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The Amateur
When a young woman, a golf prodigy, kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs and predatory men, and suddenly a teenager is on trial in this spellbinding novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant.
1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a golf ball from her tee toward the practice net near the clubhouse and caddy shack. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, traveling 150 miles per hour, and slams, with sickening force, into the temple of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, rupturing an artery and unleashing a torrent of blood. Kenny brings his hand to the side of his head, then topples onto his side. He’s dead before the ambulance even arrives.
In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man three decades her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when the investigators look more closely at the torn net, when a detective recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once-promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a county courtroom, The Amateur What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?
1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a golf ball from her tee toward the practice net near the clubhouse and caddy shack. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, traveling 150 miles per hour, and slams, with sickening force, into the temple of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, rupturing an artery and unleashing a torrent of blood. Kenny brings his hand to the side of his head, then topples onto his side. He’s dead before the ambulance even arrives.
In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man three decades her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when the investigators look more closely at the torn net, when a detective recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once-promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a county courtroom, The Amateur What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Chris Bohjalian
42 books13.5k followersChris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 26 books. His new novel, THE AMATEUR, arrives on August 4, 2026. He writes literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His goal is never to write the same book twice. He has published somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.7 million words.
His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.
He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.
His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.
His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.
Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.
He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.
His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.
He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.
His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.
His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.
Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.
He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,693 reviews
August 16, 2026
loved this!! it’s so fun and exciting when you find a new-to-you author that you just can’t get enough of. this book is written memoir-style and it’s about Mira who’s life is completely thrown off track when she’s involved in a freak accident. definitely some heavy subject matter through out, keep that in mind if any tws pertain to you! i loved the narrator, her wit, and also her ability to see her own flaws. if you’re interested in the audiobook, it’s narrated by the ever-talented Jan Levinson-Gould (minus the Gould 😉) ((Melora Hardin!))
August 14, 2026
The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
Narrated by Melora Hardin
This story was so difficult to take in because even before eighteen year old golf prodigy, Mira Winston, killed Kenny Foster after hitting a golf ball into the club net, meant for just what Mira was doing, she was on a fast train to ruin and disaster. Having started sleeping with a man old enough to be her grandfather when she was fifteen and already drinking and drugging heavily, Mira thinks everything has been her choice and her fault. And she really doesn't plan to stop what she is doing (sleeping with men two or more times her age) and working up to more and stronger drugs. But she does not plan to kill anyone by golfing anymore because the day Mira killed Kenny Foster is the day she gave up golf.
Mira is wrapped in guilt, guilt that shouldn't be hers to take on, guilt for knowing somewhere under her skin that what she is doing is damaging her in so very many ways, and guilt for not noticing Kenny more before she killed him. She was wrapped up in a life of having just about anything she wanted, even things she should never have gotten, of having barely any limitations of getting to do what she wanted because no one was really watching her to stop her, and even before she killed Kenny, Mira was wrapped up in trying to make the inner hurts go away. Mira was not only into drugs and spending time in bed with a man forty years older than her, but she was wrapped up in doing things that made her feel good, or feel less, actually.
We are going to spend decades with Mira and by the end of the book, I do feel so much better about her than when the book started. She is going to be navigating a mind field and she is going to be doing what she did before, the harmful things she did before, a lot more before she finally sees the past for what it is and before she is able to grow enough to grab that which is really good and let go of that which is so very destructive. Along the way Mira will meet someone who will be her biggest supporter and that person will be a part of Mira's growth and eye opening. Watching Mira realize how much she was being harmed by adults, how much she was taught to think was her fault, and just how much she was really hurting inside, was an very emotional journey for me.
As I was listening to this book, I wasn't sure I wanted to go on. But getting to the end was worth it, Mira almost was not okay at all, but in the end, she had more to live for than to die for and seeing her want to live for the good stuff in life and for what she could really accomplish, made the hard parts worth the reading/hearing. The side characters in this story are important and I'm glad we got to know them and listen to them, whether what they said was true or right.
Published August 4, 2026
Thanks to my library and Libby for this audiobook
Narrated by Melora Hardin
This story was so difficult to take in because even before eighteen year old golf prodigy, Mira Winston, killed Kenny Foster after hitting a golf ball into the club net, meant for just what Mira was doing, she was on a fast train to ruin and disaster. Having started sleeping with a man old enough to be her grandfather when she was fifteen and already drinking and drugging heavily, Mira thinks everything has been her choice and her fault. And she really doesn't plan to stop what she is doing (sleeping with men two or more times her age) and working up to more and stronger drugs. But she does not plan to kill anyone by golfing anymore because the day Mira killed Kenny Foster is the day she gave up golf.
Mira is wrapped in guilt, guilt that shouldn't be hers to take on, guilt for knowing somewhere under her skin that what she is doing is damaging her in so very many ways, and guilt for not noticing Kenny more before she killed him. She was wrapped up in a life of having just about anything she wanted, even things she should never have gotten, of having barely any limitations of getting to do what she wanted because no one was really watching her to stop her, and even before she killed Kenny, Mira was wrapped up in trying to make the inner hurts go away. Mira was not only into drugs and spending time in bed with a man forty years older than her, but she was wrapped up in doing things that made her feel good, or feel less, actually.
We are going to spend decades with Mira and by the end of the book, I do feel so much better about her than when the book started. She is going to be navigating a mind field and she is going to be doing what she did before, the harmful things she did before, a lot more before she finally sees the past for what it is and before she is able to grow enough to grab that which is really good and let go of that which is so very destructive. Along the way Mira will meet someone who will be her biggest supporter and that person will be a part of Mira's growth and eye opening. Watching Mira realize how much she was being harmed by adults, how much she was taught to think was her fault, and just how much she was really hurting inside, was an very emotional journey for me.
