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The Right Side
LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan as a rising star in the military, and came back a much lesser person, mentally and physically. Now missing an eye and with half her face badly scarred, she can barely remember the disastrous desert operation that almost killed her. She is confused, angry, and suspects the fault is hers, even though nobody will come out and say it.
Shattered by one last blow—the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci—LeAnne finds herself on a fateful drive across the country, reflecting on her past and seeing no future. Her native land is now unfamiliar, recast in shadow by her one good eye, her damaged psyche, and her weakened body. Arriving in the rain-soaked small town in Washington state that Marci had called home, she makes a troubling discovery: Marci’s eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog—a powerful, dark, unreadable creature, no one’s idea of a pet—seems to adopt LeAnne, a surprising connection is formed and something shifts inside her. As she becomes obsessed with finding Marci’s daughter, LeAnne and her inscrutable canine companion are drawn into danger as dark and menacing as her last Afghan mission. This time she has a strange but loyal fellow traveler protecting her blind side.
Shattered by one last blow—the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci—LeAnne finds herself on a fateful drive across the country, reflecting on her past and seeing no future. Her native land is now unfamiliar, recast in shadow by her one good eye, her damaged psyche, and her weakened body. Arriving in the rain-soaked small town in Washington state that Marci had called home, she makes a troubling discovery: Marci’s eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog—a powerful, dark, unreadable creature, no one’s idea of a pet—seems to adopt LeAnne, a surprising connection is formed and something shifts inside her. As she becomes obsessed with finding Marci’s daughter, LeAnne and her inscrutable canine companion are drawn into danger as dark and menacing as her last Afghan mission. This time she has a strange but loyal fellow traveler protecting her blind side.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2017
575 people are currently reading
3041 people want to read
About the author
Spencer Quinn
48 books2,105 followersSpencer Quinn lives on Cape Cod with his dog Audrey, and is hard at work on the next Chet and Bernie adventure.
Spencer Quinn is a pseudonym of author Peter Abrahams.
Series:
* A Chet and Bernie Mystery
Spencer Quinn is a pseudonym of author Peter Abrahams.
Series:
* A Chet and Bernie Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 626 reviews
May 31, 2017
3.75 Stars* (rounded up)
LeAnne Hogan is a woman who imagined her life turning out very differently. She is a former High School pole vaulter who joined the army immediately after, and ended up doing several tours in Afghanistan. She worked her way up through the ranks to become a Sergeant. She then became tougher than almost anyone she knew, including the men in her unit. Her dream once her tours ended was to open a Camp for young girls: to coach & train them to be as tough as she was. And then everything blew up in her face. Literally.
And now, whatever life LeAnne imagined for herself is gone forever. For her view of the world will forever distorted.
LeAnne wakes up after that dreaded day in Walter Reed Hospital. There she meets Marci, another Vet who has also suffered heinous injuries. Fast bonds are formed and then just as quickly, things go awry and LeAnne is alone again. Feeling lost, LeAnne decides to trek across the country, to Marci's hometown. Along the way, she meets a stray dog - one, she does her best not to become attached to. Yet somehow, this dog (Goody) accepts LeAnne for who she is and Goody heals her, in more ways than one.
When LeAnne and Goody arrive in Marci's hometown, they discover that Marci's daughter has gone missing and LeAnne takes it upon herself try to help find her.
The character of LeAnne is an incredible strong and well written one. She is a tough nut to crack and has a hard time letting anyone in (though who can blame her). Though the novel took several turns (some of which may or may not have been necessary), I personally thought that most of them helped the character let go of some of the pain she was carrying around. That said, LeAnne suffered from PTSD - and what she went through & the exploration of her treatment options could have been addressed more fully, in my opinion.
The best part of the book? Well, the dog of course! LeAnne learning to trust herself and Goody. The author, Spencer Quinn did a phenomenal just letting that trust build up slowly between both Goody and LeAnne.
All in all, I would recommend this book - for it gave me hope that our soldiers who have given up so much, can receive a little bit of healing and most of all, unconditional love from animals (including my personal favorite: dogs!) who have oh so much love to give.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Spencer Quinn for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 5.30.17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 6.27.17.
LeAnne Hogan is a woman who imagined her life turning out very differently. She is a former High School pole vaulter who joined the army immediately after, and ended up doing several tours in Afghanistan. She worked her way up through the ranks to become a Sergeant. She then became tougher than almost anyone she knew, including the men in her unit. Her dream once her tours ended was to open a Camp for young girls: to coach & train them to be as tough as she was. And then everything blew up in her face. Literally.
And now, whatever life LeAnne imagined for herself is gone forever. For her view of the world will forever distorted.
LeAnne wakes up after that dreaded day in Walter Reed Hospital. There she meets Marci, another Vet who has also suffered heinous injuries. Fast bonds are formed and then just as quickly, things go awry and LeAnne is alone again. Feeling lost, LeAnne decides to trek across the country, to Marci's hometown. Along the way, she meets a stray dog - one, she does her best not to become attached to. Yet somehow, this dog (Goody) accepts LeAnne for who she is and Goody heals her, in more ways than one.
When LeAnne and Goody arrive in Marci's hometown, they discover that Marci's daughter has gone missing and LeAnne takes it upon herself try to help find her.
The character of LeAnne is an incredible strong and well written one. She is a tough nut to crack and has a hard time letting anyone in (though who can blame her). Though the novel took several turns (some of which may or may not have been necessary), I personally thought that most of them helped the character let go of some of the pain she was carrying around. That said, LeAnne suffered from PTSD - and what she went through & the exploration of her treatment options could have been addressed more fully, in my opinion.
The best part of the book? Well, the dog of course! LeAnne learning to trust herself and Goody. The author, Spencer Quinn did a phenomenal just letting that trust build up slowly between both Goody and LeAnne.
All in all, I would recommend this book - for it gave me hope that our soldiers who have given up so much, can receive a little bit of healing and most of all, unconditional love from animals (including my personal favorite: dogs!) who have oh so much love to give.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and Spencer Quinn for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 5.30.17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 6.27.17.
July 6, 2017
This stand alone book is a departure from Spencer Quinn’s normal fare, which is much lighter in nature. It's the story of Sgt. LeAnne Hogan, who was injured in Afghanistan in an explosion and is now back home. Her memory is as damaged as her face due to a piece of shrapnel in her brain and she's also suffering from PTSD. Quinn does a great job of getting you to realize what it's like to live with only one eye.
LeAnne is a prickly character but I found she was relatable in her own weird way.
The story moves along at a good pace. It's got a jumpy quality to it, the same as LeAnne’s brain. Goody, the dog, doesn't show up until halfway through the book. Goody immediately bonds with LeAnne. It takes a while longer for the reverse to be true. I can't say that Goody seems totally believable but put that aside and keep with the story because one of the best parts of the book is watching them bond. My one complaint is that the various storylines wrap up a little too neatly.
My thanks to netgalley and Atria for an advance copy of the book.
LeAnne is a prickly character but I found she was relatable in her own weird way.
The story moves along at a good pace. It's got a jumpy quality to it, the same as LeAnne’s brain. Goody, the dog, doesn't show up until halfway through the book. Goody immediately bonds with LeAnne. It takes a while longer for the reverse to be true. I can't say that Goody seems totally believable but put that aside and keep with the story because one of the best parts of the book is watching them bond. My one complaint is that the various storylines wrap up a little too neatly.
My thanks to netgalley and Atria for an advance copy of the book.
May 31, 2017
How could I not read this? Just look at that cover…..a woman & a dog. It’s not exactly love at first sight but they just might end up saving each other.
When we meet Sgt. LeAnne Hogan, a few things are immediately clear. She has PTSD following a horrific attack in Afghanistan that also cost her an eye. Her brain is seriously scrambled. And she’s really, really angry. Thank God for Marci, her one-legged hospital roommate.
LeAnne’s memory of the attack is as fragmented as the right side of her face. But when an army investigator shows up with a briefcase of questions, she begins to wonder if she screwed up. Any interest she had in cooperating goes out the window when Marci suddenly dies. The hospital becomes an unbearable place & LeAnne is soon on the first bus out of town.
