Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Cell phones are the bane of modern filmmaking. It seems like at least half (if not more) of all major conflicts from classic movies could be solved with a simple phone call (or text message) between two people who have the ability to communicate almost literally wherever they are. Modern writers have taken to have the first character be tragically misunderstood, but get so frustrated they decide not to clarify things because they're SO ANGRY or the second character is SO HURT ... only for it finally be resolved a few months/weeks/one crisis later.

Or you could have the character go to Antarctica. I'm just saying, it's an option. Apparently.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is one young teenager's attempt to piece together where her missing mother might be. For out-and-out Seattleites (complete with a Microsoft Dad), they certainly have more adventures than you might expect.

The plot mostly moves forward through a series of miscues and miscommunications - some accidental, some not. I'm loathe to give away any of the plot points, really, because trying to muddle through what the hell happened is well more than half the fun.

I really liked the book, but I have the literary equivalent of part of a popcorn kernel stuck in my teeth that, no matter how hard I run my tongue against it, I can't quite seem to get loose.

As mentioned, the novel propels itself along with tufts and strings that hint at what happened, but only become fully fleshed out the farther you get into it: A murder mystery without a murderer. But if your whole book rests on the plot, all the dominoes you set up in the front half have to pay off with a satisfying topple in the end. In this case we get not a bang, but yet more misdirection and a plot hole between the dominoes you could fly a 747 or navigate an Antarctic research vessel through.

That's what knocked me down to a mild “you should probably read” versus a must-recommend. Regardless, though, definitely one to keep in mind.