Church Shoes by Robert Tucker
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Church Shoes by Robert Tucker

Decency was a word Alice Quint’s mother lived by and was a beacon against what she called the destructive forces. In one way, Alice had spent much of her young life trying to fit into her shoes, figuratively speaking. She was obsessed with a certain pair that belonged to her and what they represented to her. During the 1930s, after her mother was abducted in a small Middle-Western town, Alice hoped she might be alive somewhere. She desperately wanted to find her and try to make sense of what happened. With regret, her efforts put her in a place she didn’t think she would ever be. Her attempts to unravel and expose a tragic long held family secret places her and her younger sister in jeopardy from which they barely escape with their lives. What happened followed her like a curse into her own marriage.

CLBC Book Reviews:

Church Shoes is an incredible historical thriller by Robert Tucker, that will have readers gripped from the beginning. Not long after moving to a small Midwest town, a young mother disappears with the only trace left, a pair of shoes discarded on a rural dirt road. The mystery quickly darkens as it turns out to be an abduction. Endless questions immediately follow as the matriarch was the definition of ‘decency’.

As the days turn into weeks, and the weeks to months, soon enough it’s a year since Norma Quint vanished, yet the shock and despair is still heavy and raw. In the midst of the grief, Alice is determined to find answers for her mother’s kidnapping; desperation and hope blur into one as she refuses to give up. Attempting to seek justice, Alice exposes a tragic family secret that ends up putting her and everyone she loves in danger.

Author Robert Tucker’s vivid imagination and expressive narrative keeps the plot high in suspense while also staying grounded with Alice being the emotional heartbeat. Poignancy is felt throughout as plenty of time is given to the character’s backstories, allowing readers to easily connect and be immersed in the world. The disappearance is felt more acutely and you understand Alice’s yearning for her mother to walk down the path and return home.

Humanity is explored in great detail; looking at its greatness and also its cruelty, Tucker doesn’t shy away from either aspect. The vast range of characters adds great depth and nuance, with Alice’s development being incredibly rewarding. The desire to find her mother fuels her determination, helping her to overcome her insecurities.  It becomes even more daring when the exposure of long held secrets inadvertently opens a Pandora’s box that puts her whole family in jeopardy.

Church Shoes is a tantalizing historical mystery that offers a refreshing take on the genre with a poignancy that will resonate with re
aders. Tucker brings the 1930s alive with an immersive atmosphere that makes the story feel foreboding. Church Shoes by Robert Tucker comes highly recommended by CLBC Book Reviews. Reviewed by Rachel Finch for CLBC Literary Reviews and Promotion Group.

 

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Church Shoes by Robert Tucker
Book Excellence Award Winner
         Historical Women’s Fiction, Mystery & Thriller