She has no idea where she’s going but it feels good to be on the move. Her prickly personality & damaged face keep people at bay as she struggles to adapt to her new reality. Just keeping track of her slippery thoughts can be exhausting. It’s the memory of Marci that eventually gives her direction & LeAnne heads to Bellville, Washington to visit Coreen & Mia, Marci’s mother & daughter.
Once there, she discovers not only has she missed Marci’s funeral but Mia is missing. And while some people are welcoming there are others who’d prefer she move on. LeAnne rents a small cabin & soon acquires a new friend who is large, black, pushy & opinionated. And she has sharp teeth to back up the major ‘tude. But she also senses her new human’s frailty & as LeAnne begins to search for Mia, her furry partner becomes a constant presence on her right side.
It’s the beginning of a mystical relationship that gives LeAnne strength as she digs for clues in the present & faces up to her past.
Mia’s story line doesn’t appear until the second half of the book & despite the blurb description, it’s really a vehicle for the development of the MC. This is LeAnne’s story. Through her character, we experience all the fear, confusion, anger & hopelessness that shadows someone struggling with PTSD. She begins as a lost soul who can’t even trust herself let alone others. When she finally attempts a relationship, it’s with another outcast & I loved that the author chose to make that character a dog. Anyone who’s had a furry child knows there’s something about their silent acceptance & unconditional affection that makes the worst day a little easier to get through.
In LeAnne’s case, she finds a companion whose circumstances mirror her own…..another scruffy looking stray trying to figure out where she belongs. Like most friends, they have their disagreements. But when the chips are down, they also have each others’ back.
By the end most of the past & present has been resolved. Instead of a cheesy miraculous transformation, LeAnne is changed in subtle ways which is much more realistic. She’s an interesting, compelling character & if she & the ferocious furball decide to hit the road again, I’d happily go along for the ride.
When we meet Sgt. LeAnne Hogan, a few things are immediately clear. She has PTSD following a horrific attack in Afghanistan that also cost her an eye. Her brain is seriously scrambled. And she’s really, really angry. Thank God for Marci, her one-legged hospital roommate.
LeAnne’s memory of the attack is as fragmented as the right side of her face. But when an army investigator shows up with a briefcase of questions, she begins to wonder if she screwed up. Any interest she had in cooperating goes out the window when Marci suddenly dies. The hospital becomes an unbearable place & LeAnne is soon on the first bus out of town.
She has no idea where she’s going but it feels good to be on the move. Her prickly personality & damaged face keep people at bay as she struggles to adapt to her new reality. Just keeping track of her slippery thoughts can be exhausting. It’s the memory of Marci that eventually gives her direction & LeAnne heads to Bellville, Washington to visit Coreen & Mia, Marci’s mother & daughter.
Once there, she discovers not only has she missed Marci’s funeral but Mia is missing. And while some people are welcoming there are others who’d prefer she move on. LeAnne rents a small cabin & soon acquires a new friend who is large, black, pushy & opinionated. And she has sharp teeth to back up the major ‘tude. But she also senses her new human’s frailty & as LeAnne begins to search for Mia, her furry partner becomes a constant presence on her right side.
It’s the beginning of a mystical relationship that gives LeAnne strength as she digs for clues in the present & faces up to her past.
Mia’s story line doesn’t appear until the second half of the book & despite the blurb description, it’s really a vehicle for the development of the MC. This is LeAnne’s story. Through her character, we experience all the fear, confusion, anger & hopelessness that shadows someone struggling with PTSD. She begins as a lost soul who can’t even trust herself let alone others. When she finally attempts a relationship, it’s with another outcast & I loved that the author chose to make that character a dog. Anyone who’s had a furry child knows there’s something about their silent acceptance & unconditional affection that makes the worst day a little easier to get through.
In LeAnne’s case, she finds a companion whose circumstances mirror her own…..another scruffy looking stray trying to figure out where she belongs. Like most friends, they have their disagreements. But when the chips are down, they also have each others’ back.
By the end most of the past & present has been resolved. Instead of a cheesy miraculous transformation, LeAnne is changed in subtle ways which is much more realistic. She’s an interesting, compelling character & if she & the ferocious furball decide to hit the road again, I’d happily go along for the ride.
July 5, 2017
What I loved most about The Right Side is not exactly what I expected to love. I should start by saying that this is not the light-hearted mystery you’ll find in a Chet and Bernie book, Quinn’s other series. This book is deeper and more profound, with a complex leading character that I will be thinking about for some time to come. I was genuinely captivated by LeAnne Hogan’s vivid and emotionally chaotic perspective.
When I say that LeAnne is a phenomenal character, I don’t mean that she’s likeable or appealing; she’s really not, at least upon first meeting her. This woman is a soldier in the U.S. Army who has been to hell and not yet returned. Having survived a deadly explosion in Afghanistan, she’s maimed, angry, confused, and lonely. She sometimes switches things in her mind, past with present, nightmares with reality, and she often forgets whole episodes of her life. It’s obvious that she’s suffering from severe PTSD and likely some degree of brain damage, and we the readers are witnesses, living this nightmare through her. It’s a rare but wonderful thing to feel so wholly connected to a character, even without having personally experienced anything like what she’s been through.
The dog doesn’t actually appear until the second half but she plays an important role. I am one of those people who believes that dogs can sense so much more than we credit them, and that’s one of the reasons that I love Quinn’s books because it’s clear he feels the same. LeAnne’s transition from “I’m not a dog person,” to accepting temporary responsibility for the dog, to sleeping in the bed next to her, was clumsy but adorable. I’m hopeful for a series featuring these two and their developing relationship. However, it must be said that this book is not based solely on LeAnne’s experiences with the dog, as the summary would lead you to expect.
The book is not without its flaws and I don’t doubt that there are people who will feel certain parts to be a bit unrealistic. But I’m no professional critic, and all I know is that the feelings this book stirred up and left me with make it absolutely worthy of all five stars.
When I say that LeAnne is a phenomenal character, I don’t mean that she’s likeable or appealing; she’s really not, at least upon first meeting her. This woman is a soldier in the U.S. Army who has been to hell and not yet returned. Having survived a deadly explosion in Afghanistan, she’s maimed, angry, confused, and lonely. She sometimes switches things in her mind, past with present, nightmares with reality, and she often forgets whole episodes of her life. It’s obvious that she’s suffering from severe PTSD and likely some degree of brain damage, and we the readers are witnesses, living this nightmare through her. It’s a rare but wonderful thing to feel so wholly connected to a character, even without having personally experienced anything like what she’s been through.
The dog doesn’t actually appear until the second half but she plays an important role. I am one of those people who believes that dogs can sense so much more than we credit them, and that’s one of the reasons that I love Quinn’s books because it’s clear he feels the same. LeAnne’s transition from “I’m not a dog person,” to accepting temporary responsibility for the dog, to sleeping in the bed next to her, was clumsy but adorable. I’m hopeful for a series featuring these two and their developing relationship. However, it must be said that this book is not based solely on LeAnne’s experiences with the dog, as the summary would lead you to expect.
The book is not without its flaws and I don’t doubt that there are people who will feel certain parts to be a bit unrealistic. But I’m no professional critic, and all I know is that the feelings this book stirred up and left me with make it absolutely worthy of all five stars.
July 7, 2017
The Right Side is an engrossing book about LeAnne Hogan, who has just returned from Afghanistan after being wounded. At the hospital where she is staying as she tries to come to terms with what happens does she get to know Marci, who has lost a leg. They become friends and bond over their military life. Then, Marci suddenly dies and LeAnne after leaving the hospital decides to drive to see Marci's daughter. But, she learns when she arrives that Marci's daughter has disappeared, did she run away or has anyone taken her?
Writing this short outline of the book is truly like giving away very little of what is going on in this book. I mean it takes over half the book before she even is close to seeing Marci's daughter and getting acquainted with a very special dog. But, that's also the thing I really like about the book, it seems like a straightforward story, but there is so much going one in LeAnne's life, both what happened in the past when she was growing up, her life in the military and what happened when she was wounded. And, then we have the presents events with her trouble remembering things, and her road-trip to see Marci's daughter and not to mention the dog that suddenly appears in her life.
