Believe it not, bibliophobia is a real thing. The fear of books, or the fear of words and reading, is a psychological condition that disrupts people’s ability to enjoy a book or even a visit to the library. Author Sarah Chihaya recounts her bout with it as well as exploring how we absorb and tell stories.
In 2004, Maura Murray went missing. Her car hit a snowbank in rural New Hampshire. When police arrived seven minutes later, her car was abandoned, with no footprints leading away from it. Maura Murray has never been heard from since — at least not publicly.
The narrative moves quickly and Marzano-Lesnevich’s writing is fantastic. She writes with vivid detail, yet doesn’t oversaturate it. Readers should be aware that this book deals with difficult topics. What is so admirable is the way the author manages to present and look at them, unflinchingly, without being graphic. The book approaches with an even-handedness that exposes the truth without allowing the book to become mired in it.
More than a murder mystery, this is a memoir. Stapinski is doing this for herself and her family first. Luckily for the reader, it’s an engaging adventure. Each time she uncovers a clue to the past, the reader is pulled further into the labyrinth.
Mark Adams presents the various theories and cases for Atlantis in this self-deprecating book. Part travelogue, part memoir, part history lesson, he shares both his childlike zeal and his scientific findings.