Book Review: Regarding Anna
Regarding Anna. Florence Osmund, Published by Florence Osmund, February 21, 2015, Trade Paperback and Kindle, 272 pages.
Reviewed by Sue Merrell.
Most of us have wondered at one time or another whether the folks we called Mom and Dad were our “real” parents. Such is the quest of 23-year-old Grace Lindroth, the first person narrator of Florence Osmund’s fourth novel, Regarding Anna.
An only child, Grace was orphaned at age 17 when her parents were overcome by carbon monoxide in their home. After their deaths, Grace finds some photos and a newspaper clipping in the attic that lead her to believe her real mother was Anna Thalia Vargas, who was murdered when Grace was a baby.
This belief is what inspired Grace to train as a private investigator in the first place. In between her rookie cases—such as tracking down a missing teen and investigating a shady son-in-law—Grace pursues leads on her personal “Attic Finds” case.
Grace doesn’t have much money or confidence. She’s as insecure about her childhood memories as she is about her investigative ability. Thankfully, the author surrounds this faltering heroine with a bevy of intriguing characters that keep the dialogue spicy and the action moving.
But it’s hard to know whom to trust. Elmer, a money-hungry attorney, seems supportive at first, renting Grace office space and a poorly furnished apartment. But when her quarters are broken into and ransacked, Grace begins to question Elmer’s motives. Minnie, the elderly lady who lives in the house where Anna was murdered, starts out grumpy and suspicious but soon becomes surprisingly sassy and resourceful.
There is Naomi, the sexy secretary who is a little too quick to share secrets, Tymon, the omnipresent handyman, and Esmeralda, a mysterious informant who keeps slipping through the net. There’s even a questionable client who thinks her birth mother is Rosa Lindroth, the woman who raised Grace.
As the tale unfolds, Grace faces dangerous attackers, discovers treasures, and deals with international intrigue from Mexico to Ireland.
This is the sort of book I can guzzle down as easily as a tall glass of ice tea on a hot day. Osmund, who has written Coach House, Daughters, and Red Clover, has a relaxed, chatty writing style with good pacing. Chicagoans will appreciate the recognizable locations throughout the book. Osmund’s background in the corporate world is also apparent as she writes with authority about business procedures.
For those who like a philosophical meaning, this story has a stated theme: Things that happen to you in the past can mold you into someone you’re not. It’s an interesting concept that ties the various story threads together and makes even the most evil actions more understandable.
The book takes place in the 1960s, which can be a challenge to pull off convincingly. I didn’t catch any anachronisms such as out-of-place cell phones or fax machines. But the author uses very few pop culture or fashion references to paint the period. It doesn’t “feel” like the ‘60s, but that time frame makes it possible to unravel a mystery without resorting to DNA testing or the Internet or any of today’s high-tech resources.
I appreciate that the author doesn’t weigh the action down with too much description but I felt a little more description would be helpful especially concerning Grace’s attic finds. It was never really clear to me what Grace saw in the old black-and-white photos that convinced her she is the baby in some other woman’s arms. And since I never completely bought into the mystery, the resolution, though somewhat surprising, wasn’t completely satisfying.
I do think Osmund has created a plucky new private eye who has a whole career of mysteries ahead of her. As a mystery series fan, I look forward to the next adventure with Grace Lindroth.