The Rumor by Lesley Kara

The Rumor by Lesley Kara

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pub date: June 18, 2019
Ballentine Books
Genre: fiction, mystery

I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review.

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes—Mark Twain.

A cautionary tale of how rumors can develop a life of their own. Similarly, it explores how easily people can be misinterpreted and judged. Do people deserve to protect their privacy and life events? It seems that everyone is subject to interrogation for being too quiet and isolated or being a boisterous busybody!

“He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.”—Friedrich Nietzsche

Joanna Critchley, a real estate agent moved back to her hometown of Flintstead with her young son Alfie. She lives closer to her mother and hopes that her son will escape bullying and find some friends. She feels partly responsible as she has been reluctant to engage with the other mothers. She never married Alfie’s father, Michael Lewis, who is still very involved in their lives. She fears they don’t blend into the neighborhood being a single mom raising a mixed race child.

In an attempt to socialize with the other mothers at drop off at Perrydale Elementary, she questions a rumor repeated by Cathy who does not hesitate to express her option. Thus, the rumor becomes topic amongst the mom’s group who eventually embrace Joanna when they believe she has information regarding the rumor. She reluctantly accepts an invitation to join their Babysitting Circle in attempts to help Alfie’s social situation. The group consisting of Debbie Barton,Teri Monkton, Karen from book club, Fatima and her “neighbor and honorary mother” Kay.

Apparently, a woman named Sally McGowen, who served time for stabbing five-year-old Robbie Harris to death when she was ten-years-old, has relocated to their quiet seaside community. It was a sensational news story back in 1969 and she seemed to remain off the grid until reporters tracked her down six years following her release in 1981. The resurrection of this story ignited the interest of the town who are trying to uncover the truth of the rumor she may be living among them. It also stirs controversy regarding whether people who commit heinous crimes and if they are capable of reform.

At the urging of her mother, Jo joined a neighborhood book club where her circle of acquaintances widens. At the fourth meeting she struggles observing persistent questioning of the the newest member. She feels like people are allowed a live life without broadcasting it to the whole town. In Liz Blackthorne’s dining room,
with Maddie, Jenny, Barbara and Karen, Joanna interjects with the rumor she had heard at school much to the surprise of everyone. She succeeded in changing the conversation but soon regrets sharing this with women she barely knew.

The story did get a bit confusing for me to keep track of the many characters involved with Joanna and how she knew them. The story maintains mystery and raises questions as it unfolds and people become paranoid about whether a killer is living in Flintstead. Many question why her identity should matter and others are eager to condemn raising suspicion and unrest in the quiet town. The truth is that we don’t have any control over other people and what they perceive their truth to be. Often, the people pointing their fingers at others are merely trying to distract attention from themselves.




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