Deborah Copaken Kogan

Between Here and April: "Deborah Kogan's fearless novel interrogates one of society's last great taboos--maternal love gone wrong...Reading this book, I felt like I was being told a dangerous secret." Heidi Julavits, from the back of the book.

This is the second novel by Kogan that I have read in the last month or so. Can't remember where I heard about her, but have enjoyed both books. The characters are real and their lives are not perfect, but as a reader, I find myself identifying with these younger women in all the messiness of their lives. In Between Hear and April, Elizabeth is trying to balance her work life with the needs of her two young daughters. Her husband is described as a great dad when he is around. The problem is, he's never around. She begins to have flashes of memory of April, a best friend in first grade who suddenly disappeared. It turns out April and her sister Lily died along with their mother when she committed suicide. The more Elizabeth explores the mystery of her young friend's death, the more she realizes that her life is eerily parallel to Adele's, April's mother. As Elizabeth begins to understand her own needs, she feels she has a glimpse into the heart and mind of Adele. There are many other layers in this novel and it was both an easy and a difficult read.
By the way, Elizabeth also cheats on her husband, but in this case, the author made me understand her at such a deep level, it felt like a natural outgrowth of her problems with her husband. One thing I do like about Kogan's novels is that she wraps it up neatly at the end. I know real life is a lot more messy, but I still like a tidy ending.
Other books read:
A Darkness More than Night by Michael Connelly (book seven in the Harry Bosch series)

“Lauren Fox writes with verve and a keen understanding of human relationships. She also happens to be riotously funny. Friends Like Us is at once a hilarious page-turner and a wise meditation on friendship, marriage, and the ways in which our parents’ mistakes so often shape our lives.” - J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Maine and Commencement 

Given this endorsement, I thought I would love this book, and the author. I was so sure, I checked this book out along with her first book, Still Life with Husband, at the same time. And I was almost right. The writing is clear, precise and has little tidbits of real life that other authors tend to leave out, especially those funny rifs between friends when the littlest thing can make you laugh and only you and your friend think it is funny. While I didn't LOVE Friends, I did like it enough to read Still Life and now as I finish the last 50 pages of Still Life, I keeping asking myself, why? Why am I reading this, why did she write this?
Both books have a pivotal event that is creepy.  Won't give away what happens in Friends, but in Still Life, the main character, Emily, cheats on her husband. This in itself is not the creepy part. The creepy part is that Fox still tries to make Emily a sympathetic character that the reader will relate to and appreciate. And maybe if I were 40 years younger, I might, but probably not.
The other thing about Fox as a writer is that she essentially has one character. Emily is almost the same character as Willa and physically they resemble pictures of Fox. Personally, I think she is carrying write what you know a little too far. Let me know some authors where you find this same phenomenon.  Some people have laid this at the feet of Jane Austen, but I would have to disagree there.
Also reading lately: (Rating based on five star being great and 1 star don't bother!)
Ruby red by Kerstin Gier *** (young adult, beginning of a series, probably won't read the others, complicated plot and didn't hold my interest enough to want to pay more attention)
A Christmas garland by Anne Perry ****
Deadly Valentine by Carolyn Hart **** (love Carolyn Hart)
Deception by Jonathan Kellerman ****
The last coyote by Michael Connelly ****
Trunk music by Michael Connelly ****
Angels flight by Michael Connelly ****
See a pattern here, just started the next MC book A Darkness More Than Night. Have not yet gotten bored with Harry Bosch and his unending temper!
Best news: all these books except Ruby Red  are available through my library on the kindle, so I could take them with me on my trip to Mexico.