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The Life We Bury
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carls conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before its too late to escape the fallout? From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Andrea4
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

I don't know how I stumbled on this book but I was hooked from the get go and ran through it in 4 days.
I loved Joe, Lila, and his brother, even Carl from the get go. Once the code was broken, I guessed the full story but it didn't deter me.
I liked that every character, even the side ones, have some “baggage“ in their past.
Also, there's something about windows and sight throughout this book that has me still musing.

20 likes1 stack add
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Blueberry
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Bailedbailed

Bailed for now. It just wasn't the right timing. Maybe will come back to it someday.

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Blueberry
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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"I remember being pestered by a sense of dread as I walked to my car that day, pressed down by a wave of foreboding that swirled around my head and broke against the evening in small ripples.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

37 likes1 stack add
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Bookwormjillk
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

I picked this book for the cover, but luckily I enjoyed the mystery revolving around a school project and a convicted murderer who is in hospice. This is the first in a series and I will probably read more. #booked2023 #wronglyincacerated

Cathythoughts Looks good. Stacking .. great cover. 2y
Cinfhen I‘ve seen loads of positive reviews for this book!! Glad you enjoyed it too!! 2y
sherrisilvera Love this author! 2y
64 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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micaelapriestley
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

"What if I was wrong? What if there was no other side. What if, in all the eons of eternity, this was the one and only time that I would be alive. How would I live my life if that were the case?" #bookclub #Novemberbook #fallread #minnesotaread

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Smlambert725
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens

“That you understand how wrong it is to judge someone before you know their whole story.”
#November2022

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Steph.Titus
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
Pickpick

#Book.32.2022

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AudiobookingWithLeah
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

4¼⭐
I thought I‘d try something by this author and this 1st in a series seemed like a good place to start. I have to say this didn‘t disappoint me. I really liked Joe and his sidekick, Lila as amateur detectives. Although Joe made some foolish decisions…at least when the sh*t hit the fan, he realized his stupidity. Overall, this really kept me guessing right up until the end. The narration by Zach Villa was fantastic.

21 likes2 stack adds
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Read4life
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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#scarathlondailyprompt #victim @Clwojick
#TeamSlaughter

So many victims. Including the wrongly accused.

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Jeansandatshirt
Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

What a great book! I loved the characters - Joe and Lila and Carl - and Jeremy. A nice welcome back to reading for fun 😁

Jeansandatshirt Omg - reading the second book and I‘m in love with the narration (it‘s my commuting book!). I didn‘t think I‘d like a different narrator than the one for The Life We Bury, but I totally love this one, too! 2y
5 likes1 comment
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Julsmarshall
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

This was a solid thriller with a lot of depth. Kept me listening (walking to #audiobook), couldn‘t wait to hear the conclusion. Not due to a twisty, surprising ending but because of the characters and how they dealt with the unfolding story. Tenderness and family resolutions are not common in this genre, I‘ll definitely read the second book in the series. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
Jeansandatshirt I‘m listening to this book and especially appreciate the narration… 2y
63 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Geemom1118
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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It‘s a rainy day here so what better way to start the New Year than curled up with a new book and a blanket. 5/5⭐️ Excellent book!!

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GinaKButler
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Happy Birthday, Sarah!! Thank you so much for hosting #bookspin every month...I love participating. I hope you have a wonderful day!

For the #birthdaybash readathon, I‘m planning on:

Finishing the tagged book on audio (it‘s so good!)
Reading chapters 28-29 in Lonesome Dove
Finishing Survivor Type (a short story)
Putting a dent in Meet Me At The Museum (my #bookspin)

Hope you get some reading in today, too!
@TheAromaofBooks

Amiable I just got to ch. 35 and stopped. My brother‘s boyfriend says that‘s the chapter with a major snake scene. 😬 Let me know how bad it is when you get there! 3y
GinaKButler @Amiable I‘ll let you know...😬😬 3y
TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! And hopefully the snakes weren't too bad!! 😂 3y
GinaKButler @Amiable Definitely skip Chapter 35! 😱 3y
Amiable @GinaKButler My husband just read that chapter for me! My brother warned me, too. 😬 3y
16 likes5 comments
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GinaKButler
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Up next! It‘s been recommended by a few friends AND is the first in a series! #bookspinbingo

JenReadsAlot It's a good one! 3y
Amiable Oh, I really liked this series! 3y
17 likes1 stack add2 comments
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suvata
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

Joe Talbert is a 21-year-old college student assigned with writing a biography. He visits a nursing home in search of an interesting subject. Joe meets Carl Iverson, a Vietnam Vet who was convicted of raping and killing a teen girl in 1980. It is now 30 years later and Carl has been let out of prison because he is dying. Joe cannot let the story go, believing that Carl is innocent. He unveils the truth and brings the real killer to justice.

