freak accident on the driving range – a wayward shot tears through a net and kills a caddy. It's clearly not intentional, but that doesn't stop the club, the net manufacturer, and the dead boy's family from circling for someone to blame. The story is told as a memoir by adult Mira, now a successful author looking back at the self-destructive teenager she once was, which gives the whole thing a reflective, almost mournful quality.
This is an odd structure for a book. Bohjalian is certainly up to the task, and I truly enjoyed the story. But I sometimes found the asides jarring – where the fictional novelist is talking directly to the reader. It wasn’t something that took me out of the story. But I would have preferred they not be there.
What makes it compelling is how quickly everything snowballs. Mira's secret affair with a much older married man comes to light at the worst possible moment, and her history of reactive behavior (she took a golf club to a classmate’s car – for a legitimate reason) starts to color how everyone sees her. Even though you never doubt she didn't mean for any of this to happen, Bohjalian does a great job showing how easily intent gets buried under circumstance and reputation.
Mira, as a much older and wiser narrator, never defends her behavior and takes responsibility for her recklessness. She seems bemused at her younger self at times. I’m a big fan of Bohjalian. This isn’t my favorite of his books, but it is a great read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
This is an odd structure for a book. Bohjalian is certainly up to the task, and I truly enjoyed the story. But I sometimes found the asides jarring – where the fictional novelist is talking directly to the reader. It wasn’t something that took me out of the story. But I would have preferred they not be there.
What makes it compelling is how quickly everything snowballs. Mira's secret affair with a much older married man comes to light at the worst possible moment, and her history of reactive behavior (she took a golf club to a classmate’s car – for a legitimate reason) starts to color how everyone sees her. Even though you never doubt she didn't mean for any of this to happen, Bohjalian does a great job showing how easily intent gets buried under circumstance and reputation.
Mira, as a much older and wiser narrator, never defends her behavior and takes responsibility for her recklessness. She seems bemused at her younger self at times. I’m a big fan of Bohjalian. This isn’t my favorite of his books, but it is a great read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I’ve long admired Chris Bohjalian’s ability to pull readers into complicated moral terrain, and The Amateur is certainly no exception — though it’s a very different kind of novel than I expected.
Written as a fictional memoir and set in the 1970s, the story centers on Mira, a young woman whose life changes irrevocably when she accidentally drives a golf ball into a caddy, killing him. From that shocking moment forward, the novel becomes less about suspense and more about consequence — emotional, social, and deeply personal.
This is not, in my opinion, much of a thriller. Instead, it’s an in-depth character study of a young woman in crisis, navigating guilt, scrutiny, and the immense influence of powerful people surrounding her. Bohjalian explores how Mira is treated — and judged — within the cultural confines of the 1970s, where reputation, gender expectations, and influence carry enormous weight. Watching her grapple with what happened, and with how others shape the narrative of her life, is both unsettling and compelling.
There is a mystery element that slowly comes to light, but the real heart of the novel lies in its psychological depth. Bohjalian can write — that’s never in question. He has a way of drawing you in and wrapping you up in a story, even when it’s not your favorite of his works.
The Amateur wasn’t my favorite by this author, but it’s an interesting, layered exploration of accountability, power, and a young woman trying to survive an impossible situation in a very different era.
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Of course, all opinions are mine.
Written as a fictional memoir and set in the 1970s, the story centers on Mira, a young woman whose life changes irrevocably when she accidentally drives a golf ball into a caddy, killing him. From that shocking moment forward, the novel becomes less about suspense and more about consequence — emotional, social, and deeply personal.
This is not, in my opinion, much of a thriller. Instead, it’s an in-depth character study of a young woman in crisis, navigating guilt, scrutiny, and the immense influence of powerful people surrounding her. Bohjalian explores how Mira is treated — and judged — within the cultural confines of the 1970s, where reputation, gender expectations, and influence carry enormous weight. Watching her grapple with what happened, and with how others shape the narrative of her life, is both unsettling and compelling.
There is a mystery element that slowly comes to light, but the real heart of the novel lies in its psychological depth. Bohjalian can write — that’s never in question. He has a way of drawing you in and wrapping you up in a story, even when it’s not your favorite of his works.