It's such a rich story, and I came to like LeAnne quite a lot and of course dog too (yes she gets a name, but you have to read it to find out since it's part of the story) and I wouldn't mind reading more books with them. I mean they are a fabulous team and I really want to know what will happen next!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Writing this short outline of the book is truly like giving away very little of what is going on in this book. I mean it takes over half the book before she even is close to seeing Marci's daughter and getting acquainted with a very special dog. But, that's also the thing I really like about the book, it seems like a straightforward story, but there is so much going one in LeAnne's life, both what happened in the past when she was growing up, her life in the military and what happened when she was wounded. And, then we have the presents events with her trouble remembering things, and her road-trip to see Marci's daughter and not to mention the dog that suddenly appears in her life.
It's such a rich story, and I came to like LeAnne quite a lot and of course dog too (yes she gets a name, but you have to read it to find out since it's part of the story) and I wouldn't mind reading more books with them. I mean they are a fabulous team and I really want to know what will happen next!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
February 6, 2018
Let me preface this by saying LeAnne Hogan could easily become a favorite character of mine, or in the very least one I would look forward to seeing again (so if you're listening Quinn, take note, cause I don't think I'm alone in this). The thing is, I would not have expected to be saying that near the beginning of the story. Why not? Because LeAnne has a rough edge to her personality. She is smart, strong-willed, but actually kind of bull-headed (her younger years seen by the reader in flash-backs). After losing an eye and a portion of her memory in Afghanistan, rough barely scratches the surface of her present personality. Her default setting has become, “keep everyone out”. But, somehow I got behind her all the more. I think that's because underneath her strength she is vulnerable, if not to the other characters, then certainly the reader. Quinn takes on something very relevant with this book, but one I hadn't thought about much before this: the after-effects of war on the individual, especially those that have been injured in combat. That sounds like a very heavy plot to deal with. It is, but also necessary I think because with it comes awareness. Her character is unlike any I can remember encountering before.
If you read a Quinn book before, you may be expecting a lighter side to the story, possibly even a little mystery too. True to both, sort of. The lighter side of this one comes with the addition of the dog LeAnne meets along the way (which by the way doesn't occur early – Hogan's past is built first - but when it comes, it feels right), and the new path that LeAnne has found herself taking. Don't expect another Chet and Bernie here. And that's fine. Change is good. Do expect a solid story.
If you read a Quinn book before, you may be expecting a lighter side to the story, possibly even a little mystery too. True to both, sort of. The lighter side of this one comes with the addition of the dog LeAnne meets along the way (which by the way doesn't occur early – Hogan's past is built first - but when it comes, it feels right), and the new path that LeAnne has found herself taking. Don't expect another Chet and Bernie here. And that's fine. Change is good. Do expect a solid story.
May 25, 2017
The blurb for this novel is far more dramatic than the actual story. I can’t call it false advertising because it does include all the elements listed. LeAnne Hogan is a veteran of several tours of duty in Afghanistan. She has returned Stateside with traumatic injuries. Her right eye is missing, she has shrapnel lodged in her brain and she is suffering from severe PTSD. She does form a bond with her roommate Marci and this connection influences LeAnne’s soul-searching travel plans. When she eventually reaches Bellville, Washington, Marci’s daughter is missing. There is a dog.
Here’s my problem with this blurb. The best part of this story is the focus on LeAnne dealing with her PTSD, her survivors guilt, and some unresolved issues with her past. The dog does make an appearance at a low point in her journey and seems to have some sort of calming effect on the now impulsive, angry and bitter LeAnne. Problem is, this connection comes quite late in the story. Later still is the mystery of Marci’s missing daughter. It comes almost as an afterthought. Considering LeAnne has barely been aware of her need to bathe and feed herself up to this point, taking part in a rescue mission seemed unlikely, clever dog or not.
Add in the times when this author struggled to remember he has created a female protagonist, making her actions, and thought processes more male than female and I was left wondering how this author has become a best seller.
Well done on the PTSD, survivor’s guilt angles, weak on the blurb claims and LeAnne might has well have been a Len. Once again I was swayed by a great cover.
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley for review.
Here’s my problem with this blurb. The best part of this story is the focus on LeAnne dealing with her PTSD, her survivors guilt, and some unresolved issues with her past. The dog does make an appearance at a low point in her journey and seems to have some sort of calming effect on the now impulsive, angry and bitter LeAnne. Problem is, this connection comes quite late in the story. Later still is the mystery of Marci’s missing daughter. It comes almost as an afterthought. Considering LeAnne has barely been aware of her need to bathe and feed herself up to this point, taking part in a rescue mission seemed unlikely, clever dog or not.
Add in the times when this author struggled to remember he has created a female protagonist, making her actions, and thought processes more male than female and I was left wondering how this author has become a best seller.
Well done on the PTSD, survivor’s guilt angles, weak on the blurb claims and LeAnne might has well have been a Len. Once again I was swayed by a great cover.
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley for review.
June 26, 2017
Fantastic! This one is added to my "Best of 2017" list.
My View:
This is an outstanding read – it goes onto my “Best Reads of 2017 “list.
If you are expecting another narrative in the style of the Chet and Bernie series – think again. I strongly suggest that you begin this book as if you have just discovered a new to you author – just expect this to be a brilliant read – and then you will not be disappointed.
For me this is a book that demands to be read in one sitting. The characters are complex - the psychological revelations are insightful and useful. You will navigate heartbreaking traumas to reveal the small ray of sunshine, of optimism that prevents this book from being morose and sullen. The mysteries here will keep the pages turning and you will gain a few perspectives that might surprise you and make you think.
This is an outstanding read and I imagine one that will soon be transformed onto the big screen – I wish I had the $$ to produce this one. It will be a winner – guaranteed.
My View:
This is an outstanding read – it goes onto my “Best Reads of 2017 “list.
If you are expecting another narrative in the style of the Chet and Bernie series – think again. I strongly suggest that you begin this book as if you have just discovered a new to you author – just expect this to be a brilliant read – and then you will not be disappointed.
For me this is a book that demands to be read in one sitting. The characters are complex - the psychological revelations are insightful and useful. You will navigate heartbreaking traumas to reveal the small ray of sunshine, of optimism that prevents this book from being morose and sullen. The mysteries here will keep the pages turning and you will gain a few perspectives that might surprise you and make you think.
This is an outstanding read and I imagine one that will soon be transformed onto the big screen – I wish I had the $$ to produce this one. It will be a winner – guaranteed.
July 7, 2017
I totally enjoyed this book, even though the story is not told from the dog's point of view (as in the Chet and Bernie mysteries). There are two irresistible main characters: LeAnne Hogan, who has returned from Afghanistan suffering from PTSD, disfigured by facial scarring, and missing her right eye, and a wonderful, protective dog who shows up about halfway through the book. I was a bit impatient, wondering when the dog was going to come into the story, but it was well worth the wait. I would love to see more books about LeAnne and Goody.
March 13, 2022
A bit disappointing. I wish there had been a lot more written about the stray dog, Goody.
And with vulgar language on almost every page, my enjoyment of the plot diminished, the further on that I read.
And with vulgar language on almost every page, my enjoyment of the plot diminished, the further on that I read.
May 25, 2017
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Okay, since I first opened the pages of Dog On It 8 years ago, I've been a Spencer Quinn fan -- it probably took me two chapters to consider myself one. So it's kind of a given that I'd like this book -- but only "kind of." This was so far from a Bowser & Birdie or Chet & Bernie book that they could be written by different people.
Sgt. LeAnne Hogan was an excellent athlete in her childhood and teen years, and then she joined the Army (deciding her West Point plans would take too long -- an oversimplification that'll do for now) and became an excellent soldier, serving multiple tours in combat zones. During her last sting in Afghanistan -- as part of a team working to build intelligence sources among Afghan women -- she is involved in an attack that leaves some dead and her injured -- physically and mentally.
Her memories of that fateful day are vague and dim at best, but the scars will not leave. Not only that, she lost an eye, her confidence, her future plans, and career. She slowly befriends a woman who lost part of her leg to an IED in Iraq who shares a room with LeAnne in Walter Reed. Marci dies suddenly and unexpectedly -- and that is too much for LeAnne. She leaves the hospital immediately and sets off on a drive across the country, she really doesn't have a plan, but she needs to be somewhere else.
