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In the Absence of Miracles
John Docherty's mother has just been taken into a nursing home following a massive stroke and she's unlikely to be able to live independently again. With no other option than to sell the family home, John sets about packing up everything in the house. In sifting through the detritus of his family's past he's forced to revisit, and revise his childhood. For in a box, in the attic, he finds undeniable truth that he had a brother who disappeared when he himself was only a toddler. A brother no one ever mentioned. A brother he knew absolutely nothing about. A discovery that sets John on a journey from which he may never recover. For sometimes in that space where memory should reside there is nothing but silence, smoke and ash. And in the absence of truth, in the absence of a miracle, we turn to prayer. And to violence. Shocking, chilling and heartbreakingly emotive, In the Absence of Miracles is domestic noir at its most powerful, and a sensitively wrought portrait of a family whose shameful lies hide the very darkest of secrets.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2019
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1048 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
July 18, 2023
In the Absence of Miracles by Michael J Malone is an enthralling mystery. However, it offers more than a mystery to be solved. This genre and I are relative strangers, but due to reading reviews from GR mates, it piqued my interest.
The story is based in Scotland and our main character, John Docherty, needs to place his mother into a nursing home following a stroke. He also needs to deal with her house and contents as Dad died a while back. His younger brother, Chris, is absent, living overseas and enjoying the high life with a wealthy girlfriend. Chris does visit John early in this story, and then takes off to Europe leaving John to deal with sorting out his Mum’s affairs.
When John was a wee boy, his older brother, Thomas, disappeared assumed dead. John cannot remember this Thomas, in fact John cannot recall much of his childhood. He is now a teacher, and with all he is dealing with he starts to have serious attendance issues, much of this due to heavy drinking. John has a relationship with a lovely woman called Angela who has a little daughter – John is lucky to have this woman, any reader would hope he can hang onto her as he spins out of control.
When sifting through the family belongings in his Mum’s house, John discovers something that changes everything and sends him on a journey which not only hopes to find out what happened to his missing brother, but also reveals dark family secrets.
This story ventures into dark areas, parts are confronting. I had a couple of ‘oh gosh’ moments – for sure. I could not put this one down and have been reading it into the early ours of the morning and absolutely loving it.
I always feel like I am doing something really naughty when reading past 2 am. Good hey?
The characters are all nicely fleshed out, and this is unpredictable, dark, and even darker in some places. I am sure if you enjoy a good mystery, you will love this. As a bonus you will have plenty to think about when you have finished. Highly recommended. Quality.
5 Stars
The story is based in Scotland and our main character, John Docherty, needs to place his mother into a nursing home following a stroke. He also needs to deal with her house and contents as Dad died a while back. His younger brother, Chris, is absent, living overseas and enjoying the high life with a wealthy girlfriend. Chris does visit John early in this story, and then takes off to Europe leaving John to deal with sorting out his Mum’s affairs.
When John was a wee boy, his older brother, Thomas, disappeared assumed dead. John cannot remember this Thomas, in fact John cannot recall much of his childhood. He is now a teacher, and with all he is dealing with he starts to have serious attendance issues, much of this due to heavy drinking. John has a relationship with a lovely woman called Angela who has a little daughter – John is lucky to have this woman, any reader would hope he can hang onto her as he spins out of control.
When sifting through the family belongings in his Mum’s house, John discovers something that changes everything and sends him on a journey which not only hopes to find out what happened to his missing brother, but also reveals dark family secrets.
This story ventures into dark areas, parts are confronting. I had a couple of ‘oh gosh’ moments – for sure. I could not put this one down and have been reading it into the early ours of the morning and absolutely loving it.
I always feel like I am doing something really naughty when reading past 2 am. Good hey?
The characters are all nicely fleshed out, and this is unpredictable, dark, and even darker in some places. I am sure if you enjoy a good mystery, you will love this. As a bonus you will have plenty to think about when you have finished. Highly recommended. Quality.
5 Stars
March 23, 2020
Audio 5 Stars
Story 5 Stars
OMFG..I can't even with this twisted as fuck story!
It's a bit slow to start and a bit long winded at times, but the secrets and level of depravity that's revealed had me..😶😥😲🤯🤬😳😵
Story 5 Stars
OMFG..I can't even with this twisted as fuck story!
It's a bit slow to start and a bit long winded at times, but the secrets and level of depravity that's revealed had me..😶😥😲🤯🤬😳😵
October 10, 2019
Michael Malone is a prize winning poet and author from Scotland, who writes beautifully from the heart and who now has a huge following in the literary world. Having previously read his powerful psychological thriller “A Suitable Lie” and his gothic contemporary novel “House of Spines” and enjoying both immensely, I was very much looking forward to reading and enjoying his latest standalone novel “In the Absence of Miracles”.
This shocking and once again powerful thriller covers a storyline that at times did make me a little uncomfortable (since I’m a mother of three sons) and for which I can’t even begin to imagine the trauma the characters went through in the story, during their teenage years. The author covered a subject that is very rarely covered in novels and isn’t publicised the way it should be due to the stigma of the abuse. He isn’t afraid to highlight often traumatic and brutal domestic and child abuse and broaches these subjects with sensitivity but always portraying them within a very engrossing and compelling story. I thought “In the Absence of Miracles” was a job well done and impecably written. I was drawn into the story instantly and fully felt the main character John’s emotional turmoil when he remembered his long buried memories.
Michael is a Scottish author who writes about his local area and it’s always nice whenever you can relate to those places in a book. I’ve stayed at Hunters Quay mentioned in the story, so I immediately felt a connection with the location and could visualise the scenes as they played out.
I’m more than happy to recommend this author and his many books, they’re enjoyable if a little distressing at times ( but in a fully professional way) and I fully intend to continue reading his work.
4 stars
This shocking and once again powerful thriller covers a storyline that at times did make me a little uncomfortable (since I’m a mother of three sons) and for which I can’t even begin to imagine the trauma the characters went through in the story, during their teenage years. The author covered a subject that is very rarely covered in novels and isn’t publicised the way it should be due to the stigma of the abuse. He isn’t afraid to highlight often traumatic and brutal domestic and child abuse and broaches these subjects with sensitivity but always portraying them within a very engrossing and compelling story. I thought “In the Absence of Miracles” was a job well done and impecably written. I was drawn into the story instantly and fully felt the main character John’s emotional turmoil when he remembered his long buried memories.
