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Beckett’s named not for the writer, but for a building at the college where her parents taught and she attended. In her last year on campus, a fatal tragedy occurs during hazing, and she’s shuttled off to a year abroad and never returns. Much later, to her dismay, her daughter Delilah chooses to go to that college where she gets a full ride. Soon after, Delilah disappears. Old tunnels lie under the campus which hide secrets and provide escape hatches. Chapters toggle from then to now, and the plot twists and turns with great suspense. Coverups galore pepper the narrative. Kentucky setting.
In Somers, NY, there’s a statue of Bet, the elephant who was brought to town in the 1820’s. Bet’s history is murky, and she met an ignominious end—a metaphor for the rot beneath the hype. In present day, we meet Freya, who fled Somers and ended up in Maine. When she falls on hard times, she returns to her hometown, where she moves into the falling-down house she inherited after her parents died in an accident. She has a contentious relationship with her sister, Steena, and provides refuge for Steena’s 15-year-old daughter, Aubrey who’s at odds with her hypocritical mom. Fixing up the house and working through very tangled relationships lie at the heart of the story. Sometimes I couldn’t completely sort out the complex cast of characters, and once in awhile I had to suspend disbelief, but this didn’t dim the delight I felt in getting to know these special folks. (Some books just feel like home.)
Indeed they do, as two scuzzy dope peddling families seek revenge in Appalachia. Burl’s daughter, DeeDee, has died of an overdose, and he goes after Clovis and his henchmen who supplied the drugs. DeeDee’s daughter, Chelsea, 5, is the love of Burl’s life. His relationship with his wife is dicey, considering his blatant philandering. But Burl, bigger than life, wields widespread power both in his own dark realm and out in society (money talks). Characters with names like Meatloaf and Cargo populate the tale, and the schemes and subsequent action keep blasting along. No redemption here, but I was surprised to discover how invested I became as the story unfolded.
All the moderation workers at Reeden, a behemoth company, give themselves fake names. They’re BIPOC for the most part; white people can’t seem to cut it. Our Filipina protagonist names herself Girlie. Her job is to flag inappropriate social media posts. Her decisions often have to grapple with ethical mine fields, and she’s so skilled that she gets promoted to police virtual reality sites for controversial actions. She’s attracted to her boss, William, and they both start to have doubts about the power of an enterprise that starts to manipulate real lives. Witty, incisive, and mind-blowing. Who knew what goes on behind what most people think of as diversion or entertainment.
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