41 likes1 stack add
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Gissy
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

30 years ago a crime was committed and who did it is now dying. A college student will write a paper about this person‘s story, new perspectives arise. I saw the twist coming but I was wrong in my guess. There are some heartwarming parts at least for me but also inconsistencies-using a cellular you forgot in another place in last chapter?🧐In general I enjoy it and want to read book 2. This book was received from @EH2018 in 2018 thanks❤️

Gissy @mabell I‘m using the mug☕️❤️❤️❤️ 4y
Gissy Triggers: rape topes and children abuse and negligence
BookSpinBingo @TheAromaOfBooks
#ShutdownReadathon @Squidget
(edited) 4y
DieAReader 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y
See All 9 Comments
mabell Fun!! 😍 How many do you have in the Starbucks city/state collection now? 4y
Gissy @mabell I have 7: Illinois, St. Louis, Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, San Juan, Puerto Rico (I need those last two☺️). I use mugs, book sleeves, bookmarks and totes in accordance with season and/or what I am reading. Just to make my reading time more fun. Only a reader can understand this obsession in which family and the majority of friends are not included. They look at me with concern🤣 (edited) 4y
Gissy 3.5⭐️ 4y
mabell I love seasonal booksleeves and mugs too! It‘s not hoarding if it‘s book-related 🤣 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
Gissy @mabell Exactly!📚📚📚☕️☕️☕️❤️ 4y
58 likes1 stack add9 comments
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Biohaz74
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

Great thriller

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Monnntannnya
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this one! The author does a great job building suspense throughout the story. Just a well written suspense story through and through.

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Frecks-Booklover4life
Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
Pickpick

# 12 of 2020 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#Thelifewebury has been sitting in my audible account for years untouched. I started it and became so intrigued with the story that I started reading the rest of it.
A college assignment begins the investigation into a 30 year old murder. And whether or not the convicted killer is guilty or innocent.
This one was well written with underlining stories that flowed.

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GardenJess
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
Pickpick

The audio version was so well done! I‘ll definitely seek out the next one soon.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Panpan

Maybe I am just a snob but I really did not like the overly simplistic writing and the sad characterization of women - really is there a more trite rendering then the beautiful, smart, but damaged neighbor who is just going to lift her skirt for you the second you show her an ounce of kindness?
I was glad when the book was over. Luckily it was a quick read.

SamAnne Yup. Felt the same. 4y
ChaoticMissAdventures @SamAnne I am finding it hard to say anything nice about it! 4y
14 likes2 comments
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JoyBlue
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

I'm pleasantly surprised. The story is sufficiently twisty. There are interesting main, secondary, and tertiary characters.

By its very nature, there is a fair amount of violence (mentioned as being in the past and in real-time)—murders, rapes, assaults. It's gross and unsettling; but, if you're a regular murder mystery/thriller reader, it's probably not above the level of your usual reading.

bookaholic1 Loved this book 5y
52 likes2 comments
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peaKnit
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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15 likes1 stack add
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BrieHive
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
Mehso-so

Finished this a few minutes ago. Honestly most of the book is so great, there are a few convenient plot devices but the story‘s good. The end is why I mark it as so so. It gets kinda cliche with the bad guy just saying what he‘s going to do. Also the fact that the FBI is “to busy” to investigate this murder bothered me but that‘s such a small detail in the story.

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ItsAnotherJen
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

Such a great read! This is a book club book. I think it will make for a great discussion. Very much enjoyed it.

JenReadsAlot This was my book club pick this month! We all really enjoyed it. 5y
bookaholic1 Loved this book 5y
ItsAnotherJen It's one of those that I would recommend. 5y
91 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Nebklvr
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

Dark and intense. A school project brings a young college student to the bedside of a convicted murderer for a dying declaration. But will the college student need to make one of his own? The writing is serviceable, the characters are fine but it is the plot that shines.

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JenReadsAlot
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

OMG this was good! I'll be reading more by this author for sure.

28 likes1 stack add
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JHSiess
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

╰☆☆ 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐀𝗪𝐀𝐘 ☆☆╮⁣

The debut novel from Allen Eskens, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝗪𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐲, is a beautifully told story about redemption, forgiveness, & the power of truth. It's also a fast-paced mystery. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣

Enter to win a copy: https://tinyurl.com/rjsl9ht

Entries accepted until midnight PST Sun., Dec. 29, 2019. (U.S. addresses only.)