Michael is a Scottish author who writes about his local area and it’s always nice whenever you can relate to those places in a book. I’ve stayed at Hunters Quay mentioned in the story, so I immediately felt a connection with the location and could visualise the scenes as they played out.
I’m more than happy to recommend this author and his many books, they’re enjoyable if a little distressing at times ( but in a fully professional way) and I fully intend to continue reading his work.
4 stars
March 30, 2020
Story 4 stars**
Audio 4.25 stars**
Narrated by Angus King
Audio 4.25 stars**
Narrated by Angus King
March 22, 2020
4.5 stars audio
5 twisty stars story!
5 twisty stars story!
August 24, 2019
John is your everyday type of bloke. He seems to have some commitment issues and even though he knows he loves his girlfriend, something is holding him back from giving her his all. To be fair he does have his hands full with his work and visiting his mother who has ended up in a home after a stroke.
The box that he finds in the attic leads him into making some shocking discoveries and boy do I mean shocking. What follows then, is quite a harrowing and powerful read.
The author has a gift for writing about a hard subject and making it a totally compelling read. Sexual abuse is such an horrific thing to happen to anyone and even in fiction, it doesn’t make it any easier. Malone writes with a wealth of knowledge and you can tell he has done his homework. Some parts were so tough to read but it was done in a way that whilst the full extent of abuse isn’t gone into, it still had the full horrors and impact that is needed to hit the reader hard and having you care about these characters.
There is a web of lies and secrets to be uncovered and I was so wrapped up in what was happening. The outside world was lost to me as I devoured every page of this book. There are some bombshells that left me speechless. One especially I had to put the book down whilst it sank in what I had just read. I sure as hell didn’t see that coming!
In The Absence of Miracles literally left me speechless. More than on one occasion. The author writes so beautifully, drawing you in, making you not want to leave. Whilst I found some parts very emotional to read, I had to keep reading on to see where the author was going to take me next. A dark, harrowing and heart wrenching novel that packs more than a punch.
My thanks to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The box that he finds in the attic leads him into making some shocking discoveries and boy do I mean shocking. What follows then, is quite a harrowing and powerful read.
The author has a gift for writing about a hard subject and making it a totally compelling read. Sexual abuse is such an horrific thing to happen to anyone and even in fiction, it doesn’t make it any easier. Malone writes with a wealth of knowledge and you can tell he has done his homework. Some parts were so tough to read but it was done in a way that whilst the full extent of abuse isn’t gone into, it still had the full horrors and impact that is needed to hit the reader hard and having you care about these characters.
There is a web of lies and secrets to be uncovered and I was so wrapped up in what was happening. The outside world was lost to me as I devoured every page of this book. There are some bombshells that left me speechless. One especially I had to put the book down whilst it sank in what I had just read. I sure as hell didn’t see that coming!
In The Absence of Miracles literally left me speechless. More than on one occasion. The author writes so beautifully, drawing you in, making you not want to leave. Whilst I found some parts very emotional to read, I had to keep reading on to see where the author was going to take me next. A dark, harrowing and heart wrenching novel that packs more than a punch.
My thanks to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
September 3, 2019
Michael J Malone has stolen my words; I was left utterly speechless after reading In the Absence of Miracles and know that this is a book I will remember (and recommend) for a long time to come. It's difficult to put my thoughts in order to write a review that will even begin to do justice to how good this book is, but here goes.
I know from reading the magnificent A Suitable Lie that Michael J Malone knows how to shock and surprise and boy, did he make my jaw drop this time! From the very first page, I felt completely immersed in Michael J Malone's hypnotic writing; it's somehow very calm and comforting until it punches you in the gut just when you least expect it. A little bit how John Docherty must have felt when he discovered a photo of an older brother he has no memory of. As John starts to unearth his buried memories he digs up a lot more skeletons than a missing brother.
There's so much going on in John's story that you literally can't put this book down. John is such a complex character, from his relationship with Angela, that he seems intent on destroying, to his almost passive martyrdom that he is the brother saddled with visiting their mother in the nursing home. John wants to find out what happened to his brother and his investigation discovers more teen boys going missing when the fairground is in town. There's always something unnerving yet alluring about the fairground and I loved this aspect of the story.
Haunting, emotional, shocking and hypnotically captivating, In the Absence of Miracles is heartbreaking and moving; nobody writes domestic noir as emotively as Michael J Malone and I doubt anyone would be able to read this book devoid of emotion. 100% without doubt this is a very highly recommended read.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
I know from reading the magnificent A Suitable Lie that Michael J Malone knows how to shock and surprise and boy, did he make my jaw drop this time! From the very first page, I felt completely immersed in Michael J Malone's hypnotic writing; it's somehow very calm and comforting until it punches you in the gut just when you least expect it. A little bit how John Docherty must have felt when he discovered a photo of an older brother he has no memory of. As John starts to unearth his buried memories he digs up a lot more skeletons than a missing brother.
There's so much going on in John's story that you literally can't put this book down. John is such a complex character, from his relationship with Angela, that he seems intent on destroying, to his almost passive martyrdom that he is the brother saddled with visiting their mother in the nursing home. John wants to find out what happened to his brother and his investigation discovers more teen boys going missing when the fairground is in town. There's always something unnerving yet alluring about the fairground and I loved this aspect of the story.
Haunting, emotional, shocking and hypnotically captivating, In the Absence of Miracles is heartbreaking and moving; nobody writes domestic noir as emotively as Michael J Malone and I doubt anyone would be able to read this book devoid of emotion. 100% without doubt this is a very highly recommended read.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 23, 2019
As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
John Docherty’s mother, Lorna has recently suffered a massive stroke. Due to the stroke, she no longer has the use of one of her hands and she has been left unable to speak properly. After the death of her husband years before she had been living by herself but the stroke means that she is no longer capable of looking after herself, that she now needs round the clock care and that she can no longer stay at her home. Funding for the care home where she is staying will come from the sale of the family home. But, before the house can be sold it needs clearing and sorting out which falls to John. Whilst clearing out the attic John comes across a couple of brown paper wrapped and dusty boxes tied with string. Curious, he opens the boxes and inside one he finds a bloodstained child’s shoe and in the other a pile of old family photographs.
