What started off strong quickly fizzled for me, and I found myself going through another almost "do not finish" for the umpteenth time this year.

I made it through, but it was very slow. I put it down for a week before picking it up again.
Jane Larkin is a thirty-nine year old wife, mother, sister, and friend. He three children are each very different and make things challenging for her as a mother. Her husband is not supportive, has a wandering eye.
One day, Jane disappears.

Sounds like a great who dun it? I thought so too.
I felt a lot of empathy for the family, but did not love the rabbit holes I kept finding myself in.

A mother vanished. A father presumed guilty. There is no proof. There are no witnesses. For the children, there is only doubt. I loved Defending Jacob so was excited to get an advanced copy of William Landay's new book, All That is Mine I Carry with Me. I loved everything about this book.

DNF @ 30%

Unfortunately this book did not hold my interest and I had to set it aside. The plot is very slow-going and the characters do not relate to me at all. The synopsis really intrigued me and I am sure it will be enjoyable for others. Just not one for me.

I recently had the opportunity to read "All That Is Mine I Carry With Me" by William Landay, thanks to an ARC provided by NetGalley & the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam. This novel is a captivating blend of mystery, suspense, & family drama that unfolds at its own pace.

The story revolves around a family haunted by the sudden disappearance of their mother, Jane. What sets this mystery apart is the complete absence of clues, suspects, or answers. As the years pass without resolution, the remaining family members grapple with the weight of the unknown. Landay's skillful storytelling keeps you engaged in their struggles and frustrations, making the family's predicament palpable.

The characters in the novel are complex and mostly likable, with Miranda being a standout. Landay's ability to craft relatable characters adds depth to the narrative. One highlights is a shocking revelation that occurs midway through the story, turning the plot in unexpected directions. This twist adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already compelling narrative.

However, I must admit that the pacing of the story was a bit slow for my taste. While the gradual unfolding of the mystery can be tantalizing, it might test the patience of readers seeking a faster tempo.

As a fan of Landay's previous work, "Defending Jacob," I will keep him on my list of authors to watch for. It's a good choice for those who appreciate a well-written, character-driven novel that explores the complexities of human relationships and the lingering effects of unresolved mysteries.

Mother Jane has disappeared. Her daughter, Miranda age 10 has come home to an empty house after school. Jane has always been there for he but now she is gone. No evidence can be found to explain what has happened to Jane. Miranda’s brothers, Alex and Jeff are possibly left with the dad that may have killed their mother. Dan is a criminal defense attorney and could be skilled in ways to make his wife missing or murdered. Do the children stay loyal to their father even though they suspect he may be guilty. Very worth reading and trying to decide what happened.

This is another William Landay epistle about a family in turmoil. As with his previous novel, Defending Jacob, ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME concerns a murder and its effect on a family. In this latest tome a woman named Jane Larkin disappears from her home without a trace and her three young children are left questioning whether their father, a criminal defense attorney with a wandering eye, could have murdered her. Without any proof of murder the case goes cold.

Eighteen years later Jane’s body is discovered at a construction site. Now adults, the children are at odds over their individual beliefs concerning their fathers’ guilt or innocence and the appropriate action to take in arriving at a resolution.

The novel itself is, in essence, a group of stories set in different eras, each narrated by a different character and leaves the reader to discern what is truth, what is conjecture and what is speculative fiction.

While ALL THAT IS MINE is slow in places it does provide an outcome that lends truth to the old adage that “what goes around comes around” - - - also known as “karma is a bitch”.

All That Is Mine I Carry With Me has a little bit of everything in it. I am usually more of a fan of the shorter chapters but this didn't take away from enjoying the book. If you're looking for a book that will leave you thinking about it long after you're finished, I would definitely recommend adding this one to your list.

This book… wow. So, so, so good.

It took me forever to read because it’s 4 chapters long & I couldn’t easily gauge the next acceptable stopping point. Each chapter was told from a different character’s view & it was perfect.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The pacing and structure of the story really threw me off. This just didn’t do it for me. I’ll google what happens!

William Landay’s writing is the star of this book! He has a great way of portraying characters and complicated emotions with words and phrases that make you feel you are a fly on the wall! What brought the rating down for me is that instead of being a thriller, as it seems to advertise, it is a family drama more than anything. Which is fine! BUT. Toward the end of the book, as the plot was told from multiple POVs, it got a bit repetitive. I was ready for it to wrap up. The ending was great. Overall, 3.5 stars. Not my favorite. May recommend based on specific friends’ tastes!

