This book was so good! I had no idea how it would end, how the mystery would play out. I was hooked until the very very end. The writing is so good and reels you in, right from the beginning!

In a great follow-up to Defending Jacob, William Landay gives the reader rich characters and interesting story told from different points of view. Definite for mystery lovers but would recommend to all patrons that enjoy a family saga as well.

Siblings struggle with the unexplained disappearance of their mother for decades. When her remains are finally found, they must each decide for themselves whether they believe public opinion—that their father killed their mother—or whether they’ll trust their father’s repeated assertions that he’s innocent. Author William Landay returns with a book that is less about the murder and more about the interiority of the characters in the middling release All That Is Mine I Carry With Me.

In Boston in 1975, Miranda Larkin comes home from school one day and discovers that her mother isn’t home. At first Miranda isn’t worried, but as the day goes on and her mother, Jane, doesn’t return, Miranda knows that something is terribly wrong. When the police arrive on their doorstep, Miranda realizes, without even being able to verbalize it at that moment, that her life will never be the same.

Suspicion is rife that her father, Dan Larkin, is responsible for Jane’s disappearance. Dan is a flashy defense attorney for some of the biggest criminals in the area. If anyone would know how to evade police detection, it would be him. And, of course, there’s always the assumption that “the husband did it.” Yet Dan manages to poke holes in all of the theories the police present, and in the end they don’t have enough to charge him.

Dan doesn’t seem to have much trouble moving on; a year after Jane’s disappearance, he’s on vacation with his new girlfriend. Yet Miranda and her older brothers, Jeff and Alex, still struggle with whether their father is capable of murder. Eventually, Alex decides that their father is innocent. Jeff is convinced their father is guilty. Miranda waffles. One thing is sure: they’ll never be able to escape the shadow that their mother’s disappearance has caused, because it colors the trajectories of their lives.

Eventually the case fades from public view…until decades later when Jane’s remains are found. Once again, questions begin to pop up. Once again, Miranda and Jeff must assert their belief that their father murdered their mother. Once again, Alex stands up as their father’s main supporter.

The younger Larkin siblings are bolstered their Aunt Kate, Jane’s older sister. Kate is convinced that Dan was a horrible person even before Jane disappeared, and in her mind it’s only logical that Dan now be charged with the crime. Even with the advances in technology, however, Dan is insistent that he had nothing to do with Jane’s murder. Once again, the Larkin family must relive that awful day when Jane disappeared and their lives changed forever.

Author William Landay relies on a familiar tactic—circumstantial evidence and the blind spots that arise in criminal cases—to present the plot. Rather than go for a straightforward account, however, the book is divided into four “books” of their own and each “book” features a different point-of-view character. The plot isn’t presented chronologically, however, which works to the story’s disadvantage.

By spending so much time with each character and less time on the actual mystery at the heart of their family, Landay exposes weaknesses in his main premise: In a cold case, where absolutely no new leads are forthcoming for years, there’s not much in the case to keep anyone—like readers—engaged for long periods of time. Without any real evidence or information to name their father the killer, the Larkin children only have a suspicion about him.

Landay tries to offer a twist on the “did he/didn’t he” angle by showing Dan Larkin suffering from dementia later in life. As horrible as the murder of Jane Larkin might be for her family, the plot device of giving Dan dementia actually decreases interest in the case overall. Even if Dan is guilty, given the cruel nature of the disease, what is there for Miranda, Jeff, and Kate to gain, ultimately, by knowing the truth?

The last pages of the book try to infuse a thriller-like quality to the entire novel, but they can’t do enough to rescue the rest of the book and the overly contemplative mood it sets. Fans of books where circumstantial evidence plays a major role might like this one. Others looking for a straightforward thriller might want to give it a miss.

Questions, loss, and Doubt

Ten-year-old Miranda Larkin came home one day in November 1975 to an empty house. Her mother was not there. Her mother was always there to greet her after school. The house was quiet, nothing was missing, nothing was out of place and yet, her mother is nowhere to be seen.

Where is Jane Larkin?

That is a question that will haunt Jane's sister, Kate and her three children, Alex, Jeff and Miranda. The police believe her father killed their mother and disposed of her body. The children have doubts. Their father, an experienced criminal defense attorney has stated his innocence time and time again. But is he innocent? The majority people in his life and community believe he is a killer. But there is no evidence, no proof, and no witnesses. Now the children must live with a man who may have killed their mother.

Twenty years later their mother's remains are found, and the children now grown can bury their mother. They know she is truly gone but the question remains, did their father kill her? Now they are faced with a dilemma, what to do and how to move forward.