It's pretty clear that LeAnne is suffering from PTSD on top of everything else -- as you'd expect. She comes across as angry and rude to almost everyone she runs across and exchanges more than a few words with. She eventually finds herself in Marci's hometown -- where her daughter has gone missing. For the first time since the day everything changed, LeAnne has a purpose -- bring her friend's daughter home. Along the way, she LeAnne gets adopted by a large dog who will prove an invaluable aid in this challenge.
LeAnne is a great character -- not a perfect person by any means, but you can see where a lot of writers (novelists or journalists) would try to paint her as one. She has huge flaws -- some of which are easier to see after the injury (and some of them are new after it, too). There are some other good characters, too -- even if you don't necessarily like them (LeAnne's mother would be an example of this -- she's trying to do the right thing, but the reader can sense LeAnne's apprehensions toward her -- and will likely share them). The people in Marci's hometown (particularly those that are related to her) are the best drawn in the book -- and I'd be willing to read a sequel or two just in this city to spend more time with them. Not everyone gets what LeAnne's going through -- some don't know how to react to her -- but those that come close will endear themselves to you.
The dog, Goody, isn't Chet, he isn't Bowser -- he's a typical dog, no more (or less) intelligent than any other. Goody won't be serving as the narrator in a story any time -- he will drink from the toilet bowl and ignore a lot of what LeAnne wants him to do.
Like I said, I'm a Quinn fan -- but I didn't think he had this in him. Funny mysteries with dogs? Sure, he's great at those. But sensitive explorations of veterans dealing with the aftermath of life-altering injuries? I wouldn't have guessed it. But man . . . he really got this flawed character, this incredibly human character, right. There's a couple of moments that didn't work as well as they should've -- a couple of moments that were hard to believe in a book as grounded in reality as this book was. But you know what? You forgive them easily, because so much is right with this book -- so much just works, that you'll accept the things that don't. It wasn't all dark and moody -- there's some hope, some chuckles, a lot that is somber and sad, too. While not a "feel good" read by any means, you will feel pretty good about who things end up.
This is probably categorized as a Thriller, as that's where Quinn's readers are -- but I can see a case for this being labeled General Fiction (or whatever synonym your local shop uses), it's flexible that way. This is Spencer Quinn operating on a whole new level with a character we need more like -- such a great read.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Okay, since I first opened the pages of Dog On It 8 years ago, I've been a Spencer Quinn fan -- it probably took me two chapters to consider myself one. So it's kind of a given that I'd like this book -- but only "kind of." This was so far from a Bowser & Birdie or Chet & Bernie book that they could be written by different people.
Sgt. LeAnne Hogan was an excellent athlete in her childhood and teen years, and then she joined the Army (deciding her West Point plans would take too long -- an oversimplification that'll do for now) and became an excellent soldier, serving multiple tours in combat zones. During her last sting in Afghanistan -- as part of a team working to build intelligence sources among Afghan women -- she is involved in an attack that leaves some dead and her injured -- physically and mentally.
Her memories of that fateful day are vague and dim at best, but the scars will not leave. Not only that, she lost an eye, her confidence, her future plans, and career. She slowly befriends a woman who lost part of her leg to an IED in Iraq who shares a room with LeAnne in Walter Reed. Marci dies suddenly and unexpectedly -- and that is too much for LeAnne. She leaves the hospital immediately and sets off on a drive across the country, she really doesn't have a plan, but she needs to be somewhere else.
It's pretty clear that LeAnne is suffering from PTSD on top of everything else -- as you'd expect. She comes across as angry and rude to almost everyone she runs across and exchanges more than a few words with. She eventually finds herself in Marci's hometown -- where her daughter has gone missing. For the first time since the day everything changed, LeAnne has a purpose -- bring her friend's daughter home. Along the way, she LeAnne gets adopted by a large dog who will prove an invaluable aid in this challenge.
LeAnne is a great character -- not a perfect person by any means, but you can see where a lot of writers (novelists or journalists) would try to paint her as one. She has huge flaws -- some of which are easier to see after the injury (and some of them are new after it, too). There are some other good characters, too -- even if you don't necessarily like them (LeAnne's mother would be an example of this -- she's trying to do the right thing, but the reader can sense LeAnne's apprehensions toward her -- and will likely share them). The people in Marci's hometown (particularly those that are related to her) are the best drawn in the book -- and I'd be willing to read a sequel or two just in this city to spend more time with them. Not everyone gets what LeAnne's going through -- some don't know how to react to her -- but those that come close will endear themselves to you.
The dog, Goody, isn't Chet, he isn't Bowser -- he's a typical dog, no more (or less) intelligent than any other. Goody won't be serving as the narrator in a story any time -- he will drink from the toilet bowl and ignore a lot of what LeAnne wants him to do.
Like I said, I'm a Quinn fan -- but I didn't think he had this in him. Funny mysteries with dogs? Sure, he's great at those. But sensitive explorations of veterans dealing with the aftermath of life-altering injuries? I wouldn't have guessed it. But man . . . he really got this flawed character, this incredibly human character, right. There's a couple of moments that didn't work as well as they should've -- a couple of moments that were hard to believe in a book as grounded in reality as this book was. But you know what? You forgive them easily, because so much is right with this book -- so much just works, that you'll accept the things that don't. It wasn't all dark and moody -- there's some hope, some chuckles, a lot that is somber and sad, too. While not a "feel good" read by any means, you will feel pretty good about who things end up.
This is probably categorized as a Thriller, as that's where Quinn's readers are -- but I can see a case for this being labeled General Fiction (or whatever synonym your local shop uses), it's flexible that way. This is Spencer Quinn operating on a whole new level with a character we need more like -- such a great read.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.
June 20, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
My high school coach always said morons make the same mistake twice and smart people make new ones.
LeAnne shouldered her duffel, kicked her boots to the back of the closet, left the uniforms on the rail. She closed the closet door, trapping Afghanistan in there, like a tiny battlefield.
The leash, still connected to the dog’s collar, lay on the ground. The dog snapped it up between her teeth and came closer, swinging her head back and forth, brandishing the leash, giving orders. There was no other interpretation possible. ‘I had a drill sergeant a lot like you,’ LeAnne said. She took the leash, and they continued on the long straightaway. ‘Except not nearly so good looking.’
Facts stirred down deep in LeAnne’s mind, like they were digging themselves up from under the ground.
My Review:
The Right Side was an extremely clever title as the phrase applied on several levels of this nuanced and well-crafted tale. Never judge a book by the cover – the storyline was next to nothing of what I had expected, much to my unending delight. I was totally engrossed in the writing and fascinated by the complexity and development of the characters and storyline, both were unpredictable and indefatigably entertaining. I savored this wily writer’s main character of LeAnne, she was smart and snarky, and had been reared by her Green Beret father to be a tough cookie. However, a failed mission left her with life-long consequences and struggling with crippling pain, PTSD, and multiple medical issues including a head injury and a scrambled brain. LeAnne’s memory sparked on and off, as did her attention span, frustration tolerance, impulse control, and the filter between her brain and tongue. Her mind was a bit of a quagmire and would drift at inopportune times and wander into comical visuals of doing or saying outlandish things, although unfortunately, she was also prone to occasionally voicing these errant or cartoonish thoughts aloud without realizing. However, I cannot imagine anything more disheartening than to be on the cusp of solving a puzzle only to totally lose the train of thought in a dead end or fragmented jumble.
Midway through the book LeAnne had made a cross-country road trip and was deeply embroiled in a mystery and the family issues of her last hospital roommate. Finding an abandoned stray dog led to her deliverance and assisted in her recovery, although the dog had initially presented a vexing problem as LeAnne had never cared to have a pet, yet couldn’t bring herself to leave the oddly behaving dog at a kill shelter. I am a complete sucker for animals and I totally adored this ingenious dog. The storyline was relevant, well-paced, intriguing, and thoughtfully constructed, while the writing was creative, well detailed, emotive, highly engaging, and cleverly executed. The Right Side was my first Spencer Quinn experience and one I plan to repeat again and again.
My high school coach always said morons make the same mistake twice and smart people make new ones.
