In All Deep Places

by Susan Meissner

Susan Meissner explores what God does in the deep places of the human spirit in this story about an acclaimed mystery writer Luke Foxbourne, who lives a happy life in a century-old manor house in Connecticut. But when his father, Jack, has a stroke, Luke returns to his hometown of Halcyon, Iowa, where he reluctantly takes the reins of his father’s newspaper for an undetermined amount of time.

Memories of Norah—the neighbor girl who was his first kiss—cause Luke to reflect as he spends night after night alone in his childhood home. Soon he feels an uncontrollable urge to start writing a different story altogether. Norah’s story. And his own.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Contemporary

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Susan Meissner is a USA Today bestselling novelist with more than a million books in the hands of readers, and in eighteen languages. Her critically acclaimed works of historical fiction have been named to numerous lists including Publishers Weekly’s annual roster of 100 best books, Library Reads Top Picks, Real Simple annual tally of best books, Goodreads Readers’ Choice awards, Booklist’s Top Ten, and Book of the Month.

She attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and is a former managing editor of a weekly newspaper. Susan’s expertise as a storyteller and her thoroughly researched topics make her a favorite author of book clubs everywhere. Her engaging and warm speaking style appeal to all manner of women’s groups, literary organizations, libraries and learning institutions, and service clubs.

When she is not working on a new novel, she enjoys teaching workshops on writing, spending time with her family, music, reading great books, and traveling.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyrically written, sensitively wrought, Susan Meissner's In All Deep Places captivated me from page one. Meissner's strength is displaying the inner emotional landscape of her characters, this time putting the reader in the head of a male protagonist. Woven in such a way that beckons instead of dictates, Meissner's message of redemption and heaven will stay with the reader long after she puts the book down.

[Lauren Acosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was different than I expected, not bad, just different.

[Dzura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke Foxbourne adalah seorang penulis novel misteri terkenal, suatu hari di ajang penghargaan dia melihat seorang wanita yang mirip dengan karakter wanita di dalam novelnya yaitu Eden. Eden merupakan karakter yang terinspirasi dari gadis masa lalu yang merupakan cinta pertamanya yaitu Norah Andromeda. Ketika ayahnya sakit, dia kembali ke kampung halamannya dan disanalah Luke mulai menggalih masa lalunya dengan Norah untuk menjadikannya sebuah Memoir.

Buku ini dibuka dengan ayat Bible, mengingatkanku dengan Paulo Coelho. Buku ini memang bertema spiritual. Pertama kali membuka halaman bab pertama terlihat biasa hingga masuk ke bab 2 yaitu masa lalu Luke ketika kanak-kanak hingga remaja yang sukses membuatku masuk kedalam cerita. Dimana kita akan mengikuti Kisah Luke dengan Ethan adiknya bersama dengan Norah dan adiknya Keiran. Norah berasal dari keluarga yang tidak beres, Ayahnya seorang kriminal, Ibunya pemakai Narkoba dan Neneknya yang Frustasi. Dan dia harus tinggal bersama neneknya yang bertetangga dengan Luke dan dimulai kisah pertemanan hingga terjalin sebuah perasaan di antara mereka tapi sayangnya harus terhalang dengan Keluarga Norah yang tidak beres yang membuat mereka pisah-temu. Buku ini sukses membuatku gregetan dan tak berhenti membaca apalagi setelah akhir bab 2 yang sukses membuatku shock dengan twistnya. Buku ini dapat aku katakan dark dan membuat frustasi dan di bab 3 aku merasa kasihan terhadap mereka berdua.

Pada akhirnya tempat terdalam pun sulit untuk disentuh

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is teetering between a rating of 3 and 4 for me. The writing itself is quite lovely, and I loved the way she describes our longing for heaven.

So why not an enthusiastic higher rating? The faith element was odd here - it's tackling some pretty dark life experiences, and many references to "Christian" themes, yet the characters come off as rather petty and I had no sense of their personal faith. The narrator, Luke Fairbourne, essentially dumps his wife and kids so he can go off and write (yes, I know he's also helping out with his dad, but there's no sense of this as the story unfolds.... perhaps a few interjections back to modern day would have made this more compelling?) and the ultimate closure with his childhood friend seemed odd. What was he hoping to accomplish? And what message did he want to convey to her? It's a happy little ending for him, sure, but how about for everyone else?