The Amateur wasn’t my favorite by this author, but it’s an interesting, layered exploration of accountability, power, and a young woman trying to survive an impossible situation in a very different era.
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Of course, all opinions are mine.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Amateur is cleverly structured as a modern memoir written by Mira, an accomplished, yet deeply troubled, novelist finally ready to tell the story of her youth as a golf prodigy turned accidental murderer. What fascinated me most was not the plot, but the meta form: the moments when current day Mira breaks the fourth wall to address the reader directly, assuring us she’s a reliable narrator despite her flaws. That narrative device was, for me, more compelling than the mystery itself.
The central plot revolves around who vandalized the driving net-- the incident that allowed a golf ball to escape and unintentionally kill Kenny. I guessed the culprit and motivation early on, and this didn’t diminish my engagement. What did challenge my suspension of disbelief was the manslaughter case brought against Mira. It never felt fully believable, which undercut the emotional stakes for me.
One of the most impressive things about this book is Bohjalian’s skill at writing from a female point of view. I often find authors struggle to transcend their own experiences, but here the voice feels authentic without tipping into stereotype. I genuinely wasn’t sure whether Chris was male or female — and if that uncertainty says anything, it’s a testament to his talent with character voice.
Overall, The Amateur is an enjoyable thriller with a fresh narrative voice and intriguing structure, definitely one worth reading.
The central plot revolves around who vandalized the driving net-- the incident that allowed a golf ball to escape and unintentionally kill Kenny. I guessed the culprit and motivation early on, and this didn’t diminish my engagement. What did challenge my suspension of disbelief was the manslaughter case brought against Mira. It never felt fully believable, which undercut the emotional stakes for me.
One of the most impressive things about this book is Bohjalian’s skill at writing from a female point of view. I often find authors struggle to transcend their own experiences, but here the voice feels authentic without tipping into stereotype. I genuinely wasn’t sure whether Chris was male or female — and if that uncertainty says anything, it’s a testament to his talent with character voice.
Overall, The Amateur is an enjoyable thriller with a fresh narrative voice and intriguing structure, definitely one worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The descriptive passage above is very thorough, so I’d like to touch on a few other thoughts I have after reading Chris Bohjalian’s novel, The Amateur:
1. The prologue is an exemplary introduction to the dangers of a golf ball driven at a high speed. The caddy, Kenny, was standing way too close to the practice range, a very important point throughout the story.
2. Even though the novel focuses on teenagers with their immature social minds, it is an immensely adult example of cause and effect in an adult-rated novel. Children always learn the cause/effect concept in elementary school, but it’s an important topic for teens and older folks to remember in their social lives. Several characters in the novel made poor and unwise decisions, causing severe consequences.
3. Writing novels with characters who are authors is a fairly common experience, but this is the first one I’ve read with the main character as a memoirist.
4. In this story, there is a social gap between the wealthy teens and the middle class students in the upscale suburb of Westchester, NY. These wealthy teenage characters are sexually promiscuous and prone to many types of drug use, so read the novel with an accepting attitude.
1. The prologue is an exemplary introduction to the dangers of a golf ball driven at a high speed. The caddy, Kenny, was standing way too close to the practice range, a very important point throughout the story.
2. Even though the novel focuses on teenagers with their immature social minds, it is an immensely adult example of cause and effect in an adult-rated novel. Children always learn the cause/effect concept in elementary school, but it’s an important topic for teens and older folks to remember in their social lives. Several characters in the novel made poor and unwise decisions, causing severe consequences.
3. Writing novels with characters who are authors is a fairly common experience, but this is the first one I’ve read with the main character as a memoirist.
4. In this story, there is a social gap between the wealthy teens and the middle class students in the upscale suburb of Westchester, NY. These wealthy teenage characters are sexually promiscuous and prone to many types of drug use, so read the novel with an accepting attitude.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In August 1978, 18 year old Mira accidentally kills another teenager when her golf ball tears through a practice net and strikes him in the head. Though initially deemed a tragic accident, suspicion grows as investigators uncover flaws in the net, recall Mira’s reckless past, and notice her affair with a much older married man. As the wealthy country club community turns against her, Mira seeks solace in her own relationships and the family of the teenager she killed. The story follows the unraveling of Mira's life, exploring how a single moment can reshape an entire future.