Many of the photographs are of John and his younger brother Chris. But then, there is a mysterious photograph with John as a toddler next to an older teenage child. Written on the back of the photograph in John’s dad’s handwriting is ‘the boys‘ which is the same term that his father used to use to describe him and Chris when they were younger.
With the discovery of the dusty boxes in the attic and of the photograph a decades-old secret resurfaces, John once had an older brother. A brother that he has no memory of and a brother who, thirty years ago when he was fourteen-years-old disappeared and was never again mentioned.
As John delves deeper into the mystery hoping to expose the bones of the past and investigates what really happened to his brother you see him getting nearer to the edge. Every moment for him is consumed with his need to find the truth and you see the toll that the revelation that he had a brother has taken on him. He starts to break, to crumble, to unravel, to slowly come apart at the seams as the tattered edges of who he is are ripped, becoming tears in the fabric of his soul.
Sometimes it is best to leave the past undisturbed and the secrets buried as once they are out in the open there’s no putting them back, no going back to the before and you now remember things that perhaps, you wish you didn’t. However, before you can heal, before you can be whole you have to face what you have been running from. To be able to build a future, to move forward and to move on you first need to make peace with the past.
Uncovering the truth is an obsession for John as he can’t remember having an older brother, it is like anything to do with his brother has been erased from his memory. But, that’s not all as he also has trouble remembering lots from his childhood. Where there should be memories, there is nothing but a deafening silence and an empty vault. As he (along with Chris) makes progress in solving the mystery vague recollections of past events and echoes of what happened to him during his childhood make their way through the abyss of nothingness that has been his memory.
In the Absence of Miracles is mostly written in the first-person perspective with a few flashback chapters in the third-person. The flashback chapters serve to shine a light on what happened to John’s brother thirty years ago and also, to show some of John’s repressed memories as they start resurfacing.
The writing in In the Absence of Miracles flows well, the characters feel real, the story is fast-paced and the emotion is imbued upon on the pages. There is a profundity of sadness to the harrowing story that Malone is telling. The dark and shocking secrets that are waiting to be discovered and the disturbing truth that when revealed breaks you, that pulls at your heartstrings and that sees them unravel.
Malone tackles a hard-hitting and tough subject in In the Absence of Miracles. There is something raw about the depiction and Malone deals with the subject in a respectful manner. Throughout the book, he maintains the care and the sensitivity that the topic requires when being addressed and there is no glorifying and no over sensationalising for shock value. But, Malone doesn’t pull any punches either looking at how those who have been mired in darkness have trouble escaping, overcoming their past and how those who have suffered must endure the demons that haunt.
In the Absence of Miracles is a story that grips you from the start and a story that tears out your heart. You are pulled in and you want, no, you need to know the truth about John’s brother and his disappearance. At the same time as that need, as that yearning for the truth you know that also, the truth when it is revealed will lead down some dark roads. And, that those roads will travel to some very dark places where memory, where the horrors of the past await and where monsters dwell deep in the depths of remembrance.
You keep turning the pages with ardent energy. But, while you are captivated by the unfolding story there is also a feeling of unease for what will come to pass. A tension to your reading as you know that, for John, it will mean nothing good and that what lies ahead will bring him only pain, sorrow, suffering and stormy waters.
In the Absence of Miracles is a captivating mystery, a heartbreaking look at family and a triumph of emotional storytelling that all combine to create a powerful and poignant story.
John Docherty’s mother, Lorna has recently suffered a massive stroke. Due to the stroke, she no longer has the use of one of her hands and she has been left unable to speak properly. After the death of her husband years before she had been living by herself but the stroke means that she is no longer capable of looking after herself, that she now needs round the clock care and that she can no longer stay at her home. Funding for the care home where she is staying will come from the sale of the family home. But, before the house can be sold it needs clearing and sorting out which falls to John. Whilst clearing out the attic John comes across a couple of brown paper wrapped and dusty boxes tied with string. Curious, he opens the boxes and inside one he finds a bloodstained child’s shoe and in the other a pile of old family photographs.
Many of the photographs are of John and his younger brother Chris. But then, there is a mysterious photograph with John as a toddler next to an older teenage child. Written on the back of the photograph in John’s dad’s handwriting is ‘the boys‘ which is the same term that his father used to use to describe him and Chris when they were younger.
With the discovery of the dusty boxes in the attic and of the photograph a decades-old secret resurfaces, John once had an older brother. A brother that he has no memory of and a brother who, thirty years ago when he was fourteen-years-old disappeared and was never again mentioned.
As John delves deeper into the mystery hoping to expose the bones of the past and investigates what really happened to his brother you see him getting nearer to the edge. Every moment for him is consumed with his need to find the truth and you see the toll that the revelation that he had a brother has taken on him. He starts to break, to crumble, to unravel, to slowly come apart at the seams as the tattered edges of who he is are ripped, becoming tears in the fabric of his soul.
Sometimes it is best to leave the past undisturbed and the secrets buried as once they are out in the open there’s no putting them back, no going back to the before and you now remember things that perhaps, you wish you didn’t. However, before you can heal, before you can be whole you have to face what you have been running from. To be able to build a future, to move forward and to move on you first need to make peace with the past.
Uncovering the truth is an obsession for John as he can’t remember having an older brother, it is like anything to do with his brother has been erased from his memory. But, that’s not all as he also has trouble remembering lots from his childhood. Where there should be memories, there is nothing but a deafening silence and an empty vault. As he (along with Chris) makes progress in solving the mystery vague recollections of past events and echoes of what happened to him during his childhood make their way through the abyss of nothingness that has been his memory.
In the Absence of Miracles is mostly written in the first-person perspective with a few flashback chapters in the third-person. The flashback chapters serve to shine a light on what happened to John’s brother thirty years ago and also, to show some of John’s repressed memories as they start resurfacing.
The writing in In the Absence of Miracles flows well, the characters feel real, the story is fast-paced and the emotion is imbued upon on the pages. There is a profundity of sadness to the harrowing story that Malone is telling. The dark and shocking secrets that are waiting to be discovered and the disturbing truth that when revealed breaks you, that pulls at your heartstrings and that sees them unravel.
Malone tackles a hard-hitting and tough subject in In the Absence of Miracles. There is something raw about the depiction and Malone deals with the subject in a respectful manner. Throughout the book, he maintains the care and the sensitivity that the topic requires when being addressed and there is no glorifying and no over sensationalising for shock value. But, Malone doesn’t pull any punches either looking at how those who have been mired in darkness have trouble escaping, overcoming their past and how those who have suffered must endure the demons that haunt.
