Voices - by Janice Law

Reviewed by Elaine Williams

Leslie was told to expect a certain degree of memory loss as she recovered from a medical emergency, but no one warned her about the voices. She can't remember names of people she worked with as a newspaper reporter, but suddenly she has new memories, partial remembrances of a childhood shrouded in mystery. Her reporter's instincts kick in when she runs across the twenty-five-year-old story of a kidnapping. The voices become more insistent, questioning: why are there no photos of Leslie before junior high school? Why does she remember her aunt saying, "Your name is Leslie now"? Leslie must now embark on the most important journey of her life: to see if her memories match the reality of her past.

Author Janice Law has woven a compelling tale about the power of memory that also explores the question of what really makes a family. The characters are realistically developed, which makes this book different from others with similar plots. As with real life couples, Leslie and her husband don't agree on everything, and their thoughts and motivations are sometimes loving, sometimes selfish. They feel threatened, argue, and forgive. They are nervous and unsettled when facing the unknown, yet determined and strong when it really counts. This novel is no fairy tale where all relationships work magically together.

The only complaint I have about this book is a mild one. I found the author's style a bit disconcerting. The novel begins abstractly, then switches to a more common style that draws on action, dialogue, and realistic description. Then suddenly, Law throws in short, dreamlike sequences that left me backtracking for clues as to what just happened. In spite of this fault, Law does engage the reader until the end. It becomes impossible to put the book down without finishing the story of what happens to these authentic people.

According to Janice Law's website, the plot of Voices is based on a disappearance that occurred near the author's childhood home in eastern New York State. Years later, someone came forward claiming to be the missing camper.

Law's previous novels include The Night Bus, The Lost Diaries of Iris Weed, and nine mystery novels starring Anna Peters, one of the first modern female fictional detectives. She also writes short stories for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and other publications. For more information, consult Janice Law's website at www.janicelaw.com.