Who: Alexandra Sokoloff
What: The Grapevine (with author Craig Robertson) and The Harrowing
When: Contemporary for both; Thanksgiving weekend for The Harrowing
Where: California coast for The Grapevine; a college campus for The Harrowing
Why: I discovered Alexandra Sokoloff when I first saw her posts on the comment forum of Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack, “Letters from an American”. My curiosity regarding people led me to read her short bio, and through that I learned she is an award-winning novelist who also teaches writing.
I subscribed to her “Screenwriting for Authors” website to see what advice she could offer for a beginner like me. Her lively and generous spirit on her various websites made me want to read her novels, despite them not being my favorite genres: literary fiction, along with non-fiction, in particular history, and science. When I read The Harrowing, which is her first novel, and The Grapevine, which is the first book in her new detective/murder mystery series, which she calls “The Lost Highway” I discovered new genres to explore.
I read both books in two days, and if there only had been more hours in the day, I probably would have read each in a single sitting! The Harrowing focuses on the few college students remaining in a creepy dorm over the long Thanksgiving weekend.
I read The Harrowing on two levels: both the story and the actual story structure. As a writer myself, I find I tend to be verbose, even though everything I read on the craft suggests cutting out every unnecessary word. By her writing style and the brevity of her prose, Sokoloff drives the narrative such that I felt the anxiety and dread. She absolutely nails the multiple events of the story, capturing a sense of loss of control. Brilliant!
The Grapevine is on an entirely different scope. Its main character is Lou, whose daughter, Abby, went missing a year before. Lou thinks the police are failing to recognize clues to discover Abby’s fate, so she commences with her own investigation. The descriptive scenes of California and the routes that Lou takes in her RV drive the story (no pun intended!). Lou’s hunt at an art/music festival was so imaginative, I confess to searching to see if it is an actual event.
Why should you read these books? If you enjoy these genres and you’re unfamiliar with Sokoloff’s novels, I’m happy to introduce you to her work. If they are not, perhaps, like me, you’d enjoy expanding your reading choices.
The Harrowing is a quick read and was a welcome respite from current events. I’m unsure if I could have experienced this with a more literary novel, which would have caused me to ponder the narrative. The Harrowing drove me to abandon those thoughts as I gobbled the story like a chocolate bar. And unless you have the nerves for it, don’t read The Harrowing while alone on a dark night!
I’ve not been a fan of murder mysteries, as too often, I determine “whodunnit” way before the book ends. I don’t get a serotonin jolt of feeling smart for figuring it out; instead, it detracts from my reading pleasure. Also, too many of these types of books end with the main character somehow confined, while the murderer or baddie’s time confessing their crimes and motives allow for a rescue. Oh, please! While I’m not a murderer nor committed any crimes, I consider this common ending trope laziness or a lack of imagination on the part of the author. Not impressed. Sokoloff does not do that. (I hope that isn’t a spoiler for you!)
Sometimes, I’m in the mood for non-fiction which, in my case at least, does read more slowly. Other times, I want to read for the entertainment joy of reading. Mood does dictate what I pluck from my bookcase. I wouldn’t have considered these genres before, but thanks to Sokoloff, I have new genres to add to my shelves.