As I was listening to this book, I wasn't sure I wanted to go on. But getting to the end was worth it, Mira almost was not okay at all, but in the end, she had more to live for than to die for and seeing her want to live for the good stuff in life and for what she could really accomplish, made the hard parts worth the reading/hearing. The side characters in this story are important and I'm glad we got to know them and listen to them, whether what they said was true or right.
Published August 4, 2026
Thanks to my library and Libby for this audiobook
August 8, 2026
Wow! Any book that leaves me in tears is most likely going to end up being a five-star read. And this book did just that. While not a thriller (although it has psychological thriller components, it’s very much a genre-blend heavy on the lit fiction part), I was completely captivated by the story of Mira and Kenny, and how just one small moment altered the course of their lives and those around them.
I loved the format. It breaks the fourth wall as a “memoir” of sorts, which makes it feel both more formal and more casual at the same time. And I loved the inclusion of court procedural, which ups the ante as we near the conclusion that incorporates one fantastic twist.
“You took advantage of my disadvantage” is a central theme throughout the story. Set in the late 1970s, Chris Bohjalian does a remarkable job of showcasing just how marginalized young women were both in and out of sports. It was painful to read about Mira’s young adulthood, but watching her unravel following the accident is almost unbearable.
🎧 The Amateur is also fantastic on audio, narrated by Melora Hardin, who adds a sense of emotional laissez-faire that works so well with Mira’s character. I chose to do an immersive read to be able to enjoy both formats and they compliment each other perfectly. I highly recommend it if you can.
Thank you Doubleday Books and PRH Audio for the advanced copies.
I loved the format. It breaks the fourth wall as a “memoir” of sorts, which makes it feel both more formal and more casual at the same time. And I loved the inclusion of court procedural, which ups the ante as we near the conclusion that incorporates one fantastic twist.
“You took advantage of my disadvantage” is a central theme throughout the story. Set in the late 1970s, Chris Bohjalian does a remarkable job of showcasing just how marginalized young women were both in and out of sports. It was painful to read about Mira’s young adulthood, but watching her unravel following the accident is almost unbearable.
🎧 The Amateur is also fantastic on audio, narrated by Melora Hardin, who adds a sense of emotional laissez-faire that works so well with Mira’s character. I chose to do an immersive read to be able to enjoy both formats and they compliment each other perfectly. I highly recommend it if you can.
Thank you Doubleday Books and PRH Audio for the advanced copies.
September 12, 2026
Long before Mira Winston becomes a highly acclaimed novelist, 18-year-old Mira is a golf prodigy who gains notoreity when she accidentally kills a young caddy with a 150 mph drive that slices right through a practice net.
Initially deemed a tragic and freak accident at the tony country club in an affluent suburb north of New York City, Mira knows differently: she believes the universe is punishing her for her years-long affair with Theo Catton.
Oh, did I mention that Theo, a member of the club, is 47 and married?
Uh huh.
Cosmic punishment notwithstanding...
When police execute a search warrant and find a leather target in Mira’s golf bag that has been removed from the club's practice net, a civil lawsuit gets transformed into a criminal involuntary manslaughter charge.
Prosecutors claim that Mira tampered with the equipment prior to the accident.
Mira insists she never touched the practice net.
Decades later, 56-year-old Mira is narrating her memoir (aka The Amateur by bestselling author Chris Bohjalian).
I love that Bohjalian chose to frame his latest novel as a memoir told not only with 20/20 hindsight of the incident but also the wisdom and life experience that four decades afford Mira.
The events of 1978–1980 echo throughout Mira’s life, shaping her friendships, career, and marriage.
Of course nobody in 1978 even suggests a traumatized teenager might benefit from therapy.
Nor does anyone question why equipment intended for a suburban backyard is set up directly in front of the workers the country club values least (ie. the lowly caddies).
Anywho...
I thoroughly enjoyed the build up to the eventual courtroom drama. Felt like I was present at the high-stakes trial. Bravo, Bohjalian!
But, perhaps even better: Mira's eventual confrontation with Theo.
It's 40 years coming and, boy, is it worth the wait. Yee haw!
Fans of Bohjalian already know that his work frequently places ordinary people in extraordinary moral crucibles.
The Amateur blends psychological depth with the pacing of a thriller. Strongly recommend.
August 10, 2026
4.5 stars, rounded up
Chris Bohjalian is known for writing disturbing stories. He lives up to that reputation with The Amateur. The premise is that a young golfer is practicing her drives at the country club when a ball gets through the safety net and kills a caddy. Initially, everyone says it was just a tragic, freak accident. But things have a way of snowballing because society always wants someone to blame. And who easier to blame than an 18 year old girl unaware of how society can eat you up and spit you out?
Mira was messed up well before that accident. An incident of sexual assault caused her to seek her own sort of justice. In fact, her whole family is a hot mess. Her parents treat her as an also ran compared to her older brother. They drink excessively, they have affairs.
The book is written as if an older Mira has written a memoir. She tells her reader she is a “reliable narrator”. There are parts of the story that are definitely difficult to read especially as it pertains to her “affair” with a 47 year old married man that began when she was 15. Decades before the #MeToo movement, Mira doesn’t blame him for taking advantage of her and sees herself as a willing participant. The book has lots to say about guilt and “karma”. Mira believes she deserves all the bad things that happen to her.
The book also delves into social entitlement and mental health issues. Yes, it’s a legal thriller but it’s also historic and social commentary. It’d be easy to say this was 1978 and things have changed. The question is how much have they really. Bohjalian also gets his digs in about readers’ opinions on unlikeable main characters.
I listened to this and Melora Hardin did a great job as the narrator.
Chris Bohjalian is known for writing disturbing stories. He lives up to that reputation with The Amateur. The premise is that a young golfer is practicing her drives at the country club when a ball gets through the safety net and kills a caddy. Initially, everyone says it was just a tragic, freak accident. But things have a way of snowballing because society always wants someone to blame. And who easier to blame than an 18 year old girl unaware of how society can eat you up and spit you out?