And finally, what I kept waiting to learn a bit more about his wife - where was she in all this? We briefly meet her, and she's apparently super-supportive, sweet wife... so much so that she seems codependent.

[Jill Manske · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really and truly wanted to like this book. It's well written and the characters have depth. But the story just didn't grab me. It was so melancholy, so full of bitterness and longing. Luke, the main character, finds himself with writer's block and begins a very self-indulgent journey into his past. He ends up writing a manuscript about his childhood and his friendship with the grandchildren of the angry woman next door, a way for him to come to terms with events that have rooted him in the past for 17 years. The book is meant to be inspiring and spiritual, but falls flat. I'm not exactly sure what it is about the storyline and the way it unfolds, but it seemed too forced. It's as if Luke is knowingly or unknowingly throwing his happiness and success into his long-ago friend's face. I just plain didn't like Luke and his self-righteous attitude. Suspect others will like the book and think I'm nuts. But if this is typical of Meissner's writing, then she's not for me.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up loving this book. I almost gave up on it in the beginning because at first the author seemed to be trying really hard to write a "good book" and I found that annoying. But I hung in there and by Part II I was engrossed. I agree with another reviewer who said that these characters will stay with me a long time. By the end of the book I felt like I knew them each very well.

This book was a vivid reminder to me that this world is not perfect and it is not supposed to be. That message was portrayed very well in the book.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, wonderful author, unexpected ending!

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost a 4 star read.

Luke Foxbourne is a successful author, who is struggling with writer's block when approaching a deadline. When he gets the news that his father has had a stroke, he returns to his home town of Halcyon, Iowa, to help run his father's newspaper until the older man can return to work.

Once he's in his childhood home, he starts thinking of his friend and neighbor Norah, who he last saw when he was 17, and all the stories and tragedies of their childhood. He feels prompted to write a memoir - and most of the book is a flashback to his youth, and the story he is writing.

The characters were great - and I think most of them will stick with me for a long time. While this book may be a happy ending for some, it is not for others. I found the ending unsatisfying, and the over arching Christian themes were well done in parts and fell flat in others. Throughout the flashback there were changes in perspective that I tripped over - such as Luke talking about "my father" and "his father" in the same sentence while talking about only himself.

But despite these issues - it was a very good book.

[Diane Ritter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m definitely a fan of Susan Meissner. That being said, I continue to be impressed by her ability to write stories that are able to delve deeply into the thoughts and minds of her characters. The relationship between Luke and Norah continues to unfold and grow until the unthinkable happens. Then Luke goes away to college and makes a decision to basically forget about her. Their reunion, many years later, is poignant, wistful, filled with anger, and filled with regret.

I’ve always thought that the mark of an excellent novel is that it leaves the reader wanting to know what happens with the characters. It leaves the reader wishing for a sequel. That’s exactly how I feel right now. And I think that’s why book series are so popular—they keep us involved in the characters’ lives.

In the final analysis—for me this book is so well written. It is both thoughtful and thought-provoking and left me wanting more.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Just when I had thought I'd read all of Susan Meissner's books to date, I happily discovered at the local library in my new town, three more that I didn't know existed. This is the second book Meissner wrote, back in 2006. Definitely with an overarching Christian theme (which may cause it to not be for all readers), it is a clean, thought-provoking read.

There were a couple of things in the story that didn't ring true - despite his age, Luke's complete walk away from the Janvik family and though I appreciate that Meissner resisted tying it all up neatly in a "happily ever after" - the very ending with Norah felt off to me.

I look forward to reading Meissner's other older books I discovered, and to the release of her new book, "As Bright As Heaven", in February 2018.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline of this novel drew me in right away. A celebrated author with writer's block returns to his hometown roots to sort through difficult episodes in his past, connected to his very strange neighbors and a girl who was his first crush. The writing was not remarkable in and of itself - nothing quotable per se - but the development of the plot and the characters was engaging. I read this book in less than 2 days, because I wanted to see what would happen next. And the protag's treehouse of his childhood is a visual image I will carry with me, as it held so many important moments and secrets, and served as a connection, both literally and relationally, between the two very different households. I think fans of Meissner will like this book.

[Sharyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed 2 other more recent books by Meissner, but this book was a little too religious for me. A best-selling mystery writer, Luke,has writers block and wondering if his life has meaning. When his father has a stroke, he returns home to Halcyon, Iowa, a place he left rarely to return after college. It brings back memories, and he decides to write a memoir. The second part of the book is the memoir, and truthfully, he is not a character I liked.
I also am not a Christian, so I really did not appreciate all the religious angles.
I found the ending unsatisfactory.