LeAnne shouldered her duffel, kicked her boots to the back of the closet, left the uniforms on the rail. She closed the closet door, trapping Afghanistan in there, like a tiny battlefield.
The leash, still connected to the dog’s collar, lay on the ground. The dog snapped it up between her teeth and came closer, swinging her head back and forth, brandishing the leash, giving orders. There was no other interpretation possible. ‘I had a drill sergeant a lot like you,’ LeAnne said. She took the leash, and they continued on the long straightaway. ‘Except not nearly so good looking.’
Facts stirred down deep in LeAnne’s mind, like they were digging themselves up from under the ground.
My Review:
The Right Side was an extremely clever title as the phrase applied on several levels of this nuanced and well-crafted tale. Never judge a book by the cover – the storyline was next to nothing of what I had expected, much to my unending delight. I was totally engrossed in the writing and fascinated by the complexity and development of the characters and storyline, both were unpredictable and indefatigably entertaining. I savored this wily writer’s main character of LeAnne, she was smart and snarky, and had been reared by her Green Beret father to be a tough cookie. However, a failed mission left her with life-long consequences and struggling with crippling pain, PTSD, and multiple medical issues including a head injury and a scrambled brain. LeAnne’s memory sparked on and off, as did her attention span, frustration tolerance, impulse control, and the filter between her brain and tongue. Her mind was a bit of a quagmire and would drift at inopportune times and wander into comical visuals of doing or saying outlandish things, although unfortunately, she was also prone to occasionally voicing these errant or cartoonish thoughts aloud without realizing. However, I cannot imagine anything more disheartening than to be on the cusp of solving a puzzle only to totally lose the train of thought in a dead end or fragmented jumble.
Midway through the book LeAnne had made a cross-country road trip and was deeply embroiled in a mystery and the family issues of her last hospital roommate. Finding an abandoned stray dog led to her deliverance and assisted in her recovery, although the dog had initially presented a vexing problem as LeAnne had never cared to have a pet, yet couldn’t bring herself to leave the oddly behaving dog at a kill shelter. I am a complete sucker for animals and I totally adored this ingenious dog. The storyline was relevant, well-paced, intriguing, and thoughtfully constructed, while the writing was creative, well detailed, emotive, highly engaging, and cleverly executed. The Right Side was my first Spencer Quinn experience and one I plan to repeat again and again.
July 3, 2017
https://bookishdevices.com/2017/07/03...
What I thought was going to be the story of a wounded warrior and a dog finding a missing child was not that at all.
A condensed version of the book’s description – LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan and came back missing an eye and with half her face badly scarred. Shattered by the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci, LeAnne finds herself driving across the country. When she arrives in Washington state that Marci called home, she makes the discovery that Marci’s eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog seems to adopt LeAnne she becomes obsessed with finding Marci’s daughter.
This description is VERY misleading. As I said in the opening of this review, I thought I was going to get a mystery featuring a healing woman, a missing child and a dog. Instead I got a very confusing mix of info concerning LeAnne’s life. LeAnne’s story is told in flashbacks that were off putting and interrupted the flow of the story. Actually, flashbacks is the wrong word. It wasn’t flashbacks so much as it felt like the author just slapped something in the middle of a section I didn’t feel like it belonged in. It had a very disorganized feeling and I hate disorganization.
Now for the unbelievability factor. LeAnne is so distraught by the death of Marci that she goes across country to her hometown? I didn’t feel a connection between the two women at all. There wasn’t enough interaction between them for me to feel that would lead LeAnne to search out Marci’s hometown. In my opinion this book could have been much better with a focus on LeAnne and Marci getting to know each other, and the mystery surrounding Mia’s disappearance. But that’s not what readers are given. Instead, LeAnne this, LeAnne that until we finally meet the dog at the 50% mark and find out Mia is missing at 62%. I wish Mia’s disappearance and the dog could have been the focus of this book. More unbelievability were LeAnne’s injuries and all her activity afterwards. I just couldn’t …
This was my first book by Quinn and I might be willing to give him a second chance, but if he doesn’t grab me instantly in the next book, I won’t be finishing it. This book was a struggle to finish, but I kept reading in the hopes it would finally get to the mystery I wanted to read about. The mystery, when it finally made an appearance was lacking.
Advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley.
What I thought was going to be the story of a wounded warrior and a dog finding a missing child was not that at all.
A condensed version of the book’s description – LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan and came back missing an eye and with half her face badly scarred. Shattered by the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci, LeAnne finds herself driving across the country. When she arrives in Washington state that Marci called home, she makes the discovery that Marci’s eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog seems to adopt LeAnne she becomes obsessed with finding Marci’s daughter.
This description is VERY misleading. As I said in the opening of this review, I thought I was going to get a mystery featuring a healing woman, a missing child and a dog. Instead I got a very confusing mix of info concerning LeAnne’s life. LeAnne’s story is told in flashbacks that were off putting and interrupted the flow of the story. Actually, flashbacks is the wrong word. It wasn’t flashbacks so much as it felt like the author just slapped something in the middle of a section I didn’t feel like it belonged in. It had a very disorganized feeling and I hate disorganization.
Now for the unbelievability factor. LeAnne is so distraught by the death of Marci that she goes across country to her hometown? I didn’t feel a connection between the two women at all. There wasn’t enough interaction between them for me to feel that would lead LeAnne to search out Marci’s hometown. In my opinion this book could have been much better with a focus on LeAnne and Marci getting to know each other, and the mystery surrounding Mia’s disappearance. But that’s not what readers are given. Instead, LeAnne this, LeAnne that until we finally meet the dog at the 50% mark and find out Mia is missing at 62%. I wish Mia’s disappearance and the dog could have been the focus of this book. More unbelievability were LeAnne’s injuries and all her activity afterwards. I just couldn’t …
This was my first book by Quinn and I might be willing to give him a second chance, but if he doesn’t grab me instantly in the next book, I won’t be finishing it. This book was a struggle to finish, but I kept reading in the hopes it would finally get to the mystery I wanted to read about. The mystery, when it finally made an appearance was lacking.
Advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley.
June 28, 2017
Despite the cover image and many descriptions of this book, it is not about a woman and her dog. It is about a woman trying to find herself and a purpose in life after a devastating incident in Afghanistan which caused her to lose her eye and resulted in the deaths of several of her colleagues. Disappointingly, the dog does not appear until 50% of the way through the story.
Brief Summary: Army Sergeant LeAnne Hogan is in Walter Reed Medical Center following a failed mission in Afghanistan where most of her command died and where she lost her right eye and suffered gruesome injuries to her face. LeAnne protests psychiatric treatment and a prosthetic eye, struggles to remember what happened in Afghanistan and in the weeks after. She forms a close bond with her hospital roommate Marci, who has had her leg amputated. The two women try to cope with life after the Army and with PTSD. Marci dues suddenly due to a blood clot, and LeAnne leaves Walter Reed against medical advice. She heads west - towards her former home, and Marci's. Eventually she finds a dog - or the dog finds her - and the healing process begins.
What I Liked: I liked the dog, whom is eventually called Goody. Unfortunately she does not appear until the halfway point. Until then, the reader gets to know LeAnne in the present as a woman who is hurting emotionally and physically, and in the past as a great athlete and girl with ambition and a scholarship to West Point. Goody and LeAnne have a lot/hate relationship at first, but Goody comes to serve as LeAnne's protector and confidant. I enjoyed seeing this relationship grow. In the last 1/3 of the book, LeAnne helps Marci's daughter and in some way completes a final mission; this did seem meaningful and wrapped up the story nicely.
What I Didn't Like: I didn't really like LeAnne! I didn't connect with her, although I definitely had empathy for everything she has been through. She seemed pretty unlikeable to me, and I never found any of her choices or behaviors redeeming.
Final Thoughts: the narrative seemed disjointed to me and I wasn't sure where the author was headed with LeAnne's story. I feel misled that the story would be about a veteran and her service-type dog.
* I was able to read this book courtesy of the publisher. I thank them for giving me the opportunity to read the book and write an honest review.