Mira was messed up well before that accident. An incident of sexual assault caused her to seek her own sort of justice. In fact, her whole family is a hot mess. Her parents treat her as an also ran compared to her older brother. They drink excessively, they have affairs.
The book is written as if an older Mira has written a memoir. She tells her reader she is a “reliable narrator”. There are parts of the story that are definitely difficult to read especially as it pertains to her “affair” with a 47 year old married man that began when she was 15. Decades before the #MeToo movement, Mira doesn’t blame him for taking advantage of her and sees herself as a willing participant. The book has lots to say about guilt and “karma”. Mira believes she deserves all the bad things that happen to her.
The book also delves into social entitlement and mental health issues. Yes, it’s a legal thriller but it’s also historic and social commentary. It’d be easy to say this was 1978 and things have changed. The question is how much have they really. Bohjalian also gets his digs in about readers’ opinions on unlikeable main characters.
I listened to this and Melora Hardin did a great job as the narrator.
August 16, 2026
It pains me to say this because I really wanted to like this book, especially after enjoying other books by the Chris, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. The first half felt incredibly slow and repetitive, with so much detail about golf that I found myself losing interest, and although things picked up a little towards the end, it was far too late for me. I also found the way Mira was written really difficult to connect with, and I struggled with how she spoke and viewed some of the situations she was in. The biggest problem for me was that I figured out very early on what had happened, so there was never really that mystery or suspense I was hoping for. I ended up trudging through the book just because I needed to know how it finished, but honestly, I wish I had given myself permission to DNF it.
August 14, 2026
4.5
Audiobook was PHENOMENALLY done. Highly recommend going that route!
This is a unique story mainly because the story is told to you as the reader from the main character. The main character is sharing the horrible story that happened in her teenage years by accidently killing a boy while swinging her driver and the ball hit his head and killed him instantly. The story is hard to hear because the trauma of that experience was extremely difficult for her and she coped through sex, drugs, and even had a suicide attempt. We reach the end in part 3 with the court procedure finding blame with either Mira, the golf course, or the net manufacturer.
By the end, I felt very immersed in the storytelling and found Chris Bohjalian's writing to be absolutely impressive and sharp in details.
Audiobook was PHENOMENALLY done. Highly recommend going that route!
This is a unique story mainly because the story is told to you as the reader from the main character. The main character is sharing the horrible story that happened in her teenage years by accidently killing a boy while swinging her driver and the ball hit his head and killed him instantly. The story is hard to hear because the trauma of that experience was extremely difficult for her and she coped through sex, drugs, and even had a suicide attempt. We reach the end in part 3 with the court procedure finding blame with either Mira, the golf course, or the net manufacturer.
By the end, I felt very immersed in the storytelling and found Chris Bohjalian's writing to be absolutely impressive and sharp in details.
August 27, 2026
3.75-
"You took advantage of my disadvantage"—Mira's tattoo serves as a poignant reminder of this book's core message.
Set in 1978, this fictional memoir follows the aftermath of a devastating accident on a golf course that changes the trajectory of Mira's life forever. The storyline explores the deep ripple effects of trauma and grief as Mira grows up and ultimately channels her experiences into writing fiction.
The audio narration is great, though the story deals with heavy themes—including trauma, mental health, pedophilia, drug abuse, and sexual abuse—underscoring the critical need to protect young girls. Very well written, but definitely a darker, more somber read.
"You took advantage of my disadvantage"—Mira's tattoo serves as a poignant reminder of this book's core message.
Set in 1978, this fictional memoir follows the aftermath of a devastating accident on a golf course that changes the trajectory of Mira's life forever. The storyline explores the deep ripple effects of trauma and grief as Mira grows up and ultimately channels her experiences into writing fiction.
The audio narration is great, though the story deals with heavy themes—including trauma, mental health, pedophilia, drug abuse, and sexual abuse—underscoring the critical need to protect young girls. Very well written, but definitely a darker, more somber read.
August 7, 2026
The Amateur is set in 1978 and follows our protagonist and narrator, Mira, an up-and-coming golfer and LPGA hopeful who is preparing to start at Yale in the fall. Early in the book, she does the unthinkable: she hits a golf ball that, against a one-in-a-million chance, strikes a 17-year-old caddy in the head, resulting in his death.
While the premise is super intriguing, the novel is ultimately a coming-of-age story about Mira coping with the tragedy while navigating an illicit relationship with a much older man. At its core, the book explores how manipulative, abusive men take advantage of young women, and the journey of overcoming that trauma.
My main issue with the book was Mira's point of view. Written as a memoir where she looks back to come to terms with her past, I simply could not stand Mira at times. She often came across as completely insensitive, your classic young, rich, spoiled brat.
Additionally, I wish the book had truly immersed us in 1978. Instead, it relied too much on a modern lens as she tells the story, which ultimately made Mira rather unlikable.
Overall, a decent book, one that should be read in a day.
While the premise is super intriguing, the novel is ultimately a coming-of-age story about Mira coping with the tragedy while navigating an illicit relationship with a much older man. At its core, the book explores how manipulative, abusive men take advantage of young women, and the journey of overcoming that trauma.
My main issue with the book was Mira's point of view. Written as a memoir where she looks back to come to terms with her past, I simply could not stand Mira at times. She often came across as completely insensitive, your classic young, rich, spoiled brat.
Additionally, I wish the book had truly immersed us in 1978. Instead, it relied too much on a modern lens as she tells the story, which ultimately made Mira rather unlikable.
Overall, a decent book, one that should be read in a day.
April 23, 2026
Never in my life did I think I would love a book about an unlikable teenage golfer but I was completely wrong. This book is fantastic! The author has created a story about a spoiled girl from a wealthy family and the reader actually cares deeply about her.