In the Absence of Miracles is a story that grips you from the start and a story that tears out your heart. You are pulled in and you want, no, you need to know the truth about John’s brother and his disappearance. At the same time as that need, as that yearning for the truth you know that also, the truth when it is revealed will lead down some dark roads. And, that those roads will travel to some very dark places where memory, where the horrors of the past await and where monsters dwell deep in the depths of remembrance.
You keep turning the pages with ardent energy. But, while you are captivated by the unfolding story there is also a feeling of unease for what will come to pass. A tension to your reading as you know that, for John, it will mean nothing good and that what lies ahead will bring him only pain, sorrow, suffering and stormy waters.
In the Absence of Miracles is a captivating mystery, a heartbreaking look at family and a triumph of emotional storytelling that all combine to create a powerful and poignant story.
September 8, 2019
Excellent and very emotional. Full review to follow for the tour.
July 20, 2019
Man oh man, what a tale! First of all, a bazillion thanks to Karen Sullivan from Orenda Books for my gifted proof copy, and to Michael J. Malone for writing it. I’ve been going over it in my head for days now and I’m still not any closer to forming coherent thoughts, so I’ve given up and I’m just going to spew all my thoughts and feelings as they are, y’all will just have to deal with it! Alternatively, save yourself the trouble and just go buy it, it’s available in eBook format as of today (buy directly from Orenda Books here)! If you’re more of a paperback kinda gall/guy, you’ll have to wait until September, but nothing’s stopping you from pre-ordering (here), just saying😁
Alrightie. Back to all my rambling thoughts and feelings, so many feelings I could not cope. At all. In the Absence of Miracles broke me, and then some. Once again, Michael J. Malone’s focus is on a family, one that seems to be doing okay, but is actually anything but. And once again, he made me care about his characters too damned much, which is why I practically keeled over when light was finally shed on this family’s dark secrets.
We first meet protagonist John at a rather difficult point is his life. His mother’s just had a massive stroke and John’s checking her in in a nursing home. She can’t speak properly, she has lost the use of one hand, and being the one parent John still has, it’s a sad, sad thing. It’s pretty obvious that she’ll never be able to return home, and with his younger brother still AWOL (physically but even more so emotionally), it falls on John to make a start with cleaning up and clearing out his mum’s house so it can be sold. Randomly going through some old boxes in the attic, he finds a shoe with traces of blood, and photographs of himself as a toddler, with another boy, a boy who looks just like him. And so, barely having made a dent in the book, In the Absence of Miracles was already tugging at my heartstrings and making me reach for my detective hat: what happened to the boy in the photo, why is there blood on the shoe? It only gets worse (or better, depending on your point of view) from there: John finds irrefutable evidence that the older boy in the photos is in fact his brother and he’s desperate to find out what happened to him and why he never even knew he had an older brother. Trying to expose that truth though, he bares a truckload of memories he had buried and hidden from everyone, including himself, and his whole past starts to unravel.
The blurb and the comments on the proof’s cover mention dark secrets, violence, a shocking taboo, but still I had no idea that In the Absence of Miracles would have such dark and emotional depths (pretty daft, really, it’s a Malone, of course there are dark and emotional depths *smacks own forehead in disdain for own daftness*). There are so many layers peeled away, one by one until only the naked truth remains, and what an ugly truth it is. I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not I should give away part of the plot by disclosing what it was that was so horrible, the thing that broke my heart in a million pieces and had me ugly-crying, and reaching for both tissues and ice cream (full disclosure: I ate half a tub, and felt a little better), but the blurb keeps it vague and therefore so shall I. The fact of the matter is that I cared far too much, and so every time John got emotional, I was bawling. If you have any major triggers and you want to make sure they’re not in this book, feel free to drop me a line.
In the Absence of Miracles is a tough read emotion-wise, but easy-peasy in terms of pace and writing and flow, I fell into it, read fifty pages in a single breath, forgot everything and everyone, it was just me and Malone’s voice in my little book bubble. A thriller, the darkest domestic noir, a family drama. A captivating, mesmerising, engrossing, at times poetic story about creating a future among the ruins of a past. I highly recommend you read this, although perhaps not in public spaces!
I read and reviewed In the Absence of Miracles for the Indie Crime Crawl. It’s not your typical crime thriller, but believe me when I tell you it does fit the bill!
Alrightie. Back to all my rambling thoughts and feelings, so many feelings I could not cope. At all. In the Absence of Miracles broke me, and then some. Once again, Michael J. Malone’s focus is on a family, one that seems to be doing okay, but is actually anything but. And once again, he made me care about his characters too damned much, which is why I practically keeled over when light was finally shed on this family’s dark secrets.
We first meet protagonist John at a rather difficult point is his life. His mother’s just had a massive stroke and John’s checking her in in a nursing home. She can’t speak properly, she has lost the use of one hand, and being the one parent John still has, it’s a sad, sad thing. It’s pretty obvious that she’ll never be able to return home, and with his younger brother still AWOL (physically but even more so emotionally), it falls on John to make a start with cleaning up and clearing out his mum’s house so it can be sold. Randomly going through some old boxes in the attic, he finds a shoe with traces of blood, and photographs of himself as a toddler, with another boy, a boy who looks just like him. And so, barely having made a dent in the book, In the Absence of Miracles was already tugging at my heartstrings and making me reach for my detective hat: what happened to the boy in the photo, why is there blood on the shoe? It only gets worse (or better, depending on your point of view) from there: John finds irrefutable evidence that the older boy in the photos is in fact his brother and he’s desperate to find out what happened to him and why he never even knew he had an older brother. Trying to expose that truth though, he bares a truckload of memories he had buried and hidden from everyone, including himself, and his whole past starts to unravel.
The blurb and the comments on the proof’s cover mention dark secrets, violence, a shocking taboo, but still I had no idea that In the Absence of Miracles would have such dark and emotional depths (pretty daft, really, it’s a Malone, of course there are dark and emotional depths *smacks own forehead in disdain for own daftness*). There are so many layers peeled away, one by one until only the naked truth remains, and what an ugly truth it is. I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not I should give away part of the plot by disclosing what it was that was so horrible, the thing that broke my heart in a million pieces and had me ugly-crying, and reaching for both tissues and ice cream (full disclosure: I ate half a tub, and felt a little better), but the blurb keeps it vague and therefore so shall I. The fact of the matter is that I cared far too much, and so every time John got emotional, I was bawling. If you have any major triggers and you want to make sure they’re not in this book, feel free to drop me a line.