Brief Summary: Army Sergeant LeAnne Hogan is in Walter Reed Medical Center following a failed mission in Afghanistan where most of her command died and where she lost her right eye and suffered gruesome injuries to her face. LeAnne protests psychiatric treatment and a prosthetic eye, struggles to remember what happened in Afghanistan and in the weeks after. She forms a close bond with her hospital roommate Marci, who has had her leg amputated. The two women try to cope with life after the Army and with PTSD. Marci dues suddenly due to a blood clot, and LeAnne leaves Walter Reed against medical advice. She heads west - towards her former home, and Marci's. Eventually she finds a dog - or the dog finds her - and the healing process begins.
What I Liked: I liked the dog, whom is eventually called Goody. Unfortunately she does not appear until the halfway point. Until then, the reader gets to know LeAnne in the present as a woman who is hurting emotionally and physically, and in the past as a great athlete and girl with ambition and a scholarship to West Point. Goody and LeAnne have a lot/hate relationship at first, but Goody comes to serve as LeAnne's protector and confidant. I enjoyed seeing this relationship grow. In the last 1/3 of the book, LeAnne helps Marci's daughter and in some way completes a final mission; this did seem meaningful and wrapped up the story nicely.
What I Didn't Like: I didn't really like LeAnne! I didn't connect with her, although I definitely had empathy for everything she has been through. She seemed pretty unlikeable to me, and I never found any of her choices or behaviors redeeming.
Final Thoughts: the narrative seemed disjointed to me and I wasn't sure where the author was headed with LeAnne's story. I feel misled that the story would be about a veteran and her service-type dog.
* I was able to read this book courtesy of the publisher. I thank them for giving me the opportunity to read the book and write an honest review.
July 7, 2017
The Right Side was a bit of slow start for me, but I really ended up liking this book. I was expecting more of a suspenseful thriller and was surprised that so much of the book went by before getting to the suspense and even to the dog--who seems to adopt LeAnne. There is a lot of set up to define LeAnne as a character, but it works--I found myself invested in her and with her unpredictability from both the attack in Afghanistan and her own personality, I wanted to see what she was going to do next. She suffers from memory loss, is angry, has severe PSTD and is damaged in many different ways besides the physical damage to her eye and face. When she isn't angry, she is prickly and not always easy to like, but LeAnne is a fighter, very compelling, and she grew on me. Although the book ends up being just as much a character study of LeAnne as it is a mystery, there is her friend's missing daughter to consider, as well as what actually happened in Afghanistan--was LeAnne at fault for the mission going wrong? Once I was rooting for LeAnne and the tension began to ratchet up a few notches, I was hooked and didn't want to put the book down for the last third.
This is my first book from this author who has a popular (and I understand much lighter) adult mystery series about a dog and his human companion as well a dog-centered children's mystery series for middle graders. I would love another book about Leanne and her new companion and the end of this one seems to set it up nicely for a continuation so I'll keep my fingers crossed. The Right Side is not a light read, but it is an absorbing one, making it a good pick for your summer TBR stack if you like strong female characters, stories involving dogs, mystery/suspense books, and books about military veterans.
You can see my review as well as a recipe for Green Tea and Apple Sorbet, inspired by the book on my website here: https://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2...
Note: A review copy of "The Right Side" was provided to me by the publisher Atria Books and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is my first book from this author who has a popular (and I understand much lighter) adult mystery series about a dog and his human companion as well a dog-centered children's mystery series for middle graders. I would love another book about Leanne and her new companion and the end of this one seems to set it up nicely for a continuation so I'll keep my fingers crossed. The Right Side is not a light read, but it is an absorbing one, making it a good pick for your summer TBR stack if you like strong female characters, stories involving dogs, mystery/suspense books, and books about military veterans.
You can see my review as well as a recipe for Green Tea and Apple Sorbet, inspired by the book on my website here: https://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2...
Note: A review copy of "The Right Side" was provided to me by the publisher Atria Books and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 25, 2018
The first half of the book jumps back and forth between present and past. LeAnne is an injured vet with a missing eye and shrapnel on the brain that can't be removed. Her memory is chaotic, she remembers and forgets. The narrative of the story is much like how her brain works - jumpy and choppy.
At the end of the book you get the story of the missing daughter of her friend, the adoption of the dog and solving what went wrong on the mission. But, this was later in the book and with no surprises or twists unless an incompetent small town sheriff department is a twist or having an intelligence officer use her to get a confession from whom they already suspect is unexpected.
Due to the wounded warrior aspect, I wanted to like this much more than I did. But in general it's just a very, very sad choppy story.
It simply depressed me.
At the end of the book you get the story of the missing daughter of her friend, the adoption of the dog and solving what went wrong on the mission. But, this was later in the book and with no surprises or twists unless an incompetent small town sheriff department is a twist or having an intelligence officer use her to get a confession from whom they already suspect is unexpected.
Due to the wounded warrior aspect, I wanted to like this much more than I did. But in general it's just a very, very sad choppy story.
It simply depressed me.
September 26, 2021
See this and all of my reviews at Mystereity Reviews
Poignant, eloquent, and spellbinding!
Sgt. LeeAnn Hogan is at Walter Reed, recovering from the disfiguring wounds and trauma suffered in a failed military operation in Afghanistan. Disoriented, angry and scared, she takes solace in the friendship with her hospital roommate, Marci. When Marci suddenly dies, it sends LeeAnn adrift; signing herself out of the hospital, she takes off to an uncertain future, deciding along the way to visit Marci's hometown in Washington State. When she arrives, she finds that Marci's daughter, Mia, has gone missing. Feeling a responsibility to help, Marci is compelled to help find the little girl, the last thread that binds her to her dead friend. Along the way, she's forced to confront herself and her demons and start the road back to her new life.
The Right Side will definitely be one of my top books of 2017! More suspense than mystery, it was an fantastic read, and so hard to sum up all the things that I loved without rambling on too long! The pace was perfect, taking just the right amount of time to set up the main character and her world, not only LeeAnn's mental state after she was wounded, but also snapshots of her formative years, providing a strong base for her reactions and experiences in the later part of the book, which made it feel more authentic and realistic. Superbly written, I was quickly drawn into LeeAnn's struggles, I couldn't help but admire her. Her pain, confusion and struggle is palpable, leaving me slightly uncomfortable (in a good way, if that's at all possible!) and so grittily realistic that it's almost like reading a true story. I loved that Goody is a reflection of LeeAnn herself, even if she doesn't recognize it. Tough, resolute and enigmatic, they make a perfect pair. The satisfyingly ambiguous ending left the door open for further adventures with LeeAnn and Goody, something I truly hope will come to be.
Poignant, eloquent, and spellbinding!
Sgt. LeeAnn Hogan is at Walter Reed, recovering from the disfiguring wounds and trauma suffered in a failed military operation in Afghanistan. Disoriented, angry and scared, she takes solace in the friendship with her hospital roommate, Marci. When Marci suddenly dies, it sends LeeAnn adrift; signing herself out of the hospital, she takes off to an uncertain future, deciding along the way to visit Marci's hometown in Washington State. When she arrives, she finds that Marci's daughter, Mia, has gone missing. Feeling a responsibility to help, Marci is compelled to help find the little girl, the last thread that binds her to her dead friend. Along the way, she's forced to confront herself and her demons and start the road back to her new life.
The Right Side will definitely be one of my top books of 2017! More suspense than mystery, it was an fantastic read, and so hard to sum up all the things that I loved without rambling on too long! The pace was perfect, taking just the right amount of time to set up the main character and her world, not only LeeAnn's mental state after she was wounded, but also snapshots of her formative years, providing a strong base for her reactions and experiences in the later part of the book, which made it feel more authentic and realistic. Superbly written, I was quickly drawn into LeeAnn's struggles, I couldn't help but admire her. Her pain, confusion and struggle is palpable, leaving me slightly uncomfortable (in a good way, if that's at all possible!) and so grittily realistic that it's almost like reading a true story. I loved that Goody is a reflection of LeeAnn herself, even if she doesn't recognize it. Tough, resolute and enigmatic, they make a perfect pair. The satisfyingly ambiguous ending left the door open for further adventures with LeeAnn and Goody, something I truly hope will come to be.