Mira, an 18 year old golf prodigy, drives practice balls at the country club she has played golf at since she was a child. One golf ball goes through the practice net and accidentally strikes a teenage caddy in the head killing him. This tragedy reveals secrets that destroy Mira’s life.
The Amateur is an outstanding, well written, thought provoking novel. One doesn’t need to play golf or even understand the game in order to enjoy this book. Highly recommend to readers everywhere. It’s a winner.
Thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Mira, an 18 year old golf prodigy, drives practice balls at the country club she has played golf at since she was a child. One golf ball goes through the practice net and accidentally strikes a teenage caddy in the head killing him. This tragedy reveals secrets that destroy Mira’s life.
The Amateur is an outstanding, well written, thought provoking novel. One doesn’t need to play golf or even understand the game in order to enjoy this book. Highly recommend to readers everywhere. It’s a winner.
Thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
August 5, 2026
As I skimmed some of the reviews, I kept seeing people say that Mira was an unlikeable character, I completely disagree. She went through a lot of bad stuff and is telling her story with candor... not excusing her behavior or playing the victim (though she absolutely is one). To me, that makes her honest, vulnerable, and understandable.
This was my first book by Chris Bohjalian, and while I'm not sure his writing style is for me, that's not going to stop me from picking up another book by him. 4.5 stars rounded up!
This was my first book by Chris Bohjalian, and while I'm not sure his writing style is for me, that's not going to stop me from picking up another book by him. 4.5 stars rounded up!
August 9, 2026
If you already know how unfair the world is to teenage girls, you don’t need this book. In The Amateur, posh kid Mira Winston accidentally kills a young caddy due to a faulty net at the driving range. The fallout from the incident exposes the secrets of her WASPy upstate New York town. When I say secrets, I mean, only two or three. Mainly Mira’s affair with a much older married man.
The plot unfolds so slowly it takes over half the book for Mira (as an adult narrator) to note she wasn’t drawn to older men, wait for it, middle-aged creeps are drawn to young girls. Not much of a revelation when the narrator has been referencing Lolita's "you took advantage of my disadvantage" since chapter one.
Mira worries her readers don’t like her, and some of the Goodreads reviews here call her unlikeable. Damn, what are the standards like for acceptable female leads with some of you folks???
As a narrator, Mira is level headed and almost too passive. In terms of driving the plot, she doesn’t do anything all that crazy; a bit of drugs, trashing a rapist’s car. All of which is disclosed in the opening paragraphs and mentioned so many times it loses its power.
She’s a perfectly average sister, daughter, and friend. So much so that this book becomes boring. Mira does us a solid and explains early on: "Hey, I’m not one of those unreliable narrators so don’t expect some kind of big character reveal." I appreciated the heads-up.
This book is billed as a mystery, but it's more of an exploration of how trauma and shitty men can derail your personal growth. We don’t get to the trial concerning the golfing accident until 80% into the novel. Mira’s (Bohjalian's??) confident assertion that rich people who lie aren’t likely to get a fair shake in the justice system was worth a chuckle. You'll probably guess what actually happened that day on the driving range before it's revealed.
Ultimately The Amateur is about a decent young woman with above-average golf skills who is sad for understandable reasons. Every character in this book will vanish from your mind the minute you close it.
The plot unfolds so slowly it takes over half the book for Mira (as an adult narrator) to note she wasn’t drawn to older men, wait for it, middle-aged creeps are drawn to young girls. Not much of a revelation when the narrator has been referencing Lolita's "you took advantage of my disadvantage" since chapter one.
Mira worries her readers don’t like her, and some of the Goodreads reviews here call her unlikeable. Damn, what are the standards like for acceptable female leads with some of you folks???
As a narrator, Mira is level headed and almost too passive. In terms of driving the plot, she doesn’t do anything all that crazy; a bit of drugs, trashing a rapist’s car. All of which is disclosed in the opening paragraphs and mentioned so many times it loses its power.
She’s a perfectly average sister, daughter, and friend. So much so that this book becomes boring. Mira does us a solid and explains early on: "Hey, I’m not one of those unreliable narrators so don’t expect some kind of big character reveal." I appreciated the heads-up.
This book is billed as a mystery, but it's more of an exploration of how trauma and shitty men can derail your personal growth. We don’t get to the trial concerning the golfing accident until 80% into the novel. Mira’s (Bohjalian's??) confident assertion that rich people who lie aren’t likely to get a fair shake in the justice system was worth a chuckle. You'll probably guess what actually happened that day on the driving range before it's revealed.
Ultimately The Amateur is about a decent young woman with above-average golf skills who is sad for understandable reasons. Every character in this book will vanish from your mind the minute you close it.
March 6, 2026
I’m a longtime Chris Bohjalian fan, so it was no surprise that I was instantly hooked with this story of a young woman who accidentally killed a caddy while hitting balls at a golf course. However, two things about this multifaceted story did surprise me. First, that the author was somehow skilled at telling a story centered around a golf prodigy, and that such a story was somehow captivating to a person like myself, who has absolutely no interest (or basic knowledge) in the area of golf. Don’t let the premise or the description of this novel fool you— it is so much more than just a golf story. The reader quickly discovers that the golf course is merely the backdrop for the incident that shapes the story, which already began to unfold before the incident occurred, as Mira grew up in this small and somewhat exclusive community..
The real story lies in the heartbreaking but somehow relatable series of events that the main character, Mira, experiences in her formative years as a young woman who is planning to enter college before her life gets derailed. Which brings me to my second surprise: Chris Bohjalian is somehow incredibly skilled at writing from the voice of a young woman. There is an art to this, as your stereotypical country club brat is not typically the most likable individual. But just like the multi-layered story, there are layers to our protagonist, and the reader quickly discovers that she’s got issues and she’s been taken advantage of and she’s not just an entitled golf star.