In the Absence of Miracles is a tough read emotion-wise, but easy-peasy in terms of pace and writing and flow, I fell into it, read fifty pages in a single breath, forgot everything and everyone, it was just me and Malone’s voice in my little book bubble. A thriller, the darkest domestic noir, a family drama. A captivating, mesmerising, engrossing, at times poetic story about creating a future among the ruins of a past. I highly recommend you read this, although perhaps not in public spaces!
I read and reviewed In the Absence of Miracles for the Indie Crime Crawl. It’s not your typical crime thriller, but believe me when I tell you it does fit the bill!
July 25, 2019
Quite the dark and twisted family tale that uncovers secrets that are truly shocking! There’s an undertone of such sadness in the uncovering of child abuse that just breaks your heart.
August 19, 2019
There are books that are shocking and twisted, and then there’s In The Absence Of Miracles by Michael Malone! Shocking, doesn’t even come close to describing this remarkable book. This isn’t a book I feel fits into one particular genre, it’s part domestic noir, suspense, and crime thriller all rolled into one to create one of the most compelling, powerful and emotive reads I’ve had the pleasure to come across in the last few years. This book reminds me of one of the author’s earlier books A Suitable Lie that still remains one of my favourite reads. In The Absence Of Miracles is the heartbreaking story of one dysfunctional family, it’s a story that pulls no punches and one that will rip your heart out.
John Docherty’s mother suffered a massive stroke and is now receiving around the clock care in a nursing home. It’s left to John to clear the family home, buried among boxes he finds evidence that he has a brother, John has no memory of the brother and what follows is the story of John’s journey to discovering the truth. The truth will cause John heartbreak, pain, bewilderment and shame, as repressed memories from his childhood begin to emerge, he finds the truth is far more shocking than anything he could ever had imagined. Each page of this book crackles with emotion, it’s intense, dark, gritty and yet hidden amongst the pages are the fragile threads of hope.
The author has showed great sensitivity and understanding and in creating an all too believable character, John Docherty is one of those rare characters who consumed my every waking moment, he’s a man in turmoil, determined to self destruct, he’s a man drowning in guilt, resentment and disgust. His story will grab at your heart and squeeze it so tight it might just explode. The author has created such an incredible character it’s impossible not to become consumed by his story, add to that the author’s extraordinary prose which describe John’s emotions perfectly I found my heart shattering into a million tiny pieces. I’m sure I felt every emotion John felt whilst reading this book. As John’s repressed memories began to surface and you see a man teetering on the brink, I wanted to tell him ‘everything would be alright’ but because of the nature of the book I wasn’t convinced there could be a ‘happy ending’.
I think the author has taken a brave decision, in writing a book that explores a taboo subject matter, that’s seldom discussed so fixed is the stigma attached to this subject. In some author’s hands this would have just made for a shocking read, but Malone strikes the right balance and has produced a masterpiece, it’s subtle, sensitivity written, wrought with emotion and has to be one of my most captivating, heartbreaking reads EVER! Michael Malone is one of those rare author who appears to be able to write in any genre and turn what could be an interesting read, into something extra special, definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time to come. In The Absence Of Miracles is certainly a contender for my book of the year and one I will be recommending to anybody and everybody
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
John Docherty’s mother suffered a massive stroke and is now receiving around the clock care in a nursing home. It’s left to John to clear the family home, buried among boxes he finds evidence that he has a brother, John has no memory of the brother and what follows is the story of John’s journey to discovering the truth. The truth will cause John heartbreak, pain, bewilderment and shame, as repressed memories from his childhood begin to emerge, he finds the truth is far more shocking than anything he could ever had imagined. Each page of this book crackles with emotion, it’s intense, dark, gritty and yet hidden amongst the pages are the fragile threads of hope.
The author has showed great sensitivity and understanding and in creating an all too believable character, John Docherty is one of those rare characters who consumed my every waking moment, he’s a man in turmoil, determined to self destruct, he’s a man drowning in guilt, resentment and disgust. His story will grab at your heart and squeeze it so tight it might just explode. The author has created such an incredible character it’s impossible not to become consumed by his story, add to that the author’s extraordinary prose which describe John’s emotions perfectly I found my heart shattering into a million tiny pieces. I’m sure I felt every emotion John felt whilst reading this book. As John’s repressed memories began to surface and you see a man teetering on the brink, I wanted to tell him ‘everything would be alright’ but because of the nature of the book I wasn’t convinced there could be a ‘happy ending’.
I think the author has taken a brave decision, in writing a book that explores a taboo subject matter, that’s seldom discussed so fixed is the stigma attached to this subject. In some author’s hands this would have just made for a shocking read, but Malone strikes the right balance and has produced a masterpiece, it’s subtle, sensitivity written, wrought with emotion and has to be one of my most captivating, heartbreaking reads EVER! Michael Malone is one of those rare author who appears to be able to write in any genre and turn what could be an interesting read, into something extra special, definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time to come. In The Absence Of Miracles is certainly a contender for my book of the year and one I will be recommending to anybody and everybody
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
September 25, 2019
Michael Malone is an author who is not afraid to tackle the tough topics, the ones that are still somewhat of a taboo and not talked about enough, the ones that are often hard to read and make you feel uncomfortable. If you’ve read A Suitable Lie, then you know this. So, how much further could Michael Malone push that discomfort limit, you wonder? Well, quite a bit, as it turns out.
John Docherty seems like your everyday guy, dealing with everyday issues. His mother has just been moved into a nursing home and John has no option but to sell the family home to pay for the costs. But when he starts packing up the house, he stumbles upon a box which reveals a massive family secret. It looks like John had a brother. A brother who disappeared when John himself was a toddler. A brother who was never talked about again and one John can’t remember at all. What happened to this brother? John’s journey to find out reveals far more than he bargained for.
In The Absence of Miracles is one of those books that doesn’t fit neatly into just one genre. It’s part domestic noir, it’s a whole lot of suspense, it’s a bit crime thriller-ish and offers tremendous psychological insight as well. And at the centre of it all, is one of the most dysfunctional families you’ll ever meet, with characters that are put through the wringer and the reader right alongside with them. I must say I wasn’t prepared for the emotional impact this story would have on me.