December 1, 2017
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Normally, "cozies" are not my favorite, so that may be influencing my opinion here. The Right Side was just a little too "neat" for me. It struck me that maybe Spencer Quinn was trying to break away from the "cozy" type mysteries, but somehow missed and just couldn't help himself and reverted back to the "tried & true" formula that works in the Chet & Bernie stories. I was hoping for something "grittier" given the main character a returning war vet with PTSD issues. The book's blurb made it sound like another Burning Bright by Nicolas Petrie (which I LOVED), but it wasn't. Some of the characters were semi-developed, others just plain one dimensional. It read smoothly enough, but again, I like plots a little "twistier" (maybe a reflection of my character). And the ending....way too "neat" for me (again, possibly a reflection of my housekeeping)!
Normally, "cozies" are not my favorite, so that may be influencing my opinion here. The Right Side was just a little too "neat" for me. It struck me that maybe Spencer Quinn was trying to break away from the "cozy" type mysteries, but somehow missed and just couldn't help himself and reverted back to the "tried & true" formula that works in the Chet & Bernie stories. I was hoping for something "grittier" given the main character a returning war vet with PTSD issues. The book's blurb made it sound like another Burning Bright by Nicolas Petrie (which I LOVED), but it wasn't. Some of the characters were semi-developed, others just plain one dimensional. It read smoothly enough, but again, I like plots a little "twistier" (maybe a reflection of my character). And the ending....way too "neat" for me (again, possibly a reflection of my housekeeping)!
June 10, 2018
In Sergeant LeAnne Hogan we meet a woman who has more challenges than any of us can imagine. Terribly wounded in Afghanistan, LeAnne is trying to figure out what happens now. This book is riveting. I had a really hard time putting it down.
July 10, 2017
I'm not sure who wrote the synopsis for The Right Side.. I definitely didn't get the book the synopsis implied. I thought this would be a good gripping mystery, but it really wasn't. I'm a bit conflicted about my feelings on the story.
I did like the portrayal of LeAnne's PTSD. The story is told through her eyes. At times, the narrative felt chaotic and confused, much like it was probably in her brain. She loses time, thoughts and says things that don't make sense. She isn't really a very likable character, but I found myself sympathizing with her. She went through something horrifying in the war and was left broken. Through flashbacks, we get to see how she became so tough and what led her to be in the Army as well as what happened over in Afghanistan.
What I didn't really care for was the overall story. It takes over half the book before she even gets to the town. I didn't really understand her motivation for going to Marci's hometown. I never got the sense that they were particularly close from their time at the hospital. I also never got the sense that she was obsessed with finding Marci's daughter, Mia. There is another "mystery" but that was pretty easy to figure out before anyone else in the book. The ending was pretty open ended. I didn't get a sense of closure or the feeling that LeAnne would be OK.
I'd recommend giving this one a shot. I think it's one of those books you have to read and decide on for yourself. It is well written, I just was expecting a different story.
I did like the portrayal of LeAnne's PTSD. The story is told through her eyes. At times, the narrative felt chaotic and confused, much like it was probably in her brain. She loses time, thoughts and says things that don't make sense. She isn't really a very likable character, but I found myself sympathizing with her. She went through something horrifying in the war and was left broken. Through flashbacks, we get to see how she became so tough and what led her to be in the Army as well as what happened over in Afghanistan.
What I didn't really care for was the overall story. It takes over half the book before she even gets to the town. I didn't really understand her motivation for going to Marci's hometown. I never got the sense that they were particularly close from their time at the hospital. I also never got the sense that she was obsessed with finding Marci's daughter, Mia. There is another "mystery" but that was pretty easy to figure out before anyone else in the book. The ending was pretty open ended. I didn't get a sense of closure or the feeling that LeAnne would be OK.
I'd recommend giving this one a shot. I think it's one of those books you have to read and decide on for yourself. It is well written, I just was expecting a different story.
July 2, 2017
Received as an ARC from the publisher. I really enjoyed this one. The main character LeAnne is on military medical leave after losing an eye in Afghanistan in a failed mission. She's suffering from PTSD and as a result, she's angry, suspicious, tense, and functions as a hardass and a smartass(two totally different traits.) On a cross-country trip a stray dog adopts her and she changes slowly. She also solves two mysteries, one in Washington State, and one in Kabul. Written in the way people actually talk. Captures your attention in the first few pages and never lets go. Even the dog is an interesting character. It's left open for a sequel, and I certainly hope so. Would make a good movie too.
August 17, 2017
The Right Side by Spencer Quinn is a great read. "Leanne Hogan was a rising star in the army. She cones back from Afghanistan damaged mentally and physically, unable to remember most of the attack that hurt her and killed most of her unit. Her hospital roommate suddenly dies and Leanne finds herself on a fateful drive across the country. She becomes attached to a stray dog and searches for Mia, her former roommate's missing daughter." Leanne was a CST, also written about so well in Ashley's War by Gayle Lemmon. I think Quinn does a great job of writing about someone who has returned from combat and the difficulties of PTSD. And how much a canine companion can help. Hope we see more of Leanne's story.
August 12, 2018
When I got to the end of this book, I sat very still for a minute. Then I just said "wow" a few times. This one will stick in my mind.
LeAnne Hogan had plans. She'd had plans to go to West Point and become an officer and maybe a pole-vaulting star. But her plans changed.
LeAnne enlisted in the Army. After two tours, she had plans for civilian life. But she got talked into coming back for one last special tour. And her plans changed.
LeAnne suffered during the war. She's suffering after the war. But she had a goal she wanted to accomplish, and almost in spite of herself, she goes for it.
This is not one of those books where the soldier comes home and is healed through the love of friends and family. Not everybody gets a happy ending. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. You do what you have to do, the best you can, with whatever time you have. That's what LeAnne did. It doesn't hurt that she had a slightly magical dog show up to help her. (NB: there's no actual magic involved. The dog just appears mysteriously and occasionally seems to know things that she'd have no real reason to know. But it's actually a pretty good dog portrayal aside from that.)
I found LeAnne to be a believable and compelling character. It's all her story, some of it told in flashbacks to her time at war, some of it in the present day. She's fierce and uncompromising and damaged, but goddammit, she does everything she can.
I loved this book. LeAnne will stay with me a long time.
LeAnne Hogan had plans. She'd had plans to go to West Point and become an officer and maybe a pole-vaulting star. But her plans changed.
LeAnne enlisted in the Army. After two tours, she had plans for civilian life. But she got talked into coming back for one last special tour. And her plans changed.
LeAnne suffered during the war. She's suffering after the war. But she had a goal she wanted to accomplish, and almost in spite of herself, she goes for it.
This is not one of those books where the soldier comes home and is healed through the love of friends and family. Not everybody gets a happy ending. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. You do what you have to do, the best you can, with whatever time you have. That's what LeAnne did. It doesn't hurt that she had a slightly magical dog show up to help her. (NB: there's no actual magic involved. The dog just appears mysteriously and occasionally seems to know things that she'd have no real reason to know. But it's actually a pretty good dog portrayal aside from that.)
I found LeAnne to be a believable and compelling character. It's all her story, some of it told in flashbacks to her time at war, some of it in the present day. She's fierce and uncompromising and damaged, but goddammit, she does everything she can.
I loved this book. LeAnne will stay with me a long time.
September 21, 2018
I read in order to experience people, places and adventures I may never visit in real life, and now I have spent time with an astonishingly compelling female military veteran, and have been made to understand PTSD and the effect of debilitating combat wounds in a visceral way. (Oh -- and there's a terrific dog in the story too.) LeAnne Hogan returns from Afghanistan wounded, disfigured, frustrated and confused -- but by book's end she has begun to reclaim mastery over herself and her history, and has helped a troubled child to do the same. LeAnne is tougher than the average female protagonist but so are her challenges and you'll find yourself rooting for her from the very beginning. I called this a mystery -- there is a missing child, and LeAnne does puzzle out the resolution -- but really its more of a psychological drama of a soldier trying to reclaim herself. Who knew Spencer Quinn (author of a long-running series of cozy mysteries) had this in him? Well done!
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January 11, 2021Simple. Heartfelt. One of those stories that stays with you for years.
June 7, 2017
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Atria Books. Thank you.