As with the best mysteries, we are thrown a shocking turn of events, but not before we begin to understand Mira more deeply. This is a story of suspense, but there are other themes at play through the entirety of the novel, which are difficult to touch on without spoiling some of the best parts. Just know that this is the 70s, and times, they were different.
I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy crime and suspense fiction works, And if you’re like me and don’t particularly care for golf, don’t let that discourage you from giving this book a chance. It’s so much more than what it may appear. Just like Mira. If you’re like me, it will have you thinking about how a single brief moment in time can completely change one’s life, for good or for bad. And how every action has an equal and opposite reaction,
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel in advance of its publication
The real story lies in the heartbreaking but somehow relatable series of events that the main character, Mira, experiences in her formative years as a young woman who is planning to enter college before her life gets derailed. Which brings me to my second surprise: Chris Bohjalian is somehow incredibly skilled at writing from the voice of a young woman. There is an art to this, as your stereotypical country club brat is not typically the most likable individual. But just like the multi-layered story, there are layers to our protagonist, and the reader quickly discovers that she’s got issues and she’s been taken advantage of and she’s not just an entitled golf star.
As with the best mysteries, we are thrown a shocking turn of events, but not before we begin to understand Mira more deeply. This is a story of suspense, but there are other themes at play through the entirety of the novel, which are difficult to touch on without spoiling some of the best parts. Just know that this is the 70s, and times, they were different.
I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy crime and suspense fiction works, And if you’re like me and don’t particularly care for golf, don’t let that discourage you from giving this book a chance. It’s so much more than what it may appear. Just like Mira. If you’re like me, it will have you thinking about how a single brief moment in time can completely change one’s life, for good or for bad. And how every action has an equal and opposite reaction,
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel in advance of its publication
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I thought at first I wasn't going to enjoy this book: there's a surprising amount of f-words used and there's sex between an older married man and a minor. The main character, Mira, the aforementioned minor, is not very likable. It's 1978, she's won the birth lottery, living a privileged life in one of the tony suburbs of NYC with wealthy parents and a perfect older brother. Her main goal it seems is to do something that will make her father proud, make him finally notice her, yet she makes one bad choice after another. She's considered a golf phenom at their local country club until one day she kills a young caddy named Kenny Foster with a drive that slams through the practice net.
It turns out that this is actually a memoir that Mira is writing in her old age. Over the years, she's become a successful writer and wants to share what happened to her as a teen. 'The purpose of a memoir is to share something universal in one's own idiosyncratic experience: something meaningful that's helpful or healing or adds to our understanding of a moment in time.'
This also turns into a courtroom drama as the legal system tries to decide who is responsible for Kenny Foster's death. There's quite an interesting and unexpected twist to the plot.
Golf of course plays a big part in this story, but I don't think you have to be into golf per se to enjoy it. And enjoy it I did in the end. It was interesting to see Mira go through so much, make so many mistakes, and then finally begin to change. Meeting someone with a good moral compass certainly helps.
Chris Bohjalian is definitely one of my favorite writers. Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of his new novel via NetGalley.
It turns out that this is actually a memoir that Mira is writing in her old age. Over the years, she's become a successful writer and wants to share what happened to her as a teen. 'The purpose of a memoir is to share something universal in one's own idiosyncratic experience: something meaningful that's helpful or healing or adds to our understanding of a moment in time.'
This also turns into a courtroom drama as the legal system tries to decide who is responsible for Kenny Foster's death. There's quite an interesting and unexpected twist to the plot.
Golf of course plays a big part in this story, but I don't think you have to be into golf per se to enjoy it. And enjoy it I did in the end. It was interesting to see Mira go through so much, make so many mistakes, and then finally begin to change. Meeting someone with a good moral compass certainly helps.
Chris Bohjalian is definitely one of my favorite writers. Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of his new novel via NetGalley.
August 25, 2026
"When a young woman, a golf prodigy, kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs, predatory men, and a teenager on trial."
Mira Winston is eighteen years old when a net fails and a golf ball moving at 150 mph strikes caddy Kenny Foster in the temple and instantly kills him. At first, it is ruled an accident until Kenny's father sees her with her married lover, thirty years her senior. At this point the community turns on Mira and villanizes her, forcing her to stand trial.
This book is gripping and so thought-provoking. Masterfully written by Chris Bohjalian, it begs the question of culpability. Who was responsible.for the death of Kenny Foster? Was it Mira, the country club, or the net manufacturer? Who is responsible for the demise of Theo Catton's marriage? Is it an eighteen-year-old girl or her middle-aged lover who groomed her at fifteen years old? The story is engaging as it is told in first person as a memoir when Mira is older and has more wisdom. I have read books before that address predators and haven't been able to stomach them. This is tastefully done and shows group behavior. It examines how one moment can erase years of good and change the course of a life. Highly recommend this propulsive read!
The audiobook performance by Melora Hardin (9 hours 58 minutes) is perfection! She brings all the characters to life and her skill at distinct voices for male and female characters is top notch!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Doubleday Books, PRH Audio and Chris Bohjalian for the gifted advance reader's copy, advance listening copy and finished copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧📚
Mira Winston is eighteen years old when a net fails and a golf ball moving at 150 mph strikes caddy Kenny Foster in the temple and instantly kills him. At first, it is ruled an accident until Kenny's father sees her with her married lover, thirty years her senior. At this point the community turns on Mira and villanizes her, forcing her to stand trial.
This book is gripping and so thought-provoking. Masterfully written by Chris Bohjalian, it begs the question of culpability. Who was responsible.for the death of Kenny Foster? Was it Mira, the country club, or the net manufacturer? Who is responsible for the demise of Theo Catton's marriage? Is it an eighteen-year-old girl or her middle-aged lover who groomed her at fifteen years old? The story is engaging as it is told in first person as a memoir when Mira is older and has more wisdom. I have read books before that address predators and haven't been able to stomach them. This is tastefully done and shows group behavior. It examines how one moment can erase years of good and change the course of a life. Highly recommend this propulsive read!