As always, there is way more to this story than you’d first expect because that is something this author does extremely well. There are multiple layers that need to be unraveled, pieces of the puzzle that need to be fitted together and a mystery to solve. Throughout it all, I often vacillated from anger to sadness to frustration and back again, and ended up feeling quite drained at the end of it all and in desperate need of something fluffy.
Sometimes shocking, always haunting and immensely compelling, In The Absence of Miracles is another stroke of genius from Michael Malone. Extremely dark with a tough topic, albeit it done with the utmost sensitivity, John’s story is bound to stay with you for a long, long time. Michael Malone is one of those authors who always delivers and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
John Docherty seems like your everyday guy, dealing with everyday issues. His mother has just been moved into a nursing home and John has no option but to sell the family home to pay for the costs. But when he starts packing up the house, he stumbles upon a box which reveals a massive family secret. It looks like John had a brother. A brother who disappeared when John himself was a toddler. A brother who was never talked about again and one John can’t remember at all. What happened to this brother? John’s journey to find out reveals far more than he bargained for.
In The Absence of Miracles is one of those books that doesn’t fit neatly into just one genre. It’s part domestic noir, it’s a whole lot of suspense, it’s a bit crime thriller-ish and offers tremendous psychological insight as well. And at the centre of it all, is one of the most dysfunctional families you’ll ever meet, with characters that are put through the wringer and the reader right alongside with them. I must say I wasn’t prepared for the emotional impact this story would have on me.
As always, there is way more to this story than you’d first expect because that is something this author does extremely well. There are multiple layers that need to be unraveled, pieces of the puzzle that need to be fitted together and a mystery to solve. Throughout it all, I often vacillated from anger to sadness to frustration and back again, and ended up feeling quite drained at the end of it all and in desperate need of something fluffy.
Sometimes shocking, always haunting and immensely compelling, In The Absence of Miracles is another stroke of genius from Michael Malone. Extremely dark with a tough topic, albeit it done with the utmost sensitivity, John’s story is bound to stay with you for a long, long time. Michael Malone is one of those authors who always delivers and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
January 11, 2020
This is one of those books where you finish reading it and you know it's going to be in your head for a long time. There are many things in the story that get you thinking - about actions and consequences, right and wrong and how some people can't see what they've done is evil.
When John's mother has a stoke and is in a care home, he begins to sort through her house ready to sell it and finds things he wasn't expecting. The resulting search for answers leads to shocking and emotional revelations that also put him in danger.
I read this book quickly as Malone is an excellent author who maintains the suspense. If you like an emotive read then this will have you rooting for the three main characters and hoping for justice. This is the third book by Malone I've read, and my favourite.
When John's mother has a stoke and is in a care home, he begins to sort through her house ready to sell it and finds things he wasn't expecting. The resulting search for answers leads to shocking and emotional revelations that also put him in danger.
I read this book quickly as Malone is an excellent author who maintains the suspense. If you like an emotive read then this will have you rooting for the three main characters and hoping for justice. This is the third book by Malone I've read, and my favourite.
July 31, 2019
Emotional. Brave. Dark. Raw. Utterly beautiful.
October 6, 2019
Unflinchingly honest, emotive and ultimately edifying dark domestic noir of family secrets.
When a massive stroke before her sixtieth birthday puts paid to Lorna Docherty ever living independently again, her son, John, is hit by the double whammy of his mother looking a shadow of her former self and needing to sell the family home in order to finance her care. With decidedly mixed memories of a dysfunctional family life characterised mainly by his detective father’s ominous silences and anger and by Chris, his prodigal younger brother, making a quick escape, John is understandably reluctant to face clearing out his childhood home.
Discovering an old box of photos in the attic should take him on a trip down memory lane, but there is one photo, labelled ‘the boys’, of a teenager and toddler which he has no memory of ever being taken. The reason is obvious, as Chris points out, because John is not the teen but the toddler, suggesting that perhaps they actually have an older brother. In contrast to peppy Chris who is fairly blasé about the possibility, John is looking for closure and so when a 1975 birth certificate for Thomas confirms their suspicion, he is compelled to go back and reframe his early memories with some definitive truths..
As John uncovers an unsettling connection to a series of disappearances of young boys all around the presence of the travelling funfair, Chris starts to puts his degree in journalism to good use and is soon as obsessed about discovering the truth as John. With repressed memories intruding on his livelihood and relationships, John soon realises the self-preservation techniques he has adopted before delving into the reasons behind them. Plagued by nightmares, headaches and red mists of temper he is determined to unpick the layers of his past, but as the revelations take him to some dark places and lead to some uncomfortable truths he must ask himself if he can handle the repercussions..?
Despite the raw subject matter the novel is effortlessly readable with the candour, moments of levity and harrowing honesty of protagonist and first-person narrator, John Docherty, drawing the reader into the turmoil of his situation. Part of John’s appeal is his middle-of-the-road persona but scratch the surface and his defence mechanisms become infinitely more understandable when his predicament is laid bare. From his quick recourse to anger and career choice to his reluctance to take his relationship with on/off partner of two years, Angela, to the next stage. But as the discoveries threaten to destroy the last vestiges of family life as he knows it John is forced to decide if he is prepared to process the feelings of shame, horror and jealousy in the hope of a brighter future and a new honesty to family relations?
There is a lyricism and poetry to much of Malone’s writing from John’s nightmare ramblings to the profundity of broader statements about the lies we tell ourselves in order to survive. Not only does the novel provide a mesmerising and at times harrowing investigative journey but the author is brave enough to deliver a fitting and credible conclusion when others might have dodged the issue. In the Absence of Miracles tackles a number of hard-hitting issues with honesty, sensitivity and delicacy, meaning that the novel is as far from gratuitous as possible. Several third-person flashback scenes illustrate the exact nature of what went on and together with the vivid 1990s descriptions it proves far more affecting than hindsight descriptions which risk the possibility of feeling unbelievable.
A brilliant novel that packs a heavy punch and is guaranteed to linger long in the memory, and simultaneously a moving lesson on facing past demons in order to live a fulfilling future. A dark family drama of the most worthwhile and edifying variety.
