Bess and Halland live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else. When Halland is found murdered in the main square the police encounter only riddles. For Bess bereavement marks the start of a journey that leads her to a reassessment of first friends then family.
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The night before, we sat in the living room.- 1
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(@PeirenePress, 18 June 2012, e-book, 189 pages, borrowed from @NACLibraries via @BorrowBox)
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I really enjoyed The Murder of Halland. This short book is much larger than the sum of it's parts. I felt like I'd read something much, much longer. The chapters are short and brutal as they explore Halland's murder and its's aftermath. Bess's bereavement makes her act in ways that make people think she's not grieving and may have had a hand in his death such as excessively drinking, partying, and laughing at inappropriate moments. This is a bleak yet powerful book about loss and grief.