The audiobook performance by Melora Hardin (9 hours 58 minutes) is perfection! She brings all the characters to life and her skill at distinct voices for male and female characters is top notch!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Doubleday Books, PRH Audio and Chris Bohjalian for the gifted advance reader's copy, advance listening copy and finished copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧📚
August 8, 2026
I picked this up after seeing a piece in the NYT calling it one of the best thrillers of the summer. Unfortunately it wouldn’t make my personal list; in fact, I’m not sure I’d call it a thriller.
The big inciting incident is when Mira, a high school golf prodigy, hits a drive into a practice net and it goes right through and hits a caddy in the head, killing him. There is, at worst, some potential minor negligence here. Even low grade manslaughter seems like a reach. But that’s what the entire book revolves around. Or at least what the flap copy claims it revolves around.
The bulk of the book is written from Mira’s perspective, looking back from years later, as she pontificates about the rogue drive incident, and also about how many drugs she was taking back then and how many older men she was sleeping with.
In fact, in my reading, Mira’s affairs with older men—one of which started when she was 15 and lasted for nearly four years—are the real heart of the book. She writes at length about how much she liked screwing these older men and how she fully consented to everything, and how boys her age were the ones who took advantage of her, and she was too mature for them.
It’s a strange theme to build a book around, and when I realized that the author is in fact an older man, it gave me an icky feeling.
The insight into this troubled main character is not bad, but it’s not good enough to overcome that icky feeling.
Likewise, the question of which way the jury will find in the eventual trial is well-crafted—I could see them going either way—but that doesn’t save the book from its terribly low stakes. It just doesn’t really matter, largely because we know the MC is writing this herself, after a long and fulfilling life.the melodramatic ending also doesn’t help
The big inciting incident is when Mira, a high school golf prodigy, hits a drive into a practice net and it goes right through and hits a caddy in the head, killing him. There is, at worst, some potential minor negligence here. Even low grade manslaughter seems like a reach. But that’s what the entire book revolves around. Or at least what the flap copy claims it revolves around.
The bulk of the book is written from Mira’s perspective, looking back from years later, as she pontificates about the rogue drive incident, and also about how many drugs she was taking back then and how many older men she was sleeping with.
In fact, in my reading, Mira’s affairs with older men—one of which started when she was 15 and lasted for nearly four years—are the real heart of the book. She writes at length about how much she liked screwing these older men and how she fully consented to everything, and how boys her age were the ones who took advantage of her, and she was too mature for them.
It’s a strange theme to build a book around, and when I realized that the author is in fact an older man, it gave me an icky feeling.
The insight into this troubled main character is not bad, but it’s not good enough to overcome that icky feeling.
Likewise, the question of which way the jury will find in the eventual trial is well-crafted—I could see them going either way—but that doesn’t save the book from its terribly low stakes. It just doesn’t really matter, largely because we know the MC is writing this herself, after a long and fulfilling life.the melodramatic ending also doesn’t help
August 29, 2026
There is no mystery about who killed Kenny Foster, a 17-year-old caddy at the Tallmadge Country Club in August of 1978. It was the fiery 18-year-old LPGA hopeful Mira Winston. She was driving balls into the practice net when a shot blasts through the mesh at about 150 miles per hour and slams into the caddy’s head, killing him.
Mira is devastated. She does not matriculate at Yale like she had planned. Indeed, she never plays golf again. Mira becomes convinced that Kenny’s death is karmic punishment for her multiyear affair with a married 40-something man. Oh—and it seems the girl had a terrible temper, and thus is suspected of sabotaging the practice net herself as she despised its presence. Mira (and her parents) self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.
The drama eventually comes to trial. Is she legally responsible for Kenny’s death? Will a civil suit by Kenny’s family make her pay? The media spins the story as “privileged rich girl with too much attitude recklessly kills a student with so much promise”. There is a stunning 11th-hour twist!
This is a morality tale, a psychological exploration of guilt and its repercussions when girls like Mira were sexualized and judged by everyone, including other women.
Mira is devastated. She does not matriculate at Yale like she had planned. Indeed, she never plays golf again. Mira becomes convinced that Kenny’s death is karmic punishment for her multiyear affair with a married 40-something man. Oh—and it seems the girl had a terrible temper, and thus is suspected of sabotaging the practice net herself as she despised its presence. Mira (and her parents) self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.
The drama eventually comes to trial. Is she legally responsible for Kenny’s death? Will a civil suit by Kenny’s family make her pay? The media spins the story as “privileged rich girl with too much attitude recklessly kills a student with so much promise”. There is a stunning 11th-hour twist!
This is a morality tale, a psychological exploration of guilt and its repercussions when girls like Mira were sexualized and judged by everyone, including other women.
August 20, 2026
The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian is one of those novels that hits hard but never feels heavy‑handed. The subject matter is undeniably harrowing — the kind of real‑world darkness that makes you pause, breathe, and sometimes wince — yet Bohjalian handles every difficult moment with such care, clarity, and surprising humour that you never feel overwhelmed. He knows exactly when to soften the blow, when to let the tension sit, and when to let a sharp, perfectly timed joke cut through the gloom. It’s a delicate balance, and he absolutely nails it.
What really keeps the book grounded is Mira. She makes some genuinely bad life choices — the kind that make you want to reach into the page and say “please don’t do that” — but she’s still deeply likeable. Bohjalian gives her enough vulnerability, wit, and self‑awareness that you end up rooting for her even when she’s spiralling. She’s flawed in a way that feels human rather than frustrating, and her voice carries so much warmth that you stay with her through every misstep.