When a massive stroke before her sixtieth birthday puts paid to Lorna Docherty ever living independently again, her son, John, is hit by the double whammy of his mother looking a shadow of her former self and needing to sell the family home in order to finance her care. With decidedly mixed memories of a dysfunctional family life characterised mainly by his detective father’s ominous silences and anger and by Chris, his prodigal younger brother, making a quick escape, John is understandably reluctant to face clearing out his childhood home.
Discovering an old box of photos in the attic should take him on a trip down memory lane, but there is one photo, labelled ‘the boys’, of a teenager and toddler which he has no memory of ever being taken. The reason is obvious, as Chris points out, because John is not the teen but the toddler, suggesting that perhaps they actually have an older brother. In contrast to peppy Chris who is fairly blasé about the possibility, John is looking for closure and so when a 1975 birth certificate for Thomas confirms their suspicion, he is compelled to go back and reframe his early memories with some definitive truths..
As John uncovers an unsettling connection to a series of disappearances of young boys all around the presence of the travelling funfair, Chris starts to puts his degree in journalism to good use and is soon as obsessed about discovering the truth as John. With repressed memories intruding on his livelihood and relationships, John soon realises the self-preservation techniques he has adopted before delving into the reasons behind them. Plagued by nightmares, headaches and red mists of temper he is determined to unpick the layers of his past, but as the revelations take him to some dark places and lead to some uncomfortable truths he must ask himself if he can handle the repercussions..?
Despite the raw subject matter the novel is effortlessly readable with the candour, moments of levity and harrowing honesty of protagonist and first-person narrator, John Docherty, drawing the reader into the turmoil of his situation. Part of John’s appeal is his middle-of-the-road persona but scratch the surface and his defence mechanisms become infinitely more understandable when his predicament is laid bare. From his quick recourse to anger and career choice to his reluctance to take his relationship with on/off partner of two years, Angela, to the next stage. But as the discoveries threaten to destroy the last vestiges of family life as he knows it John is forced to decide if he is prepared to process the feelings of shame, horror and jealousy in the hope of a brighter future and a new honesty to family relations?
There is a lyricism and poetry to much of Malone’s writing from John’s nightmare ramblings to the profundity of broader statements about the lies we tell ourselves in order to survive. Not only does the novel provide a mesmerising and at times harrowing investigative journey but the author is brave enough to deliver a fitting and credible conclusion when others might have dodged the issue. In the Absence of Miracles tackles a number of hard-hitting issues with honesty, sensitivity and delicacy, meaning that the novel is as far from gratuitous as possible. Several third-person flashback scenes illustrate the exact nature of what went on and together with the vivid 1990s descriptions it proves far more affecting than hindsight descriptions which risk the possibility of feeling unbelievable.
A brilliant novel that packs a heavy punch and is guaranteed to linger long in the memory, and simultaneously a moving lesson on facing past demons in order to live a fulfilling future. A dark family drama of the most worthwhile and edifying variety.
September 26, 2019
Oh my word, this book affected me so much more than I expected it to! I’ve loved the standalone books from Michael J Malone that I’ve read previously but this one really did tug at my heartstrings as he delivered a beautifully crafted narrative with an traumatic and affecting family mystery at its centre.
John Docherty has had to admit his mother into a care home after she suffers a major stroke at a relatively young age. His father died five years ago and so to raise money to pay for his mothers care, he needs to sell the family home. But whilst clearing out the attic he finds a blood stained shoe and a photograph of “the boys”-but it’s not of him and his younger brother but of him as a toddler with an older boy who looks just like him. Rather than upset his mother, John decides to investigate his families past himself but the answers don’t seem to add up…
My heart was pounding whilst I read this book in two very intense sittings. I just couldn’t believe what I was reading at times and although I figured out quite early on what was at the heart of the past secrets, it was still a shock once everything began to slot into place. And as the pieces of the puzzle finally began to show the complete picture, I was blown away by how perfectly Michael J Malone related his story to the reader, conveying the truth with his trademark expressive and articulate style. In fact, even though I devoured this book with an expeditious urgency, I often stopped to just marvel at a certain sentence or word, wondering…how the hell does he do it?! For example, his description of the Isle of Arran as seen from his mothers window in her care home gave me such a vivid picture in my head it completely overwhelmed me and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention, as though to applaud the beautifully expressed and poetic turn of phrase.
This is a disturbing book at times. It doesn’t shy away from showing the full horror of certain situations and how the characters react to them but everything is in tune with the books soul and that comes across with the emotions evoked throughout. It’s heartbreaking but it’s also a journey that you know has to go ahead even if the destination isn’t one you want to arrive at.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s compelling storyline kept me involved and intrigued from start to finish. Highly recommended by me!
John Docherty has had to admit his mother into a care home after she suffers a major stroke at a relatively young age. His father died five years ago and so to raise money to pay for his mothers care, he needs to sell the family home. But whilst clearing out the attic he finds a blood stained shoe and a photograph of “the boys”-but it’s not of him and his younger brother but of him as a toddler with an older boy who looks just like him. Rather than upset his mother, John decides to investigate his families past himself but the answers don’t seem to add up…
My heart was pounding whilst I read this book in two very intense sittings. I just couldn’t believe what I was reading at times and although I figured out quite early on what was at the heart of the past secrets, it was still a shock once everything began to slot into place. And as the pieces of the puzzle finally began to show the complete picture, I was blown away by how perfectly Michael J Malone related his story to the reader, conveying the truth with his trademark expressive and articulate style. In fact, even though I devoured this book with an expeditious urgency, I often stopped to just marvel at a certain sentence or word, wondering…how the hell does he do it?! For example, his description of the Isle of Arran as seen from his mothers window in her care home gave me such a vivid picture in my head it completely overwhelmed me and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention, as though to applaud the beautifully expressed and poetic turn of phrase.
This is a disturbing book at times. It doesn’t shy away from showing the full horror of certain situations and how the characters react to them but everything is in tune with the books soul and that comes across with the emotions evoked throughout. It’s heartbreaking but it’s also a journey that you know has to go ahead even if the destination isn’t one you want to arrive at.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s compelling storyline kept me involved and intrigued from start to finish. Highly recommended by me!
July 24, 2019
Michael J Malone is one of those writers whose work is seriously under-estimated by some. I suspect it’s because all his recent books have been stand-alones that the cumulative impact of his work isn’t better known. But believe me, it should be.
