The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is about the tragic murder of Suzie Salmon, a 14 year old girl. It is told from the perspective of Suzie, through her memories of her family, through her experiences in life, and her reality in heaven. Suzie was survived by her mother, father, 13 year old sister, and 4 year old brother. Each of them deals with her death in their own way. Her father, trying desperately to pin the blame on their neighbor, Mr. Harvey. Her mother, who eventually has to leave the family to escape. Her sister, Lindsey, who tries to distance herself from her own last name and works to solve the mystery of her sister's life and death. And, Buckley, the 4 year old who just wants to move on while keeping Suzie's memory safe. Mr. Harvey, who in fact did kill Suzie in a most brutal way, trying to maintain his innocence while living 2 houses down from the Salmons. Suzie watches from her own version of heaven, seeing her family and friends grow without her. She knows an old acquaintance, Ruth, can feel her presence, but doesn't know how to reach out to her family to help them solve the crime.

This was a very good book. It took a very realistic look at an incredibly tragic event, following the path from the time of the murder through Suzie's eventual "letting go" of earth - years and years later. It makes me wonder (even hope?) if any of my loved ones are so closely with me in my day to day activities. This book is definitely for a more mature reader due to violence and language.