Book #31 - Turn of Mind

What would it be like to have dementia, to fade in and out of what you know, what reality is or seems to be?  Alice LaPlante's Turn of Mind is a psychological thriller which somewhat answers this question.


Jennifer, the main character of the book, is a highly skilled hand surgeon, who also has Alzheimer's.  The plot revolves around the murder investigation of Jennifer's best friend Amanda.  All of the evidence points towards Jennifer, but even her own mind won't unlock the truth for her.  As time passes, Jennifer's condition worsens and still the investigation continues.


It is also a book filled with secrets, Jennifer's secrets, her children's, her spouse's, friends' and caregiver's.  The novel can be dark at moments, but we all have dark spots in our souls even if our sins are smaller than the characters portrayed here.


A fast read, this is a book I couldn't put down and finished in 24 hours.  I think of all of the books I've read so far this year, this is the one I would choose for a book club because it is totally gripping.