Despite the tough themes, the novel is strangely uplifting. Bohjalian’s trademark humour threads through the darkest chapters, giving the story a kind of resilience. You feel the weight of what’s happening, but you also feel the author’s compassion — his insistence on seeing people as complicated, funny, hopeful, and worth caring about.
It’s gripping, emotionally sharp, and unexpectedly funny. A tough read handled with real heart.
What really keeps the book grounded is Mira. She makes some genuinely bad life choices — the kind that make you want to reach into the page and say “please don’t do that” — but she’s still deeply likeable. Bohjalian gives her enough vulnerability, wit, and self‑awareness that you end up rooting for her even when she’s spiralling. She’s flawed in a way that feels human rather than frustrating, and her voice carries so much warmth that you stay with her through every misstep.
Despite the tough themes, the novel is strangely uplifting. Bohjalian’s trademark humour threads through the darkest chapters, giving the story a kind of resilience. You feel the weight of what’s happening, but you also feel the author’s compassion — his insistence on seeing people as complicated, funny, hopeful, and worth caring about.
It’s gripping, emotionally sharp, and unexpectedly funny. A tough read handled with real heart.
September 15, 2026
For the most part I enjoyed this novel. My quibble with it was that I felt it was a bit repetitive. The storyline was good - part mystery part coming of age. I did figure out what happened with the mystery aspect but it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. It had been a very long time since I’d read a Bohjalian novel. I’m not going to wait that long for the next.
August 12, 2026
5+🌟This book!! Y’all… I feel like whatever your preferred genres, you’re going to enjoy this one. I listened to the audiobook and could not turn it off. I’m completely obsessed with Mira, our FMC high school golf prodigy. A tragedy happens in the beginning and we follow Mira as she navigates her way through the aftermath. Her shallow mother advises her to treat it like a car wreck on the other side of the interstate. Just keep going and soon it will be in your rear view mirror and then forgotten. As if she could just erase it like that. So many secrets and illicit affairs are uncovered along the way. And of course I loved the late 70s setting. Melora Hardin was simply outstanding as the narrator. I had the ebook teed up on Libby, but the audio was just too good. I’m highly recommending this one.
September 7, 2026
2.5⭐️
This was just so slow. I know it’s a literary thriller but there was just so much unnecessary plot I almost DNFd at the 84% mark but told myself to just power through.
And honestly I am glad that I did because the ending was much quicker and satisfying. I kinda figured it out based on the immense amount of context clues given.
This was just so slow. I know it’s a literary thriller but there was just so much unnecessary plot I almost DNFd at the 84% mark but told myself to just power through.
And honestly I am glad that I did because the ending was much quicker and satisfying. I kinda figured it out based on the immense amount of context clues given.
September 9, 2026
DNF at 50%
I found this story to be offensive, the predator sex, and a main character who was so mentally incapable of making a good decision. This was truly a ride on a trail headed for suicide.
I am done with this author's books.
I found this story to be offensive, the predator sex, and a main character who was so mentally incapable of making a good decision. This was truly a ride on a trail headed for suicide.
I am done with this author's books.
August 12, 2026
I’m sorry but this just didn’t land for me. I wanted it to go in a different direction than it did so it was a little disappointing. This is my first book by this author so maybe it’s not my fault for recognizing their style but the synopsis was originally interesting to me. I also found myself uncomfortable with how the female character viewed her own abuse by older men, specifically because this was written by a man. If this book had been by a woman I think I may have felt differently. Maybe that says more about me than the author but it’s just how I felt. Ended abruptly as well.
Thanks to Doubleday Books and the author for an arc from NetGalley
Thanks to Doubleday Books and the author for an arc from NetGalley
August 17, 2026
In 1978, 18-year-old golf prodigy Mira drives a ball through a practice net, fatally striking junior caddy Kenny. Initially dubbed a freak accident, an investigation into the torn net begins to raise more questions. After Mira's affair with a married man decades her senior is then exposed, public scrutiny shifts their opinion. Years later, Mira is finally ready to tell her whole story.
I always appreciate how Bohjalian doesn't create your run-of-the-mill thriller but instead crafts this intriguing sort of character study that still has a mysterious air. Mira's journey is filled with drama and trauma, the least of which is causing the death of Kenny. Watching her come to terms with some highly uncomfortable truths in her past is as compelling as hearing about the case itself. The memoir-style narrative of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘂𝗿 creates a sense of intimacy that blurs the lines of fiction and grips you to the end.
🎙 Once I got over picturing her as Jan from The Office, Melora Hardin absolutely aced the narration. She embodied Mira so fully that I felt like I was listening to a memoir or podcast of a real person.
I always appreciate how Bohjalian doesn't create your run-of-the-mill thriller but instead crafts this intriguing sort of character study that still has a mysterious air. Mira's journey is filled with drama and trauma, the least of which is causing the death of Kenny. Watching her come to terms with some highly uncomfortable truths in her past is as compelling as hearing about the case itself. The memoir-style narrative of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘂𝗿 creates a sense of intimacy that blurs the lines of fiction and grips you to the end.
🎙 Once I got over picturing her as Jan from The Office, Melora Hardin absolutely aced the narration. She embodied Mira so fully that I felt like I was listening to a memoir or podcast of a real person.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25
setting: new York
rep: n/a
this is one of those odd times where I take ages to read a book because when I'm reading it I'm loving it, but when I'm not reading it I don't feel much need to pick it up, but then I do and it's great again. I don't know why. but I did really enjoy this one. Mira was a surprisingly well-written protagonist both as a 17-year-old girl and the 50-something woman writing her memoir considering the author is a man, which I usually find icky. he did good though, so I'll let him off! I enjoyed Mira's voice and I do often enjoy a fictional memoir/biography!
setting: new York
rep: n/a
this is one of those odd times where I take ages to read a book because when I'm reading it I'm loving it, but when I'm not reading it I don't feel much need to pick it up, but then I do and it's great again. I don't know why. but I did really enjoy this one. Mira was a surprisingly well-written protagonist both as a 17-year-old girl and the 50-something woman writing her memoir considering the author is a man, which I usually find icky. he did good though, so I'll let him off! I enjoyed Mira's voice and I do often enjoy a fictional memoir/biography!