[Jacquie Stricklind · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very dark! Basically, a writer has writers block and decides to write about a neighbor girl, Norah who lived sometime with her grandmother Nell. Luke met Norah after his father built him a tree house and goes through his turning 18 and just before graduating high school. Read the book to find out if writing about Norah and finding out how her life turned out, and if she had a longing for heaven, and also if Luke got over his writer's block.

[Asparagoose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I was a little disspointed with the ending, although I'm not sure why. I'm not sure what I was expecting and I don't know how it could have ended to satisfy me, but I just feel it was lacking... something.

[Sheree Flood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love Susan Meissner books, but I didn't like this one. First, I didn't really like the protagonist. Second, it was slow going. Nothing much happened in the book, except sad events and people.

[Jaylene · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was a religious author.

[Melissa James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found how this novel showed how working through difficult relationships (or not) can make a big impact in many people's lives.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a good suspense-filled plot, read this book! It will have you on the edge of your seat. Read it to find a very powerful message! Very well done!

[Candi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of her best! A male protagonist written by a female author can be tricky, but Susan Meissner writes a believable and compelling story.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do not want to give the ending away, but this was not one of my favorite Meissner book. But it was an interesting read.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just could not get into this book....

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as her other books.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very early Susan Meissner novel--perhaps her second--really held my interest with a good plot and interesting characters. Mrs. Meissner explains the aspects of Christianity that her characters are struggling with very well, especially the longing for our heavenly home that is so deep in us all. (". . . ofttimes a secret something/Whispered, 'You're a stranger here,'/And I felt that I had wandered/From a more exalted sphere."--Eliza R. Snow, "O My Father.") And Mrs. Meisser writes so well at the sentence level, also: "Halcyon in the late spring moonlight looked as peaceful and serene as its name suggested. The tree-lined residential streets were dotted here and there with the warm hues of creamy yellow and fairy blue; colors cast by porch lights and glowing TV screens in living-room windows as Luke made his way through town." (p. 38) What a lovely image. Luke's story is a good one and the author does not give in to make the ending easy or pat. Very well done.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a successful writer, Luke Foxbourne is suffering from writers block when he learns that his father has had a serious stroke. The elder Foxbourne lives in Iowa and runs a newspaper business. Leaving his wife and children behind, Luke sets out for Iowa to take over the daily operation of his father's newspaper business thinking it will buy him some time in recovering from his writer's block. What Luke unexpectedly finds and remembers are memories from his childhood and a forgotten promise he made a long time ago.

Norah and her younger brother Kieran were childhood neighbours with a less than ideal home life but Luke doesn't know what happened to them or where they are. His conscience and rememberance of the "promise" he made years ago, propels him to find out how their story ended and might just provide the answer to his own unwritten narrative.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kind of dark. Maybe it was dark for me because of the childhood stuff that the author talks about. If you want something light hearted this is not the book for you. It is deep and sad.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't quite the book for me. The protagonist and his family were bit too wholesome. Norah's sad growing up life isn't that unusual (sucks, but not terribly unusual), yet Luke's dad always suggests he take the afternoon off to cope with the various things that happen to HER and her brother.

I also felt the Christianity aspect was a bit forced even though the author's note at the end suggests it was all very genuine.

And like another reviewer said, things all work out for Luke in the end, but what about everyone else? I wish I'd liked it more.

[bookme4life · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story had promise, but I came away feeling like the author missed opportunities to make the story more powerful, though I can't exactly articulate how. The flashback portion of the story felt the strongest, and I appreciated how Meissner resisted the temptation to wrap up Norah's life in a neat little bow at story's end. In the sum of things, I'd be more apt to recommend another of Meissner's books, The Shape of Mercy, than this one.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by this author that I've read. Wow! I'm impressed.

The story captured my attention early on and then took some twists that I never saw coming. Very interesting and thought provoking read. I love it when a book digs deep into realistic issues and this one did it quite well.

Before I was half-way through this novel, I went out and bought two more of Meissner's books. I plan to get my hands on as much from her as quickly as I can. Great author and book!

[Tj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book quite a bit more than I thought I would. Especially when I realized it is a Christian Fiction. I don't usually like this genre. (Although, I am Christian.) However, the characters really stayed with me and keep calling me back to read more. I wanted to google some of the events in the book because they seemed so real.