Cathythoughts This one sounds good ! I‘m not in U.S. but I‘m stacking 5y
32 likes1 comment
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MelissaSue81
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Mehso-so

Yay! I used this for #soldiersstory for #booked2019 (which is perhaps a bit of a stretch, but it is part of the story), so I have finally completed #booked2019!!
This book was okay. A quick read but predictable and the pacing felt off. I liked the premise but It turned into a definite “dude bro” book about halfway through where the MC started physically fighting people and fending off potential murders left and right.

alisiakae A bit of a stretch is just fine...congrats on finishing #booked2019! 🎉👏🏼 5y
AnneFindsJoy Congrats 🎉 5y
Cinfhen I‘m with @4thhouseontheleft 🎉🎉🎉congratulations 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 5y
See All 7 Comments
Cinfhen I think this book has a sequel?!? 5y
bookaholic1 I loved this book❤❤ 5y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Great job!!! 👊🏻📚♥️ 5y
BrieHive I‘m having a hard time getting to the end. Once he gets a call from DJ and his girlfriend I started rolling my eyes a bit. I still plan to finish though 😊 5y
70 likes7 comments
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DebbieGrillo
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

This book tells the story of a 21 year old college student with an alcoholic mother and an autistic brother. He moves 2 hours away to go to school and must write the memoir of an elderly person for his English class. He goes to a nursing home and is paired with a paroled convict who was sentenced to life in prison for raping and murdering a 14 year old girl, and was released when he needs palliative care because of pancreatic cancer.

Curly_Reader Sounds very interesting. 🤔 5y
Scorpioseah I have read all of his books after reading his very first book. 5y
DebbieGrillo @Scorpioseah are they all this good? Which one should I read next? 5y
bookaholic1 Great book 5y
80 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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Christineann
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
Pickpick

Wow. Maybe heaven on earth is our reality. Good things happen to good people. I was captivated from start to finish!

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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

👍
I liked it! Compelling story, kept me interested the entire way.
BUT, the convenient use of lack of police procedure and the FBI being “too busy” to help solve a rape and murder of a teenager made me 🙄
Nevertheless, a good audiobook

BrieHive I‘m almost at the end and some of the convenient plot devices make me eye roll 5y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @BrieHive Yeah - I had to practically bat them away to keep going there at the end! 😂 5y
66 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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I jist discovered Chirp! Audiobook deals every day. I just got the tagged book (plus 4 or 5 more 😬) for $1 or $2 each.
It‘s run by Bookbub.
Anyone else use this? I‘m excited- had to share.

Megabooks Is it an app or a website? 5y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @Megabooks Both! There‘s a Website and when you buy an audiobook you listen to it using the Chirp app (I think both android and ios are ok). 5y
yeahnonotagain You're are the real MVP 👌 THANK YOU 5y
See All 9 Comments
julesG US residents only 😔😢 5y
LibrarianRyan Yes. The one thing I didn't like was that you had to have yet another app. At least with the books on Book Bub you can put them in any app or device you prefer, but their audiobooks only work on their app. 5y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @julesG Oh crap! Im so sorry! 😖 5y
julesG I'm hoping it'll make it across the pond soon. Just like Author's Direct. 5y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @LibrarianRyan yeah - more company for my Libby, BlueFire, SerialReader . . . And on and on. Oh well. 5y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @ReadingOverSleeping Glad you found it useful! 😁 5y
40 likes9 comments
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SqueakyChu
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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This is EXACTLY what I was in the mood for reading—a novel that is page-turning with short chapters and compelling writing. I never heard of this author before, but I found this book in my own #LittleFreeLibrary from an anonymous donor. Many thanks!

CouronneDhiver I love that author - recommend them all! 5y
SqueakyChu @CouronneDhiver Thanks! I LOVE his writing. It‘s very realistic and even funny at times. I will be sure to look for more of his books in the future. 5y
SqueakyChu @CouronneDhiver I found one other book by this same author in a used book store today. Should these books be read in the order they were written, or does it not matter? 5y
SqueakyChu Wow! This book turned out to be quite the page-turner. It‘s a fascinating, but utterly #creepy read. (edited) 5y
20 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Natsbookshelf
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
Pickpick

I love this book a lot! My teacher told me to read it and I finished this book so quickly! The characters are amazing! The criminal plot line is amazing, and ending is just so good! Definitely recommend!

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wallacereads
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

I read the rave review posted by @swishandflick regarding the sequel to this novel and decided to check out the author. I am so glad I did...this was top notch.