This book is told through various POV's and comprised of books. Readers see how the children's lives were affected by the loss of their mother; not only when they were children, but also when they are adults. They have had to grow up and experience life without her love, support and guidance. What is it like to live with doubt? To believe one parent killed the other? How does that affect relationships?

Once again, William Landay has crafted a well written, well thought out, thought provoking and emotional read. I was glued to the pages and wanted to learn the truth, although I too believed I knew who killed Jane.

Gripping, dramatic, and thought provoking.

This is a very slow family drama told in different views. It was hard to keep my attention because the murderer of Jane was known. Too slow and drawn out for me.

The story centers on the disappearance of young mother Jane Larkin in 1975 and takes place over various timeframes with several characters to explore what might have happened.

Phil, who was friends with the Larkin family during that time, plans to write a book years later about the case that was never solved, exploring various family members and their experiences, and whether Jane's husband Dan is the culprit or not.

The picture of the Larkin family over the years is really the main subject of the book, and the dynamics between them. There is sibling rivalry and also closeness , and the scathing distrust of Dan by Jane's sister Kate, which gives the reader much more information around what their relationship was like. There is "closure" as far as what happened to Jane, but not all the loose ends are tied up in a nice bow.

This was a mystery about a mom who disappeared and the family who suspected their dad (who is also a criminal defense lawyer) killed her. It is told through four different viewpoints and over the course of forty years, so it is a bit slow paced. The style of writing (short, terse dialogue) is not my favorite and made it feel a bit bogged down to me at times, but I"m glad I stuck with it because it was a satisfying story with several worthy plot twists.

I was a bit confused by the organization of this novel. Some portions are narrated by a “friend of the family,” some are the daughter's imagining of her mother's story, and others seem to be told more impersonally as if an observer is stating the facts. But the story is a compelling one, about a young mother who disappears one day without a trace. Law enforcement is convinced that her lawyer husband killed her, but they lack the evidence to prosecute. So the three kids spend their lives wondering, “Did he? Or didn't he?” It's a compelling read.

Defending Jacob was a top five favorite book of my written by this author. All That Is Mine I Carry With Me is much is a much different book. I enjoyed this one greatly though I found the subject matter depressing. The aftereffects felt by the children left behind when a mother disappears are explored. I thought the author really captured the children's POV. My only complaint is the murderer is never held accountable, such is life.

In 1975 Jane Larkin goes missing and although the main suspect is her defense attorney husband, Dan, there are no significant leads. Jane’s three children, who hold vastly different opinions of what happened to their mother, are left to be raised by Dan as he quickly moved in his girlfriend and her daughter. 20 years later when Jane’s body is found, the entire family must recon with the truth of what happened to Jane.

This book is broken down into 4 books rather than into chapters. The first narrator has absolutely nothing to do with the story and inserts himself into it so confidently that you know a man wrote this entire thing. Book 1/the first narrator almost feels like Landay, also a former lawyer, is trying to insert himself into his own writing. The way he described other people made my skin crawl and the fact that not one main character brought him up in their own stories begs the question: why does he even exist? I would have felt much better about the book if the first point of view was from Miranda. Alex also feels completely irrelevant to the story. He’s rarely mentioned and seems to be a ghost rather than a member of the family.

It’s been a minute (okay, a decade) since William Landay’s smash hit, Defending Jacob, but it’s worth the wait! Fans will not be disappointed by this long-awaited next novel!

This gripping, slow-burn family drama explores the bounds of family love and family loyalty. In 1975, wife and mother Jane Larkin goes missing. Police suspect her husband Dan, who is a talented criminal attorney, but have only hunches and circumstantial evidence. The case simmers in the shadows for years, cold and unsolved, while Jane’s children deal with the fall-out.

Told from four perspectives – childhood friend-turned-author Phil Solomon, Jane herself, son Jeff, and finally Dan – this sweeping novel spans the many years between when Jane and Dan met and goes all the way through to Dan’s final years. The writing style is brilliant and grabbed me right away. The story is deep, emotional, and thoughtful. Did the husband do it? What happens to children when their mother inexplicably disappears? What happens to a family when you accuse your father of harming your mother?

I was captivated by this beautifully written, heartrending story. Of course, there is a deftly crafted mystery and compelling courtroom drama, but the characters and their raw, authentic emotions are the true stars here. I think the ending could be polarizing but I, for one, loved it! I had a couple of tiny quibbles – I would have welcomed the four “books” being broken down into chapters, and it would have been handy to have some signposts within lengthy dialogue sections to let the reader know who is speaking – but it’s a good bet that Mr. Landay has another winner on his hands!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded UP!