This was a great exploration of the dynamics of a young, impressionable girl and the influences older and persuasive adults can have; since this book functions as a memoir of Mira's experiences, there is conversation of real issues at hand regarding brain development - highly relatable. An intriguing story, which I am sure many will relate to not because of the specific facts, but how the author presents the story as if it could be any one of us.
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great exploration of the dynamics of a young, impressionable girl and the influences older and persuasive adults can have; since this book functions as a memoir of Mira's experiences, there is conversation of real issues at hand regarding brain development - highly relatable. An intriguing story, which I am sure many will relate to not because of the specific facts, but how the author presents the story as if it could be any one of us.
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not my favorite of the author's books but I would still give this book four stars, rounded up from three and a half. When Mira drives a golf ball into a caddy's head, killing him instantly, her world changes. At 18, she was a gifted golfer, getting ready to go to college and expected to become a champion on the PGA circuit. She is charged with manslaughter and soon shunned by the people of her small city. She quits golf completely and leaves town to stay with an aunt and uncle in Manhattan. In Manhattan, working and waiting for her trial to start, Mira tries to deal with the fact that she killed someone, albeit accidentally. As her trial comes close, pieces of Mira's past come out that won't help her in trial. The novel is low in action but a good character study of a young women in crisis. By part 3, the trial, I was glad it was all coming to an end but then the book kicks up as the reader discovers what really happened the day that Ken fell down dead.
Thank you to NetGalley and Double Day Books for the complementary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.
Publish date: August 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Double Day Books for the complementary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.
Publish date: August 4, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Excellent, can't praise this book enough. 5 stars all the way
Mira is a young golf pro who has an unfortunate accident while practicing at a net at the country club where she often plays/ To say it affected the rest of her life is an understatement! Other aspects of her youth come back to haunt her and her family as facts come out.
I don't want to give anything away so I am cautious here, but picture doing something you do often, but it goes so wrong this one time that you can't get past it. She is stuck- can't play golf or even imagine playing again. College is even more of a challenge to her than others.
Told by Mira as narrator, part 1 is told in the present, but once we get to parts 2 &3, she talks more from a "present talking about the past" tone, which really worked nicely.
Bohjalian's books have almost always made me so glad to read and this was one of his best. Nice work!
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.
Mira is a young golf pro who has an unfortunate accident while practicing at a net at the country club where she often plays/ To say it affected the rest of her life is an understatement! Other aspects of her youth come back to haunt her and her family as facts come out.
I don't want to give anything away so I am cautious here, but picture doing something you do often, but it goes so wrong this one time that you can't get past it. She is stuck- can't play golf or even imagine playing again. College is even more of a challenge to her than others.
Told by Mira as narrator, part 1 is told in the present, but once we get to parts 2 &3, she talks more from a "present talking about the past" tone, which really worked nicely.
Bohjalian's books have almost always made me so glad to read and this was one of his best. Nice work!
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
We all have wished we left just 5 minutes sooner than we did to avoid that traffic jam...or accident...and in The Amateur, a young golf prodigy will wish she did not take that last swing, as the practice shot goes through the net and kills a caddy. As she spirals in directions she never expected, her life plan changes from becoming a LPGA pro to a woman on trial. Did she cause his death? She did hit the lethal shot. Was it just a horrible accident or did something else contribute to the tragedy? This book is so fast paced that I found myself stopping mid sentence just to take a breath. Chris Bohjalian is a master storyteller and this book does not disappoint. This book is perfect for all readers...those who like a good mystery, a fast paced story, golf, or just a change of pace from their current reads. I will never miss a Bohjalian book and am so grateful I received an early copy from the publishers. Everyone should preorder theirs today!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A suspenseful, intriguing novel written as a fictional memoir. The main character is now a middle-aged woman, who as a young teenager, was a golf prodigy and accused murderer. Mira Winston is looking back at the moment when she was fifteen, swinging at the practice net at her local country club, when she hit her golf ball into the head of a teenage caddy. This seemingly accidental tragedy threw Mira into a cycle of affairs, drugs and a murder trial.
Reading this account of Mira’s tumultuous life was cringy and shocking, it all rolled into a suspenseful story. I enjoyed Chris Bohjalian’s writing and am reminded to pick up some of his backlist books that I have not read.
Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I will recommend this book to my reader friends when it is published on August 4, 2026. #NetGalley #TheAmateur #DoubledayBooks @DoubledayBooks
Reading this account of Mira’s tumultuous life was cringy and shocking, it all rolled into a suspenseful story. I enjoyed Chris Bohjalian’s writing and am reminded to pick up some of his backlist books that I have not read.
Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I will recommend this book to my reader friends when it is published on August 4, 2026. #NetGalley #TheAmateur #DoubledayBooks @DoubledayBooks
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This one is difficult to review. Oh yes, I am glad I read it, for sure. Set in the "70's, I also found it to be a bit of a sad commentary on how women were treated in that time period. We have golf prodigy, Mia, practicing her shots at the Country Club. She drives a ball into the practice net, where it breaks through and hits and instantly kills another teenager. A horrible accident, right? Maybe, but the repercussions are enormous. This did not turn out to be much of a thriller as I had hoped, but it was a fascinating character study. Mia was an interesting person to follow. We learn numerous details about her private life that will not be too helpful at her upcoming trial and realize that she too may have been a victim, just another kind. The ending is unexpected and I liked it. This was my first from Chris Bohjalian and I plan to read more.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Chris Bohjalian and Doubleday Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Chris Bohjalian and Doubleday Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advance copy received by NetGalley
The story was a strong and gripping drive down the fairway with plenty of emotional sand traps along the way! It begins with a moment you can’t undo…..a single golf shot, a freak accident and a teenage girl’s life split in two. Eighteen year old Mira is a golf prodigy, better than most men who play at the prestigious Westchester club that her family belongs to. But soon before she’s supposed to head off to Yale, a terrible accident takes place, leaving her unraveled, self-destructive and in shock. What should have been a tragic accident turns into something far more unsettling as evidenced by Mira’s constant guilt, her harmful behavior and the legal and public fallout that she finds herself at the center of. A character driven story that is tense, smartly paced and provides enough emotional discomfort in the moral gray areas that keep you hooked page after page. Publication date: August 4
The story was a strong and gripping drive down the fairway with plenty of emotional sand traps along the way! It begins with a moment you can’t undo…..a single golf shot, a freak accident and a teenage girl’s life split in two. Eighteen year old Mira is a golf prodigy, better than most men who play at the prestigious Westchester club that her family belongs to. But soon before she’s supposed to head off to Yale, a terrible accident takes place, leaving her unraveled, self-destructive and in shock. What should have been a tragic accident turns into something far more unsettling as evidenced by Mira’s constant guilt, her harmful behavior and the legal and public fallout that she finds herself at the center of. A character driven story that is tense, smartly paced and provides enough emotional discomfort in the moral gray areas that keep you hooked page after page. Publication date: August 4
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of *The Amateur* by Chris Bohjalian in exchange for an honest review.
This was a surprisingly layered story that felt very different from anything else I’ve read recently. While the inciting incident—the caddy being struck by a golf ball—initially seems like the central focus, it quickly becomes clear that it’s only one piece of a much larger and more complex narrative. What unfolds is a deeper exploration of childhood, memory, and the moments that quietly shape who we become.
Bohjalian does a thoughtful job weaving together past and present, showing how a single event can ripple through a life in unexpected ways. The story feels reflective and character-driven rather than plot-heavy, which gives it a unique tone compared to more traditional coming-of-age stories.
A thoughtful and quietly compelling read that lingers after the final page.
This was a surprisingly layered story that felt very different from anything else I’ve read recently. While the inciting incident—the caddy being struck by a golf ball—initially seems like the central focus, it quickly becomes clear that it’s only one piece of a much larger and more complex narrative. What unfolds is a deeper exploration of childhood, memory, and the moments that quietly shape who we become.
Bohjalian does a thoughtful job weaving together past and present, showing how a single event can ripple through a life in unexpected ways. The story feels reflective and character-driven rather than plot-heavy, which gives it a unique tone compared to more traditional coming-of-age stories.
