Thanks so much for the advanced copy Random House! (Available 09/10) I’ll say it again- Strout is my favorite character driven author. The people she creates are real and flawed, yet I love them all deeply. Her books always stay with me long after I finish. This one is now tied with my all time faves “Olive Kitteridge” and “Olive, Again.”

Back in Crosby, Maine the reader gets to see the relationships blossom between beloved Strout characters Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge and Bob Burgess. Bob is wrapped up in a murder case defending a helpless man who’s thought to have killed his mother. Lucy and Bob have become close friends, finding something in each other that they never thought they needed. Lucy also meets Olive and the pair exchange stories about the people they have encountered who live “unrecorded lives.”

Like her “Olive” series, this book is a mix that reads almost like short stories but is an ensemble piece. We’ve grown to care about these characters over Strout’s anthology so watching them form relationships is so rewarding. This could be read as a standalone but I do think there’s a greater impact with past book knowledge. I know Lucy and Olive well but haven’t read “The Burgess Boys,” so I think I’ve missed some Easter eggs. I can’t wait to read the remaining 4 Strout books I haven’t yet. I highly recommend this author, this series and this book to all character driven fans who love the quiet beauty and ache of day to day life Strout writes so exquisitely.

✨Content Warnings: Alcoholism, Death, Cancer, Infidelity, Suicide Attempt, Death of a Parent