Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The voice and pacing of Learning to Swim really worked for me. The novel begins with a brilliant splash of action and then settles into something of an uneasy domestic narrative. It’s uneasy due to the suspense of looming tensions: crime-related (the bad guys are still out there, so the child isn’t safe), pseudo-familial (the child Paul, what he’s been through, Troy’s immediate attachment), sexual and romantic (with Philippe Dumond, with Detective Alan Jameson, with Thomas “Tommy” the history professor). These suspenseful elements effectively keep the story afloat for a good while until Troy’s nervy, somewhat clumsy amateur investigation begins to ratchet up the tensions that lead to a startling climax that subtly mirrors the beginning.

Good stuff.



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