All That is Mine I Carry with Me, William Landay

About the Book

One afternoon in November 1975, ten-year-old Miranda Larkin comes home from school to find her house eerily quiet. Her mother is missing. Nothing else is out of place. There is no sign of struggle. Her mom’s pocketbook remains in the front hall, in its usual spot.
 
So begins a mystery that will span a lifetime. What happened to Jane Larkin?
 
Investigators suspect Jane’s husband. A criminal defense attorney, Dan Larkin would surely be an expert in outfoxing the police.
 
But no evidence is found linking him to a crime, and the case fades from the public’s memory, a simmering, unresolved riddle. Jane’s three children—Alex, Jeff, and Miranda—are left to be raised by the man who may have murdered their mother.
 
Two decades later, the remains of Jane Larkin are found. The investigation is awakened. The children, now grown, are forced to choose sides. With their father or against him? Guilty or innocent? And what happens if they are wrong?
 
A tale about family—family secrets and vengeance, but also family love—All That Is Mine I Carry With Me masterfully grapples with a primal question: When does loyalty reach its limit?

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Releases March 7th

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My Thoughts

The three Larkin children, Miranda, Jeff, and Alex, are trying to live their life in the wake of their mother Jane’s disappearance. Told in alternating viewpoints, including that of Jane, we watch the disappearance and the decades afterward. While the story does leisurely unfold, it is an absolutely gripping novel. When I got comfortable with one point of view and entirely invested in that story, we jumped perspectives, and it started again. Landay has you relating to everyone, from Detective Glover to young Miranda.

I lost my parents as a teen, but the difference was that I knew they were gone. I cannot imagine growing up without answers. I cannot imagine the absolute pain of not knowing, which is especially hard for Miranda. My heart hurt that she suffered so. I think it is interesting that we don’t get Alex’s perspective. As the oldest sibling, he’s kind of just there, a staunch supporter of their father, Dan, his only ally, really. I don’t feel like we need his point of view, but I would love to know why Dan’s only supporter does not get a say.

This was a fun read and a fabulous introduction to this author. I’m excited to go back and read some of his previous work. Thank you, Random House/Ballantine, for sending over an advanced copy of the novel.

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