I read this in one sitting because the writing was beautifully done and I appreciated the way Susan Perablo enveloped you into the plot as a reader - starting with a traumatic event and then showing us the aftermath through the eyes of one mother and her daughter.

The Fall of Lisa Bellow is a wonderfully deep character exploration, a book that give you a real sense of feeling about the characters in it - Meredith had a quirky outlook from the start and seeing that change and alter after the event was utterly compelling. Claire, Mum, too now having to deal with a problem befalling her second child after her first had already suffered was cleverly drawn, occasionally unlikable but doing her best to stay standing.

It is a gentle story in a lot of ways despite the violent event that kicks it off - a kind of rolling picture reel of different senses and feelings - there is somewhat of a disconnect, in fact the character I related most to was Meredith's brother Evan - a quiet and steady background influence.

I think it may suffer from its description. This is not a thriller. It is not even really a mystery and there are no real resolutions as is realistic to most things in life. So don't go into it expecting those things. This is a strong, emotive family drama, an exploration of recovery and an insightful glance into a modern, middle class family whose lives have taken an unexpected turn.

Definitely recommended for fans of Literary character study.

**Review also on Goodreads