“WITNESSES MAKE MISTAKES…..even when they’re not lying. They misperceive, misremember, misstate..”

“All That Is Mine I Carry With Me” is definitely more of a FAMILY SAGA than it is a tale of suspense.

In fact, for the first 50%, I was a bit BORED by the extremely SLOW pace. Thankfully, the second half is more engaging.

You should pick it up expecting a story which examines the LOVE/HATE relationship that two children have with their father-suspected of having a part in their Mom’s disappearance-over the course of their lives-made even more difficult because with no answers, comes no closure.

The book unfolds in four parts, called BOOKS, each about 25% of the novel, and each FOCUSING on one character’s main perspective.

BOOK ONE (Phil Solomon) is an author who was feeling very uninspired to write his next book until his childhood friend, Jeff Larkin, looked him up. Jeff’s mom, Jane disappeared one day, when the boys were twelve.

Jeff suggests that Phil write a book about the case which remained unsolved. Although Detective Tom Glover believes that Jane’s husband, Dan Larkin killed her-he could never build a case with strong enough evidence for the state to charge him. He is definitely not a GOOD man-but did he kill his wife? This section reads like a TRUE CRIME novel.

Did a murderer remain free and raise his children?

BOOK TWO (Jane) OR IS IT? READ BOOK THREE CAREFULLY, or you may MISS a big reveal. I noticed that a few reviewers did.

BOOK THREE (Jeff) With still no answers, Jeff and his younger sister, Miranda (Mimi) now grown, agree to bring a Civil lawsuit against their father, at the urging of Jane’s sister, their Aunt Kate. Their older brother Alex is opposed. In a Civil case they won’t have to eliminate ALL doubt for a jury- they just have to eliminate MOST of it-FIFTY PERCENT AND A FEATHER. This part takes you inside the courtroom.

BOOK FOUR (Dan) as he suffers from dementia, later in life. The story, which has felt a bit disjointed, now comes full circle. Phil is able to speak with Dan, as he nears the end of his life, and he hopes to hear a confession from the man who has maintained his innocence throughout the years. Will he get one?

Miranda (Mimi) just ten years old, when her Mom disappeared, had the strongest and most sympathetic voice for me, throughout the narrative, despite not having her own “book”. I felt her push/pull toward her father and her pain, more clearly than that of her two brothers.

Something happens between books THREE and FOUR (no spoilers here) which left a few questions unanswered, and I would have liked to see more character development for Alex, the oldest sibling, who left for college shortly after Jane disappeared. I thought about rounding down because of these details and the fact that this was just a three star read for the first 55% -but, I decided to sleep on my rating.

Strangely, I woke up THINKING about the book-it is the kind that you will ponder after the final page is turned, so I have rounded up.

This would be a great selection for BOOK CLUBS, as it is thought provoking, and offers much for discussion.

*Just don’t expect a THRILLER, if you pick it up.
AVAILABLE March 7, 2023

Thank You to Bantam for granting my WISH for an early copy, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I liked this book a lot just for the ending! The story synopsis got me from the get go - did a husband kill his wife, their three children growing up not knowing if their missing mother is dead, or whether their father is a murderer until… bones are discovered years later. Dun dun dun! If that doesn’t pique your interest… I really enjoyed the way that the story was written. It jumped between characters and timelines, but it was easy to follow, even if it wasn’t always broken out by chapters. The story kept my interest throughout, made me unsure whether the father was guilty and kept me second guessing. A truly entertaining opportunity to don my detective hat and figure out what happened along with the rest of them. You won’t be disappointed!

"All That is Mine I Carry With Me" is a family drama, slow burn novel about the disappearance of mother of three, Jane Larkin. This novel is the long-awaited next novel from the author of "Defending Jacob," William Landay. He is clearly a brilliant writer. This story is told from several perspectives including Jane herself, her son, Jeff and his friend who is an author compelled to write his next novel on the subject of her disappearance. There are not chapters really, but "books" that tell the story from 4 different POV's.
Jane Larkin disappeared on November 1975. The lead suspect is her criminal defense attorney husband, Dan. The kids grow up not knowing where their mother is, as a body is not recovered, but also wondering if their own father is the one who caused her disappearance. Two of her children are convinced that he did it and one remains loyal to Dan. Dan is portrayed as a pompous and arrogant man by almost all accounts.
The lead detective on the case is convinced that he did it, his own children believe he did it, many of the neighbors and townspeople believe he did it. But did he? There's no proof, no evidence that he did it and he steadfastly maintains his innocence.
This book is an emotional read, a roller coaster of feelings. You root for the children of Jane Larkin to get their answers and in a style that is all Landay- the end is a jaw dropper.
Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for this unforgettable read. 3.5 stars

It's been a long wait since Defending Jacob! Another legal thriller with lots of heavy drama. Great characters, even the dad who is super unlikeable. You will need to be ready for a final pages surprise! Best part is that one of the books within the book is from the wife who disappeared...always like when the author does that do you get the perspective.

