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Hinterland is my second published novel. I also have two short story collections published. Other short stories have appeared in over a dozen magazines, and have won or been short-listed in various awards. I started writing Hinterland over ten years ago. The story started with Kathleen and the image of her dresses hanging in the wardrobe after she disappeared. Over many drafts and revisions, I realized that the story was less about Kathleen's illness and more about Nicholas and Kate's relationship and how his silence damages them. Kate changes from a sweet five-year old to a rebellious and angry teenager. The book is also about parenting and the choices that we are forced to make, and its also about how society can judge and how difficult it is for people to forgive past mistakes.
Reviewed by Jose Cornelio for Readers' Favorite
Hinterland by L.M. Brown is an engrossing and emotionally rich story that explores themes of love, family, and parenting. Nicholas Giovanni drives a taxi at night and adores spending time with his five-year-old daughter, Kate. His wife, Kathleen, has been unstable, health-wise, even before their daughter was born. The dynamics change dramatically when Nicholas's childhood best friend, Ina, comes back to live next door. Kathleen gets suspicious and jealous and her attitude grows stronger every day until the fateful day that violence happens and she disappears. Kate misses her mother and wants to know what happened to her. While Nicholas avoids discussing the subject, her frustration grows until she runs away. Can Nicholas find their daughter and speak the truth before he loses everything he values?
L.M. Brown has crafted a novel that is very engaging and explores emotions that are subtle, the strong yet fragile bond between father and daughter, and how sickness can change family dynamics. From the very beginning, I loved how the author captures the fondness that Nicholas has for his daughter and how he gets worried every night he has to leave her and drive his taxi. The psychological conflict is superbly written and the author does an impeccable job in exploring the strained relationship between Kathleen and Nicholas. The writing is largely descriptive and there are few dialogues, but they are well-written. The author includes interesting details in the narrative, paying attention to elements of the setting, the emotions of the characters, and their thought processes. Hinterland features characters that are genuinely flawed and that readers can easily relate to. It is an exciting read that tugs at the finest sentiments in readers as they follow the characters through the complexities of their relationships.
