Carol Wood Reviews:

Folly
by Laurie R. King

Every time I pick up a Laurie R. King book, I'm assured of at least one late night and a very satisfying read. Folly was a step out of her usual dectective series and it was up close and personal for me. The main character, Rae Newborn, has attempted suicide and has continued suicidal tendencies. That's a boogieman many of us writer types have had to face. Laurie's portrayal of the ins and outs of monopolar symptoms were very real. I had to set the book down several times to allow myself time to reflect and to remove myself from the text.

But, I couldn't let it go. It's that good. Laurie R. King, not Laurie King (and I will never forget the R. again.) builds the tension slowly and methodically. I loved that Rae Newborn is a grandmother whom her children think is a hysterical and unbalanced old fool. And I loved that the character isn't sure herself if they aren't correct in their thinking or that her grand attempt at recovery - running away to a deserted island in Washington state - isn't just an excuse to be left alone to do the deed. Reading this book, I felt like I was talking to the woman in my mirror (minus the grandkids). I was particularly happy with the slow way Laurie R. King reveals Rae Newborn's strengths. This isn't just the story of Rae Newborn's recovery. It is also interwoven with the story of her mysterious Grand Uncle whom no one in Rae's family would ever talk about. He was a worker in wood just like Rae. She is in fact, is on his island to rebuild his house and her fragmented psychie. Half of the book is a careful view into her Uncle's world via his diary. The two stories slowly intertwine in the masterful way I have come to expect from a Laurie R. King book.

If you want to read a book that feels like a section of real life, with each character painted in exacting lifelike detail, this is a must read.

To learn more about this author, go to her website - http://www.laurierking.com/index.html