Julsmarshall I have this, I need to move it up the queue! 6y
CouronneDhiver Im so stoked that people are discovering this author - he‘s among my favourites! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 6y
swishandflick Yaaassss! Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did 😄 6y
46 likes1 stack add3 comments
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swishandflick
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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It's been a while since I've done a monthly recap, but this was a particularly good month for me so I couldn't help it! I was all about romance and thrillers this month, and my new Kindle is the real MVP. I can't even tell you how big a difference it makes to read library e-books on it and I've also been pleasantly surprised with my Kindle Unlimited finds. Here's hoping April is just as filled with quality reading time! 😄

DivineDiana 👏🏻📚👏🏻 6y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Well done! 📖💖 6y
MelissaSue81 I have the life we bury on my shelf forever and have never picked it up. I should! 6y
See All 7 Comments
NovelGirl82 I really enjoyed Stillhouse Lake. I have the second one, & just haven‘t read it yet. I need to get on it! There‘s a third, as well! 6y
tammysue 💖 Awesome job!! 6y
Cgetscheeky Holy crap, 26 books in one month?! Lol that‘s goals. 😂 6y
sunlitshelf 26 books you‘re amazing!✨ 6y
95 likes7 comments
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Andrea.9424
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Up next! Never read this author so we will see how it goes 😊

swishandflick So good!!! 6y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
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swishandflick
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

I had never heard of this book or author, but was browsing Libby and the blurb really caught my attention. I was HOOKED from the first chapter, stayed up way too late last night reading "one more chapter", and then missed my subway stop this morning bc I was so absorbed. I'm blown away by how much I enjoyed this "on a whim" find! Excellent, suspenseful writing, and I loved the characters. I've already checked out three more of Eskens' books ?

CouronneDhiver He‘s so good! Love Eskens ❤️ 6y
Amiable It‘s a great series! He‘s so good. 6y
swishandflick @CouronneDhiver @Amiable I'm so glad that I stumbled on him! 👏🏽 6y
108 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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swishandflick
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Damn. You know your book is good when you're so absorbed that you miss your subway stop and have to backtrack to get to work. I haven't done that in so long 😂

Tamra 😜 Must be really engaging! 6y
Suet624 Oops! 6y
mrsmarch That looks suspiciously like Boston! 6y
swishandflick @mrsmarch NYC actually! 34th Street 😄 6y
101 likes1 stack add4 comments
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all_4_kb
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Excited to start this tonight after studying all day!

18 likes2 stack adds
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TheQuietQuill
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

This book was incredible! It had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. I highly recommend and can‘t say enough great things about this novel 👍🏻👍🏻

CouronneDhiver Agree! 👍🏽 6y
sprainedbrain I felt the same way! 6y
53 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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TheQuietQuill
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Getting some reading time in while this little one sleeps on my belly. Yay for baby butts and books! 😂 They say sleep when the baby sleeps, but I say read when the baby sleeps!

mrsmarch If you sleep when the baby sleeps, when will you get anything done? My first hardly slept and when she was awake, she was crying. 6y
TheQuietQuill Yeah pretty impossible @mrsmarch 6y
Melissa_J I totally read when my daughter slept as a baby!! I got a lot of reading done those first few months. 6y
See All 6 Comments
Anna40 Haha! Me too. I read a lot when my son was a baby. :) 6y
rabbitprincess I like baby's nautical PJs! Why do so many awesome kids' PJs not come in grownup size? 😂 6y
TheQuietQuill Right! I look at his clothing and I think “dang, I want that!” 😂😂 @rabbitprincess 6y
63 likes6 comments
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ambam1987
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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I‘ve had this on my reading list for along time and multiple individuals at book club shared that it was their favorite read of the year. sooooo I‘m finally hopping on the book bandwagon 📖

CouronneDhiver Love this author! I saw a new one of his books at the library yesterday- can‘t wait! 6y
16 likes1 comment
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Serenity_Within86
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
Pickpick

Amazing just amazing ❤️❤️ can't wait to read the next book in the series!!!

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chyepanda
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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I haven‘t been hooked since page one but it‘s been pretty close to that. I am anxious to finish this book. I am so glad I picked it up.

CouronneDhiver Love this author - he‘s great! 6y
96 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Serenity_Within86
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Almost done 🤓🤓🤓📚📚📚

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Amiable
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Sunny Saturday afternoon on the deck, alternating between a MEMOIR and a MURDER MYSTERY. (With my love of alliteration, I'm thinking I should have done this on a Monday morning instead. With a muffin or a mimosa.😀)

CouronneDhiver Ooo - I love Eskens‘ novels. Enjoy! 6y
Amiable @CouronneDhiver This is the first thing by him that I've read. What others would you recommend? 6y
See All 8 Comments
Amiable @CouronneDhiver Thank you! Adding them now. 6y
Lcsmcat 😂 6y
jillrhudy One of the best memoirs ever! 6y
Amiable @jillrhudy I just got to the part where her father transfers ownership of The Post over to her and her husband. Can't wait to get to the Watergate chapters! 6y
34 likes8 comments