The Golden Hour

January 30, 2017
Greenwood’s (Where I Lost Her) latest explores one woman’s struggles as she remembers a traumatic event from 20 years earlier and tries to come to terms with her separation from her husband. Wyn Davies works on commissioned paintings in her half of a New York City duplex, where she lives with her four-year-old daughter, Avery; her estranged husband, Gus, lives in the other half. Wyn jumps at the chance to spend time in a cottage in Maine, courtesy of her friend Pilar. Though she enjoys painting in the peace of the Maine cottage while caring for Avery, she is upset that a conviction may be overturned for Robert Rousseau, the man who has served 20 years in prison for raping her when she was only 13. As Wyn worries about the possibility of testifying in a retrial, she seeks to uncover the mystery of the undeveloped rolls of film she finds in the cottage. Greenwood has succeeded in writing an emotionally charged novel with many layers, rounded out by a cast of memorable characters.

Starred review from February 1, 2017

When she was 13, Wyn experienced a terrible crime. Her assailant was convicted without her testimony. Knowing that her attacker would be imprisoned forever allowed Wyn to reclaim small bits of herself and move on with her life, going to art school and becoming a painter. Twenty years later, she's married to a fellow artist, but after a terrible quarrel with him, she has moved out. Then a woman from an innocence project wins a new trial for Wyn's assailant. The man might be freed, but Wyn still doesn't want to testify. She escapes to a friend's place on an island in Maine, taking her young daughter along. In the house, Wyn finds a box of old, undeveloped film and realizes the photographer was talented. As her own past wounds are reopened, Wyn tries to solve the mystery of that photographer. VERDICT While many of the characters are well developed and the plot moves along smartly, Greenwood's (Where I Lost Her) latest is also wonderfully written, evoking a strong sense of place with lush, visually evocative prose. With its integration of symbolism and motifs, this book would also make an excellent choice for high school literature classes.--Elizabeth Masterson, Mecklenburg Cty. Jail Lib., Charlotte, NC

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2017
Walking home from school, Wyn Davies was brutally attacked by a fellow classmate. The classmate, Robby, confessed to the attack and was sent to prison. Now, 20 years later, activists skeptical of Robby's guilt petition to have the DNA evidence tested. There is the distinct possibility that the case will be reopeneda thought that throws Wyn into a deep panic. Wyn, whose marriage is failing and art career is stalled, wants to escape. So she agrees to accompany her friend Pilar to her new home, a fixer-upper on a remote Maine island. Bringing only her daughter and some essentials, Wyn is surprised by how much work Pilar's home needs. While working on the house, she discovers a box of undeveloped film in the basement and is intrigued by it and the former inhabitant of the house. The search for the truth about the film forces Wyn to confront her own past and the secrets she has been keeping. As she has demonstrated in other books, Greenwood writes with a deep understanding of how trauma shapes a person. This emotionally searing and lushly written book is highly recommended.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)