Tag novels

Disappearance Turns Around Boy’s Life

Reg Spittle Leave a comment

Catherine Ryan Hyde, who authored the huge best seller Pay It Forward, is sneaky. I was an hour or so into Have You Seen Luis Velez? and wondered how her book would measure up to 10 others by Hyde that I had read. And then it happened.

I was hooked, just as I have been in all her books, when I was drawn like a powerful magnet to the seductive mysteries surrounding the lives of the major players.

Raymond Jaffe, 17, lives in a New York City apartment with his mom—who is preoccupied with two jobs—and an aloof, cold stepdad. Every other weekend, he stays with his dad and his stepmom, who sees Raymond as a painful reminder of her husband’s previous life.

His best (and only) friend moves away, leaving him as a school outcast who cares for a feral cat that lives in an abandoned building. As you might expect, Raymond is lonely, but his backbone strengthens when he finds purpose in the greatest search of his life.

Enter Mildred Guterman, a blind German Jew who barely escaped the Holocaust. At 92, she depends on Luis Velez, a young man with a pregnant wife, two kids, and a kind heart. He takes Mrs. G to the grocery store every few days and helps her with other chores.

One day, she calls out to Raymond when she hears his squeaky shoe in the apartment building hallway. Almost out of food, she asks Raymond if he knows where Luis Velez has gone. No one seems to know. Filling the void, Raymond becomes her grocery store fill-in helper and he brings her the cat to keep her company.

For Raymond, Mrs. G is much more than a new friend, and he discovers that he can talk to her about issues in his life that he has never felt comfortable voicing to anyone. It pains him that his elderly neighbor dearly misses her best friend, so he sets out to get to the bottom of Luis Velez’ disappearance. Raymond’s journey takes him around New York City to dead ends, dangerous characters, slammed doors, and language challenges.

Does Raymond find Luis? Yes and no.

Race, bigotry, justice, and the power of kindness all play prominent roles in this story. This is an ideal choice for a book club selection and the author includes a list of questions for that purpose.

I have read about a fourth of Hyde’s 40-plus books. “Have You Seen Luis Velez?” will not be the last.

50 Years Later, He Searches for His Lost Love

Reg Spittle 3 Comments

An English postman hates birthdays, but loves his job, except for the fact that it forces him to see other people. Even worse, he has to talk to people.

Three months before his 65th birthday, Albert Entwistle learns that postal rules require him to retire at 65. Then his beloved cat Gracie dies. His losses turn his world upside down, bringing him to contemplate his life when he was just 15 and in love. He still regrets that he consented to his father’s demand that he reject the only romance of his life.

In The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, Matt Cain describes Albert’s suspenseful journey of hope that begins when he asks himself if he can rekindle the love that he recklessly left behind. He uncharacteristically enlists the help of strangers in his search for his former lover. He follows lead after lead on a trail that fills him with uncertainty and fear. Along the way, he learns that helping others and making himself vulnerable bring rewards he never thought possible.

Cain creates a likable man whose transformation and brave pursuit make this book an easy-to-read page turner that kept me guessing until the last page. I joined the book’s charming and eclectic list of characters who so badly want Albert’s dream to come true. It is one of the best books that I have read in 2023.