A thoughtful and quietly compelling read that lingers after the final page.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
So I trudged through to the very end. I truly wish I was the type of reader that could DNF a book. Because I’ll never get those hours back and there are way too many books on my TBR. But for some reason though, I just can’t. The first half was drawn out and very repetitive but it did pick up a bit at about 60% in. What most annoyed me though, is how a male author can deem to know the mind of a fifteen year old and have her speak the way she did. I just can’t see her referring to herself as, what I find the worst and most disgusting word ever, a ____ starts with a “c” and sounds like runt.
Another thing that annoyed me was the fact that I had figured out, from the very start, who was at fault. It might be just me that feels this way, but if I figure out the twist, then the book just isn’t as good for me. Maybe I’ve read too many thrillers.
Thank you to Doubleday via NetGalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Another thing that annoyed me was the fact that I had figured out, from the very start, who was at fault. It might be just me that feels this way, but if I figure out the twist, then the book just isn’t as good for me. Maybe I’ve read too many thrillers.
Thank you to Doubleday via NetGalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Amateur and its plot felt like a 3-star, but Chris Bohjalian's writing brings it up to a 3.5! I am very impressed with how enjoyable this author's writing was. It was very engaging in a way that brings you in right away. This is difficult to find sometimes with thrillers.
The reason I didn't love the plot was the focus. The golf aspects lost me quite frequently. I did not enjoy those at all. If the story had a different background, I think it would have been better for me.
Mira was such an interesting character to follow. I loved seeing how her life, actions, and experiences ended up. The effects it had on her life made for an intriguing book.
Thank you NetGalley, Doubleday, & Chris Bohjalian for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Amateur is released on August 4, 2026!
The reason I didn't love the plot was the focus. The golf aspects lost me quite frequently. I did not enjoy those at all. If the story had a different background, I think it would have been better for me.
Mira was such an interesting character to follow. I loved seeing how her life, actions, and experiences ended up. The effects it had on her life made for an intriguing book.
Thank you NetGalley, Doubleday, & Chris Bohjalian for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Amateur is released on August 4, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Chris Bohjalian's The Amateur is a historical fiction, mystery novel written as a memoir. The fictional narrator, Mira, is an author of many books and in this one, she writes her own story of a time she killed a boy with a golf ball and the consequences she paid.
This story is difficult with topics that include: attempted suicide, self-harm, drugs, and pedophilia. It was both unsettling and compelling. I felt like a friend was telling this story just to me. This multi-layered exploration of accountability was a character study of a deeply flawed woman who's raw anguish over this one event changed the course of not only her future, but of all her living moments. Sometimes, the damage we do to ourselves is much worse that what others could ever possibly do to us.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the review copy. Outstanding!
This story is difficult with topics that include: attempted suicide, self-harm, drugs, and pedophilia. It was both unsettling and compelling. I felt like a friend was telling this story just to me. This multi-layered exploration of accountability was a character study of a deeply flawed woman who's raw anguish over this one event changed the course of not only her future, but of all her living moments. Sometimes, the damage we do to ourselves is much worse that what others could ever possibly do to us.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the review copy. Outstanding!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This book pulled me in right away. What begins as a shocking accident slowly becomes a story about guilt, power, and how easily a young woman can be judged and reshaped by the people around her. Mira is flawed and vulnerable, and her involvement with multiple older men adds an unsettling layer that underscores her isolation and the clear imbalance of power at play. The community’s reaction to a young girl’s uncovered secrets feels harsh but believable, especially as her private choices are dragged into public view. The novel does a great job showing how one moment can permanently alter a life.
Many thanks to Edelweiss+ and Doubleday for providing an ARC prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to Edelweiss+ and Doubleday for providing an ARC prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 ⭐ While I have been a fan of Bohjalian's other books, this one was not as much of a hit for me. I struggled to find likeable qualities in the FMC (Mira) and even most of the other characters. The exceptions to that are Ethan, who turns out to be the savior in many ways, and Kenneth who was the victim. Both seemed like good people lacking self destructive qualities. Mira caught some lucky breaks but I didn't feel like she did much to help herself improve, which was frustrating.
The book starts out in a way that definitely draws readers in and the author's writing style holds an audience. Bohjalian knows how to tell a story. This one just fell a little flat for me.
Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this one early!
The book starts out in a way that definitely draws readers in and the author's writing style holds an audience. Bohjalian knows how to tell a story. This one just fell a little flat for me.
Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this one early!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
1978: Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a golf ball from her tee toward the practice net near the clubhouse and accidentally kills Kenny Foster in minutes. Will Mira, Kenny’s family, and Mira’s family ever recover?
The Amateur not only deals with the horrific accident but also delves into deeper questions about morality, identity, and injustice. It talks about the dynamics of wealth and power – especially when tragedy strikes someone at the top of the social ladder. The book also explores Mira’s psychological journey from being socially ostracized to learning how one moment in time can change an entire life for so many people. It is a tragic accident with rippling consequences – a great thought-provoking thriller!
The Amateur not only deals with the horrific accident but also delves into deeper questions about morality, identity, and injustice. It talks about the dynamics of wealth and power – especially when tragedy strikes someone at the top of the social ladder. The book also explores Mira’s psychological journey from being socially ostracized to learning how one moment in time can change an entire life for so many people. It is a tragic accident with rippling consequences – a great thought-provoking thriller!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, Doubleday Books, for providing the copy of The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian. I loved the description and have loved other books by Bohjolian, but this one wasn’t a hit for me. Mira was a thoroughly unpleasant character, and by the middle of the book, I couldn’t care less about her. I wish she had been given some good qualities to balance her out. I’m not a golf fan, but I liked how golf was incorporated into the story, and really, what other sport would have made sense? I liked the conclusion of the trial and the story, and I loved the epilogue, but it was a long wait to get to “the good part”. 3 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars
I am someone who almost exclusively reads thrillers and requested it because it was tagged as one. I found the thriller/mystery aspect of it to be very light and not very shocking. Despite this, I really enjoyed this book! I thought the memoir style writing was interesting and engaging, and I enjoyed the modern-day remarks added throughout. I agree with others that some of the golf talk dragged a bit at times, especially since I am someone with very minimal knowledge of the sport, but the book kept my interest throughout. I found the ending and tying up of the "mystery" to be bittersweet and not too hard to guess.
I am someone who almost exclusively reads thrillers and requested it because it was tagged as one. I found the thriller/mystery aspect of it to be very light and not very shocking. Despite this, I really enjoyed this book! I thought the memoir style writing was interesting and engaging, and I enjoyed the modern-day remarks added throughout. I agree with others that some of the golf talk dragged a bit at times, especially since I am someone with very minimal knowledge of the sport, but the book kept my interest throughout. I found the ending and tying up of the "mystery" to be bittersweet and not too hard to guess.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors. This book isn’t my favorite of his, but it is a very good and compelling read. It’s the story of Mira, a young rising tennis star who accidentally kills a caddie with an errant golf swing. The entire trajectory of her life changes and I love the way Bohjalian explores this ‘life can turn by such a small action’ concept. Mira is extremely likable and vulnerable, even though she’s also incredibly strong. It’s a coming of age story but also so much more.
*Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.*
*Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25
setting: new York
rep: n/a
this is one of those odd times where I take ages to read a book because when I'm reading it I'm loving it, but when I'm not reading it I don't feel much need to pick it up, but then I do and it's great again. I don't know why. but I did really enjoy this one. Mira was a surprisingly well-written protagonist both as a 17-year-old girl and the 50-something woman writing her memoir considering the author is a man, which I usually find icky. he did good though, so I'll let him off! I enjoyed Mira's voice and I do often enjoy a fictional memoir/biography!
setting: new York
rep: n/a
this is one of those odd times where I take ages to read a book because when I'm reading it I'm loving it, but when I'm not reading it I don't feel much need to pick it up, but then I do and it's great again. I don't know why. but I did really enjoy this one. Mira was a surprisingly well-written protagonist both as a 17-year-old girl and the 50-something woman writing her memoir considering the author is a man, which I usually find icky. he did good though, so I'll let him off! I enjoyed Mira's voice and I do often enjoy a fictional memoir/biography!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Set in 1978, teenage golf prodigy Mira accidentally kills her fellow classmate Kenny who is working at the golf club when her golf ball flies through a hole in a net and hits him in the head. I wish I had read this book for a book club because there are lots of details I wish I could discuss and try and wrap my mind around how I feel, especially regarding Mira's relationships with older men. It was an engaging read.
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