Three Hours Late (Nicole Trope, A&U)

This is the second adult novel from Nicole Trope, author of The Boy under the Table, and like that tale, it also delves into the lives of families enduring hellish times and the horrible fates that may befall innocent children. Fiction hooked into contemporary issues is a recent trend, and the main theme here is domestic violence. The story explores the inner feelings of both a domestic violence victim and perpetrator in the fallout from their broken marriage. Caught in the middle is three-year-old Luke, who fails to be returned to his mother after an outing with his father Alex. The writing style is sparse and the plot is mostly propelled by the tension arising from whether Luke will be returned safely or not. The parents also reflect back on their history together and their feelings for their son. Much of the story is told through the lens of mother Liz’s anguish. I missed the interwoven themes of wider-ranging novels and found the characters slightly one-dimensional. The subject matter was also disturbing and terribly sad. That said, readers who are already fans, or who enjoy suspense, contemporary issues or family dramas, and who are not deterred by dark topics, may find this an engaging read.

Joanne Shiells is an editor and former retail book buyer

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Category: Reviews