The Mourning Hours

By: Paula Treick DeBoard

Narrated by: Emily Sutton-Smith

A family's loyalty is put to the ultimate test in this haunting and unforgettable debut.

Kirsten Hammarstrom hasn't been home to her tiny corner of rural Wisconsin in years - not since the mysterious disappearance of a local teenage girl rocked the town and shattered her family. Kirsten was just nine years old when Stacy Lemke went missing, and the last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Johnny - the high school wrestling star and Kirsten's older brother. No one knows what to believe - not even those closest to Johnny - but the event unhinges the quiet farming community and pins Kirsten's family beneath the crushing weight of suspicion.

Now, years later, a new tragedy forces Kirsten and her siblings to return home, where they must confront the devastating event that shifted the trajectory of their lives. Tautly written and beautifully evocative, The Mourning Hours is a gripping portrayal of a family straining against extraordinary pressure, and a powerful tale of loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness.

©2014 Paula Treick DeBoard (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Would read more by this author!

Good read! Got addicted early. Great chatacters, plot and ending! The narrator was very good.

Easy listening & good story.

great story and enjoyed perspective from young girl at the time. Narrator has great voice for book like this.

A whole family is destroyed

A whole family is destroyed from small town thinking that blocks it's ability to solve a missing persons case.

Very satisfying

This book caught my attention right away and didn’t disappoint. I found myself looking forward to continuing the story after a break. That was welcome as I’ve picked some duds lately.

Riveting drama

What did you love best about The Mourning Hours?

I loved the descriptions of the family life from the point of view of a young child. She did not have all the experience needed to process what she felt and saw, and yet was carrying burdens she could not hold alone. In straight-forward prose, Paula Treick DeBoard depicts a family coming apart at the scenes due to both internal and external events.

Which character – as performed by Emily Sutton-Smith – was your favorite?

Emily Sutton-Smith was a great narrator, occasionally awkward, but her dialogue was pitch-perfect.

Any additional comments?

I loved this book, and greatly look forward to the author's next book. Perhaps the ending was a bit rushed, but the author's description of the midwestern town and the family dynamics carried this through to a satisfying bittersweet conclusion.

Gripping, Yet Frustrating for Those That Live It

Small town America is a beautiful place to live, but it can also be a vicious, vindictive place. This story captures both sides of this conundrum in a gripping tale of life in a small town in Wisconsin. The author keeps us in suspense and carries us through the heartbreak of a missing teenage girl, and what happens to the town and its close-knit families in the aftermath of such a tragedy.

The author does a great job of bringing the reader/listener right into the kitchens, living rooms, and into the town itself to experience the raw emotions as a member of the family under suspicion. The reader does an excellent job of not only differentiating between the various characters, she carries through with the emotions and personality of each character, from a nine-year-old girl to a grandfather in his 70s.

I do not award any 5-star rating lightly. The Mourning Hours is a story that has earned its rating in every aspect. You will not go wrong as a reader or listener by opening its pages and seeing life in small town America through the eyes of a 9-year-old girl.

Great story, frustrated with narrator

WI native should have narrated, pronunciation of WI cities was off and distracting at times.

Great book!

It was just a little predictable....but a great listen. Kept me up at night wanting more to hear more.

Unexpected...

This is a book that toiled with character development, but in a necessary way. The plot interesting, but slow to develop until the last hour. Still, I enjoyed the characters and pace. The story held my attention and ended exactly as it should have. Somewhat expectedly, but nonetheless thrilling.

Okay......nothing great

An okay story. Not very exciting or gripping. Glad I got it on sale. Don't waste a credit on it.