August 16, 2026
Upstate New York - a small upscale town.
Late 1970s.
[ I enjoyed the memories of the music.]
Reliable (???) narrator.
Unique premise.
Upcoming young woman golfer.
Police procedural & courtroom drama.
Coming of age, golf, justice.
Sex, drugs, rock & roll.
🎸 💪 ⛳️ ✌🏼
Late 1970s.
[ I enjoyed the memories of the music.]
Reliable (???) narrator.
Unique premise.
Upcoming young woman golfer.
Police procedural & courtroom drama.
Coming of age, golf, justice.
Sex, drugs, rock & roll.
🎸 💪 ⛳️ ✌🏼
August 8, 2026
A gripping story of a tragic accident, culpability, privilege, and a razor-sharp snapshot of a very particular time in suburban America, where parents were oblivious, and teenage girls were preyed upon by older men. It also has a LOT of golf !
I loved Mr. Bohjalian’s meta-insert where he dropped Easter eggs of two of his own books!
“ This is, pure and simple, the story of just another amateur, a person who tried once too often to play above her game. I flew too close to the sun- like so many others before me- believing I could escape that sort of flight unscathed “.
“ It wasn’t that I was drawn to older men. It was that a certain type of middle-aged creep was always going to be drawn to young girls like me”
I loved Mr. Bohjalian’s meta-insert where he dropped Easter eggs of two of his own books!
“ This is, pure and simple, the story of just another amateur, a person who tried once too often to play above her game. I flew too close to the sun- like so many others before me- believing I could escape that sort of flight unscathed “.
“ It wasn’t that I was drawn to older men. It was that a certain type of middle-aged creep was always going to be drawn to young girls like me”
August 12, 2026
I’m not sure why I’m even giving this one Star. I guess because I can’t give it a thumbs down.
First of all, the book runs 311 pages….that includes double spacing and wide margins. So it is really more like150 pages when condensed.
The plot centers around a young woman in high school who is very talented at golf. She accidentally kills someone with an errant swing of her club and the ball sails into someone’s temple.
So many words were used to describe the game, the caddies, the club, etc. None of it germane to forwarding the plot.
Over and over the author rehashes the woman’s feelings, what has happened, reactions of those around her.There is no suspense. It just plods.
I quit after page 90.
This does not seem to have been written by the Chris Bohjalian I know.
First of all, the book runs 311 pages….that includes double spacing and wide margins. So it is really more like150 pages when condensed.
The plot centers around a young woman in high school who is very talented at golf. She accidentally kills someone with an errant swing of her club and the ball sails into someone’s temple.
So many words were used to describe the game, the caddies, the club, etc. None of it germane to forwarding the plot.
Over and over the author rehashes the woman’s feelings, what has happened, reactions of those around her.There is no suspense. It just plods.
I quit after page 90.
This does not seem to have been written by the Chris Bohjalian I know.
April 20, 2026
I've been reading Chris Bohjalian's work for close to two decades and I can confidently say that The Amateur is probably my favorite as of yet - set in a posh area of Westchester in the late 70s, I loved reading this story about a talented female golfer and how that gets washed away in the face of tragedy.
Thank you to Knopf for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Knopf for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
August 26, 2026
This is my first book by Chris Bohjalian and having seen The Amateur appear all over instagram recently I knew I had to read it.
I didn't really bother reading the blurb so I went in not quite knowing what to expect and what I didn't expect was to be drawn in from the opening paragraph and gripped until the very end.
The Amateur is narrated by Mira Winston. At the age of 18, Mira was living a charmed life in an affluent suburb of New York. She was a golf prodigy with a bright future ahead of her and on her way to Yale when a freak accident at the golf course changes her life in ways no-one could have foreseen.
Without giving anything away, Mira is a fascinating character to read. I'm not sure if I liked her or even understood her, she was certainly damaged and came from a dysfunctional family. Her actions were questionable throughout, but there was no doubt what was a tragic event then caused lasting trauma throughout her life.
Whilst narrating her story/memoirs, she is brutally honest and open and some readers may find some of the topics difficult to read. There are themes of grooming/child abuse/suicide and drug use and whilst they are never glamourised, they are very raw and real emotions which give Mila that extra depth to her character and behaviour.
Overall, I thought it was an exceptionally brilliant novel exploring accountability, class and privilege and the overall impact of tragedy.
I didn't really bother reading the blurb so I went in not quite knowing what to expect and what I didn't expect was to be drawn in from the opening paragraph and gripped until the very end.
The Amateur is narrated by Mira Winston. At the age of 18, Mira was living a charmed life in an affluent suburb of New York. She was a golf prodigy with a bright future ahead of her and on her way to Yale when a freak accident at the golf course changes her life in ways no-one could have foreseen.
Without giving anything away, Mira is a fascinating character to read. I'm not sure if I liked her or even understood her, she was certainly damaged and came from a dysfunctional family. Her actions were questionable throughout, but there was no doubt what was a tragic event then caused lasting trauma throughout her life.
Whilst narrating her story/memoirs, she is brutally honest and open and some readers may find some of the topics difficult to read. There are themes of grooming/child abuse/suicide and drug use and whilst they are never glamourised, they are very raw and real emotions which give Mila that extra depth to her character and behaviour.
Overall, I thought it was an exceptionally brilliant novel exploring accountability, class and privilege and the overall impact of tragedy.
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