If you’ve been waiting for the next book from William Landay after the acclaimed Defending Jacob, here it is. All That Is Mine I Carry with Me is a powerful novel of suspense and family tragedy with deeply flawed and well developed characters, multiple perspectives and writing styles, and the strong twists you expect.

This novel follows the story of a family whose mother and wife disappears one day in the 1970s. We first read from the perspective of an author who has been struggling with writers block and is now working on a manuscript of this tragedy that he witnessed first hand as a family friend. Next, we hear from Miranda- the youngest of the three Larkin children and the first to notice Jane missing.

The novel is written in long, lush chapters but the pace is wonderful. Landay also changes his writing style with the narrator changes, as we later read from dead Jane and then one of the two sons, Jeff, fifteen years later.

As the murder still remains unsolved, we then travel to 2017. The ending is poignant, emotional, and punchy. I love how Landay brought aging and caregiving into this story, making it truly reflective of family tragedy and what it means to live with a trauma over time.

I couldn’t put this one down. Landay weaves in courtroom and lawyer drama but more from a behind the scenes look than in Defending Jacob. This book is also shorter and more evenly paced. I think this is the character driven thriller everyone should pick up this year.

Defending Jacob is one of my favorite books of all time, so I was very excited about this book. Unfortunately, it did not hit me like Defending Jacob. It took me forever to read bc it just wasn’t captivating. I was immediately turned off by the multiple pages spent describing the detectives port wine stain on his face and how “he would have been attractive if not for it” and how many times it was brought up. Repeatedly. It was gross and mean and a ridiculous thing to spend so much time on. Or really any time on, like this description played no part in the story. This book is written in 5 long chunks (book 1, book 2 etc) instead of chapters and tells the story from different times and views in each “book.” It made the flow of the story weird and choppy for me and made it feel LONG. I felt like I just kept waiting for the story to pick up but as soon as it seemed like it might a new “book” would start and the story would be slow again. The wrap up of the book was a underwhelming and felt rushed.

3.5 ⭐️ (rounded down). This is another hard one for me to review because honestly it was a solid 4 stars until about 80% then it went downhill. I’m going to try to explain why without any spoilers which will be hard, so maybe this review will only make sense to someone who has read the book.

Let’s start with things I did like. First off, the author’s writing! Loved it! I wasn’t quite sure how I would feel about a book divided into 4 large parts. I usually prefer short chapters but this didn’t bother me at all. Each “Book” (section) was in a different person’s perspective. Book 1: Phil (friend/author), Book 2: Jane (mom), Book 3: Jeff (son) and Book 4: Dan (dad). I thought each section was well written and it was easy to follow in each character’s perspective.

Here’s where it fails for me. At 80% it gets into a civil lawsuit. I’m not a fan of court cases in books and this one seemed to drag out even though it was near the end of the book. Also they threw a new twist in there of who possibly killed Jane, that just seemed so random…like an added little filler that really didn’t need to be in there. It didn’t make any sense to me because during Book 2 Jane clearly says who killed her. Finally the ending with Miranda and her dad, I can’t go into detail without ruining the end, but I didn’t like the turn it took and I hated that there was no definite conclusion to the ending. I am not a fan of guessing what happened.

Overall, I’m not sure I would recommend this one. With that said, I honestly would still read another book by this author because I really enjoyed his writing style (for most of the book that is). 😉

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I am without words! Definitely going on my favorites list this year. A definite page-turner and that’s not even adequate enough description. Well done, well done!

(Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I was really excited to get this ARC because I really enjoyed Defending Jacob and I thought I could add another author to my list of favorites. Unfortunately this was a no go for me. The book is in multiple POV, which I normally enjoy, but it was hard to figure out at the beginning who was talking. I initially thought it was William Landay actually writing the beginning because it mentioned writing his first book and it taking 10 years or something to come up with a new one. The book was boring and seemed to drag on, and was hard to find a spot to stop when I wanted to be done reading it at the time. I ended up skimming the last chapter to find out the ending of the book.