Great Suspenseful Read

Theory of Remainders – Scott Carpenter

Psychiatrist Philip Adler is on the verge of disaster. Divorced, he has become a shell of a man and completely stripped of anything resembling passion or joy. A funeral draws him back to his ex-wife’s homeland of France, and reunites him with the pain and anguish of the brutal death of his teenage daughter fifteen years ago. While there, he embarks on a mission to resolve questions about this past, in hopes to bring some form of healing to his listless life. The hook here is that he meets a strange man who may hold the answers to the truth – if only he can hear him.

This is a fine suspense novel that comes complete with its share of twists. Not your typical “whodunit,” Carpenter weaves together an engaging read complete with sophisticated word play. It has its fair share of the basic themes of love and loss that will compel any reader to follow the narrative with ease, but it’s the focus on family relationships that inked me to the read.

Characters develop at a smooth pace, and felt real to the story, not just mock up images with backstory of filler. There were instances where I had to read passages over and over because I was concerned that I’d miss some intricate piece of the puzzle. This is a sheer pleasure for those interested in adult fiction with a strong prose and seamless storytelling. Pick up a copy now. 5/5 stars

“A stellar achievement.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A rare and wondrous novel.” — Readers’ Favorite