The main focus of this riveting novel is the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder suffered by the main character, Sergeant LeAnne Hogan, after she receives a traumatic injury during a mission in Afghanistan. Fully the first half of the novel is focused on her past family history and on this tragic aspect of LeAnne's life as she tries to grapple with the consequences both physical and psychological coming out of her last military mission. The loss of her right eye, the scarring left from that wounding, the headaches, blackouts, and memory loss seem overwhelming obstacles to move on from.
This story is told with flashbacks which slowly reveal to the reader, as well as to LeAnne, what the true circumstances were in that mission which failed so tragically. The paradox of this story was that LeAnne had been such a strong woman in her military service and yet that same strength was keeping the military and her doctors from helping her reconstruct the failed mission for intelligence analysis and her learning how to cope with the stress she was living through. Progress is made for LeAnne slowly, made because she does what she knows will help her cope best, by setting a mission for herself. This mission involves the fellow soldier she shared a room with at Walter Reed Hospital and LeAnne's struggle to get to Marci's home town. Her arrival sends LeAnne to the next part of her mission, finding Marci's missing daughter.
I've read all the Chet and Bernie novels written by Spencer Quinn. This novel is completely different. Everything is much more serious here, the main character; the adult stray dog who appears from nowhere with some kind of previous training which helps LeAnne handle her missions; the psychology and physical wounding of Sergeant LeAnne Hogan. I think this is the first book in a new series for Quinn, at least I certainly hope there will be more written about these characters. It seems that LeAnne is working her way to learning how to deal with her problems - almost on a minute-by-minute basis. But what about Goody, the stray dog with such unusual abilities to be such a help to LeAnne and yet be completely lacking in basic obedience training? I need to know more about these two and I'm counting on Spencer Quinn to continue their story.
The main focus of this riveting novel is the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder suffered by the main character, Sergeant LeAnne Hogan, after she receives a traumatic injury during a mission in Afghanistan. Fully the first half of the novel is focused on her past family history and on this tragic aspect of LeAnne's life as she tries to grapple with the consequences both physical and psychological coming out of her last military mission. The loss of her right eye, the scarring left from that wounding, the headaches, blackouts, and memory loss seem overwhelming obstacles to move on from.
This story is told with flashbacks which slowly reveal to the reader, as well as to LeAnne, what the true circumstances were in that mission which failed so tragically. The paradox of this story was that LeAnne had been such a strong woman in her military service and yet that same strength was keeping the military and her doctors from helping her reconstruct the failed mission for intelligence analysis and her learning how to cope with the stress she was living through. Progress is made for LeAnne slowly, made because she does what she knows will help her cope best, by setting a mission for herself. This mission involves the fellow soldier she shared a room with at Walter Reed Hospital and LeAnne's struggle to get to Marci's home town. Her arrival sends LeAnne to the next part of her mission, finding Marci's missing daughter.
I've read all the Chet and Bernie novels written by Spencer Quinn. This novel is completely different. Everything is much more serious here, the main character; the adult stray dog who appears from nowhere with some kind of previous training which helps LeAnne handle her missions; the psychology and physical wounding of Sergeant LeAnne Hogan. I think this is the first book in a new series for Quinn, at least I certainly hope there will be more written about these characters. It seems that LeAnne is working her way to learning how to deal with her problems - almost on a minute-by-minute basis. But what about Goody, the stray dog with such unusual abilities to be such a help to LeAnne and yet be completely lacking in basic obedience training? I need to know more about these two and I'm counting on Spencer Quinn to continue their story.
January 7, 2017
From the author of the Chet and Bernie mysteries comes another kind of story. There's a dog in it, but "Goody" is not the main character. It's LeAnn Hogan who is an Army Sergeant back from Afghanistan, broken in mind and body.
She's left Walter Reid after her roommate, Marti, died unexpectedly. She's drifting. She's wandering. She's rudderless. She makes her way to Oregon, Marti's home, and there discovers that all is not as it should be with Marti's young daughter Mia.
This departure into more serious fiction shows Spencer Quinn to be an author to be watched and read.
I read this EARC courtesy of Edelweiss and Atria Books. Pub date 06/27/17
She's left Walter Reid after her roommate, Marti, died unexpectedly. She's drifting. She's wandering. She's rudderless. She makes her way to Oregon, Marti's home, and there discovers that all is not as it should be with Marti's young daughter Mia.
This departure into more serious fiction shows Spencer Quinn to be an author to be watched and read.
I read this EARC courtesy of Edelweiss and Atria Books. Pub date 06/27/17
July 19, 2017
Disappointing.....I'm a big fan of Chet and Bernie ( well, mostly Chet), and I'm feeling let down by Spencer Quinn, leaving us hanging on that score. So, I thought I'd give this a try. While his writing style is perfect for Chet and Bernie, it doesn't work in this story. LeAnne is a bright, strong, experienced army vet, yet her inner dialogue sounded a lot like Chet's....really out of place in this context. The plot here is no better than any Chet and Bernie, but nobody reads them for the plot. Give this a pass and hope for a return of Chet.
September 8, 2019
Sometimes, and often the best times a character grabs you when reading a book and it won't let go. This character a figment of your own imagination but not totally under your power, demands to be brought to life and in the example of LeAnne Hogan, the main character in THE RIGHT SIDE, will bring herself to life with or without your help. In this book, Spencer Quinn, a tramatized veteran becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl. She is confused, angry, and suspects the fault is hers, even though nobody will come out and say it. So--I helped!! By now I've written many novels, but never one like this, neither in the experience of the writing or in the resulting novel. There's a take off point in any novel (except bad ones), a moment somewhere along the line where the story becomes ready for takeoff. In the case of THE RIGHT SIDE,
LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan as a rising star in the military, and came back a much lesser person, mentally and physically. Now, missing an eye with half her face badly scarred, she can barely remember the disasterous desert operation that almost killed her. She finds herself confused, angry, and suspects the fault is hers, even though nobody will come out and say it.
Shattered by one last blow--the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci--LeAnne embarks of a fateful drive across the country, reflecting on her past and seeing no future. Her native land is now unfamiliar, recast in shadow by her one good eye, her damaged psyche, and her weakened body. Arriving in the rain-soaked small town in Washington that Marci had called home, she makes a troubling discovery: Marci's eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog--a powerful, dark unreadable creature, no one's idea of a pet--seems to adopt LeAnne, a surprising connection is formed and something shifts inside her. Feeling a sense of duty to find Marci's daughter, LeAnne and her inscrutable canine companion are drawn into danger as dark into danger as dark and menacing as her last Afghan mission. But this time she has a strange, loyal fellow traveler protecting her blind side.
THE RIGHT SIDE is different from the Chet and Bernie novels, I think Chet and Bernie fans will like this story just as much or more! Interesting read. Recommend. Anticipate other readers will enjoy it too.
LeAnne Hogan went to Afghanistan as a rising star in the military, and came back a much lesser person, mentally and physically. Now, missing an eye with half her face badly scarred, she can barely remember the disasterous desert operation that almost killed her. She finds herself confused, angry, and suspects the fault is hers, even though nobody will come out and say it.
Shattered by one last blow--the sudden death of her hospital roommate, Marci--LeAnne embarks of a fateful drive across the country, reflecting on her past and seeing no future. Her native land is now unfamiliar, recast in shadow by her one good eye, her damaged psyche, and her weakened body. Arriving in the rain-soaked small town in Washington that Marci had called home, she makes a troubling discovery: Marci's eight-year-old daughter has vanished. When a stray dog--a powerful, dark unreadable creature, no one's idea of a pet--seems to adopt LeAnne, a surprising connection is formed and something shifts inside her. Feeling a sense of duty to find Marci's daughter, LeAnne and her inscrutable canine companion are drawn into danger as dark into danger as dark and menacing as her last Afghan mission. But this time she has a strange, loyal fellow traveler protecting her blind side.
THE RIGHT SIDE is different from the Chet and Bernie novels, I think Chet and Bernie fans will like this story just as much or more! Interesting read. Recommend. Anticipate other readers will enjoy it too.
June 14, 2022
I was totally engrossed in reading this, not for any mystery to be solved, as that was secondary to the story. And the dog doesn't even come into it until the latter part of the book. LeAnne was a broken character with severe PTSD not always easy to like, in fact, sometimes downright unlikable, but hard to forget.
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