I was “glued” to this book - very hard for me to put down, and honestly books prior to this one - I could set them down and not pick them up for 3 or 4 days - this one - no, I could not stay away from for very long. My only comment is who the heck is the narrator thru the story- is it the guy who went to school with Jeff, is it the family’s mother or is it one of the daughters - or does the author keep changing the narrator? I finally just said to myself - “Keep reading and don’t concern yourself with who is telling the story”. I was riveted but confused at times . But yes, another major ending - I just could not grasp it! Thank you to William Landay for a book that really held my interest. I hope he keeps writing - its been way too long since reading his previous one “Defending Jacob”.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

I needed a day or two to think about this book and that ending. First let me say I was over the moon excited to read this book. Defending Jacob is a knockout book that is one of my favorites. The layers Landay builds in that book leading up to an ending I still to this day can't get out of my head was just brilliant. I say that to set the stage for my expectations for this book.

Is All That I Carry With Me good? Yes. Does it meet the high bar set by Defending Jacob? Not completely...

Landay writes a compelling story that makes you really think about where your loyalties would lie if you were one of the characters in this book. Do you seek justice for your mom who has disappeared or do you stand by your father who is accused of her murder? I thought he did an exceptional job letting you feel all the emotions these three kids go through - from fear, confusion, anger, depression, guilt, sadness, frustration. How each of them look elsewhere for the love they missed from their mother taken too early in their lives. How the community treated them differently because of what their father was accused of. It's the classic police frustration - all signs point to the husband yet there isn't the evidence to back it up. So what happened to Jane and did her husband have anything to do with it? Alot of those layers I craved were there in this book.

Here is where things fell slightly short for me - the structure. It jumps between multiple POVs that got a litle messy at times. For a second it appears Landay tells you who the killer is in the middle of the book, but as you get deeper you realize this is Miranda writing her own story. The ending did not pack the punch I had hoped for. And speaking of that ending, it still left me with several questions. In a way I felt that ending was just a little too convenient versus the huge wow factor I had expected.

Having said all of that, I know it's not fair to compare this book to Defending Jacob. I wasn't looking for that storyline all over again, just the magical suspense he created in that book. Had this been the first book of Landay's I had ever read, I would still have rated it 4 stars. It's a good book and one I would recommend. And I will be just as excited to read any future books he writes.

My thanks to William Landay, Random House Publishing - Ballantine and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm feeling divided on this one. I enjoyed the plot and enjoyed the authors cat-and-mouse game with the reader. However, the structure of the book made it feel very disjointed. The layout made the beginning of the book feel different from the end of the book. I liked the writing but the structure could use some work.

This book just wasn't for me. I didn't enjoy the writing style and found myself not wanting to pick it back up when I set it down. I did not finish it.

This book was absolutely phenomenal! I love a true crime novel, and although this novel is fictitious, it feels real.

This one book is comprised of three interwoven stories. As the reader, you are able to read about Jane Larkins' disappearance through the eyes of the 3 people closest to the case. The same story is told from three perspectives. Which narrator is telling the truth? What REALLY happened to Jane Larkin?

I can, without question, say that I doubt you will be able to guess the truth and that the ending will blow you away!!

As always, thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review

I waited a little while to review this book due to having conflicting thoughts on it and I realized now that I don't remember a single thing about it. I think most of us have been waiting for the author to write his next novel after reading and loving Defending Jacob. Unfortunately, this book fell middle of the road for me. While I was invested in the story, not much really happened in the way of plot or character development.

This story centers around a family whose mother goes missing when the children are growing up. The story then dives into the children's lives after her disappearance and also into adulthood as they grapple with the idea of who killed their mom.

I did not feel invested in any of the stories characters and remember closing the book thinking that I would need to sit on my review and here we are months later and I cannot even remember what happened.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

A slow burn that left me confused as to what voice the author was trying to use. The first part of the novel seemed as though it was the author writing about himself, rather than a character's POV. There was great variation in the character development form character to character. This was more of a drama that a mystery/thriller. Overall, I was disappointed in this novel.

I want to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an ARC of this book.

Gonna chalk this up as me as a reader not doing my own due diligence. I think if I had looked beyond the description I would have known ahead of time. That this book wasn't for me.

I did not finish this book. Stylistically, I can tell that this is not to my taste and pushing through is only going to make me resent the experience.

It's too much of a family drama. I don't like the narration. I don't like the breakdown of the "books" in multiple POVs. I much prefer faster paced novels and this was just too slow.

Thanks for the learning experience! It looks like this book is being well received and I will give kudos for that!

Loved this premise. I had to keep reminding myself it was fiction. The first part of the book is the “author” explaining how he got involved in the mystery of his friends missing mom. The second part is from the missing woman’s perspective. Then we hear from her son and then her husband. The husband speaking through his dementia was especially interesting. While this is a murder mystery it is mostly an examination of how a murder affects everyone left behind and how our judicial system can be manipulated.

This book was disorganized, poorly structured and edited, and just an uninspiring read overall. I skimmed the last 50 pages just to call it done.