Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
The Locket
Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Richard Paul Evans
Class/Genre: Mystery
Simon & Schuster, Oct 1998, $15.95
Though he is mired in debt and feeling all alone, Michael Keddington does not regret for one minute the last six months in which he nursed his mother dying from cancer. When his mother finally dies, a mourning Michael lands a job at the Arcadia nursing home where he befriends Esther Huish, an elderly woman bemoaning the loss of her youth. Eventually, Esther confides in Michael that she let life slip away when she allowed the love of her life to go unanswered.
Michael heeds her advice as he ponders whether he loves Faye Murrow, who is shortly leaving for medical school. Faye wants to marry Michael, but he does not believe he is good enough for her. Her father agrees with Michael's assessment and will do almost anything to separate the dup. Even as he is accused of abusing a nursing home resident patient, Michael has to make up his mind on taking a chance for love or forever regretting what could have been.
THE LOCKET is vintage Richard Paul Evans (see THE CHRISTMAS BOX and THE LETTER) as the story line is saturated with tear-jerking sentimentality that will leave the coldest individual wiping tears from their eyes. The characters and their motivations are cleverly designed to elicit empathy. That would be expected from Esther, Faye, and Michael. However what makes Mr. Evans one of the top writers of melancholy plots is his ability to wring sympathy at times from readers for Faye's father. Fans of old fashioned two thumbs up box of tissues tales will love THE LOCKET.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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