Malone isn’t an easy writer to categorise; already that makes him more interesting. In the Absence of Miracles is a domestic noir, but it’s also so much more than that. It’s a book that quietly and sensitively peels back the layers of a series of dysfunctional relationships, ever so gently sets about exposing the raw nerves, then pokes them with a sharp pin.
John Docherty is a middle aged man in a two year relationship with attractive single parent, Angela. He’s a secondary school English teacher who has never married. Angela tells him that he’s a commitment phobe and he acknowledges that there may be some truth in that.
In this first person narrative, Malone gives us the picture of a man who has a decent life, a good job and a woman who loves him. Yet John Docherty is a bit of a loner. A man who drinks just a wee bit too much, too often and whose headaches recur with annoying frequency.
It is while he is sorting out his mother’s house following her stroke that he stumbles across a huge mystery that sets him on a path from which there is no return.
Together with his younger brother, Chris, John Docherty goes on on a trail that leads to a series of dark and disturbing revelations.
In the Absence of Miracles is an exploration of a deeply difficult area, seldom touched on anywhere, such is the sense of shame attached to it. Malone deals with it sensitively and his depiction of John Docherty, a man whose psyche is impaired because of the trauma he has suffered, is magnificently portrayed through his cognitive dissonance. Docherty doesn’t know it, but the mental stress and discomfort he experiences are the product of years of suppressing the truth. When confronted by new information that conflicts with his existing beliefs, things are bound to get worse before they get better.
Malone gives us the slow disintegration of Docherty as part of a picture that breaks the heart at the same time as it tests our prejudices.
In the Absence of Miracles is in a similar vein to Malone’s earlier work, A Suitable Lie, insofar as he shines a light on an oft ignored, undiscussed social issue and explores it with depth and sensitivity and a very real understanding of the emotional core at the centre of his character’s lives.
Verdict: In the Absence of Miracles is a brave and compelling work from a writer of depth and sensitivity. Beautifully written, substantial and heart-breaking, it is an astonishingly powerful novel for our time. Everyone should read it.
Malone isn’t an easy writer to categorise; already that makes him more interesting. In the Absence of Miracles is a domestic noir, but it’s also so much more than that. It’s a book that quietly and sensitively peels back the layers of a series of dysfunctional relationships, ever so gently sets about exposing the raw nerves, then pokes them with a sharp pin.
John Docherty is a middle aged man in a two year relationship with attractive single parent, Angela. He’s a secondary school English teacher who has never married. Angela tells him that he’s a commitment phobe and he acknowledges that there may be some truth in that.
In this first person narrative, Malone gives us the picture of a man who has a decent life, a good job and a woman who loves him. Yet John Docherty is a bit of a loner. A man who drinks just a wee bit too much, too often and whose headaches recur with annoying frequency.
It is while he is sorting out his mother’s house following her stroke that he stumbles across a huge mystery that sets him on a path from which there is no return.
Together with his younger brother, Chris, John Docherty goes on on a trail that leads to a series of dark and disturbing revelations.
In the Absence of Miracles is an exploration of a deeply difficult area, seldom touched on anywhere, such is the sense of shame attached to it. Malone deals with it sensitively and his depiction of John Docherty, a man whose psyche is impaired because of the trauma he has suffered, is magnificently portrayed through his cognitive dissonance. Docherty doesn’t know it, but the mental stress and discomfort he experiences are the product of years of suppressing the truth. When confronted by new information that conflicts with his existing beliefs, things are bound to get worse before they get better.
Malone gives us the slow disintegration of Docherty as part of a picture that breaks the heart at the same time as it tests our prejudices.
In the Absence of Miracles is in a similar vein to Malone’s earlier work, A Suitable Lie, insofar as he shines a light on an oft ignored, undiscussed social issue and explores it with depth and sensitivity and a very real understanding of the emotional core at the centre of his character’s lives.
Verdict: In the Absence of Miracles is a brave and compelling work from a writer of depth and sensitivity. Beautifully written, substantial and heart-breaking, it is an astonishingly powerful novel for our time. Everyone should read it.
September 2, 2019
John Docherty is a school-teacher. He’s just been made head of his department, and he’s struggling to commit to his long-time (extremely patient) girlfriend Angela. But his mother’s recently suffered a massive stroke and is currently in a care facility and she’s going to have to remain there as she’s unable to continue living on her own. However, in order to fund this, the house she’s lived in for most of her married life will have to be sold. Clearing out the house and taking care of the sale will fall to John as his younger brother Chris is unreliable and prefers to absent himself from the family most of the time, preferring to gallivant around the world with a series of ‘sugar mommies’!
So, already finding himself under substantial stress, and relying heavily on alcohol to sustain his rising anxiety, John attempts to tackle the task at hand. While doing so, he discovers a blood-stained shoe and a photo depicting a teenager who looks very much like him, holding a toddler. Written on the back is ‘the boys’ – how his father always referred to him and Chris. But this is most definitely not the two of them. He figures out that he is the toddler … so who is the older boy?
As John goes in search of the answers to the many questions he has, his already tenuous grip on his life, starts to unravel. And as it becomes evidently clear that he had an older brother that he has absolutely no recollection of, John realises that it will be impossible for his future to be complete without him knowing the truth about his past.
Brilliantly written to keep readers turning those pages in eager anticipation for whatever is about to hit them next, Malone has created a shocking stunner of a book! Dealing with sensitive issues and repressed memory he reminds us of a time (not so long ago really) when things were perhaps tremendously different to the high-tech era that we live in today: the days of ‘The Shows’ (similar to the travelling circus), where people may have been less vigilant, less suspicious, and possibly a lot more naive and less inclined to question.
Malone also looks at the psychological aspect of differing perspectives, which I found riveting. John and Chris have completely different memories of their younger years. Whereas John – when he really thinks about it – is astounded to discover that he has barely any memory of his younger years, Chris does. And this is the very reason why he keeps his distance from home.
This is an outstanding 5-star read. The author has maintained a perfect balance between giving his readers a feeling of unease and empathy- surely not an easy thing to achieve!
So, already finding himself under substantial stress, and relying heavily on alcohol to sustain his rising anxiety, John attempts to tackle the task at hand. While doing so, he discovers a blood-stained shoe and a photo depicting a teenager who looks very much like him, holding a toddler. Written on the back is ‘the boys’ – how his father always referred to him and Chris. But this is most definitely not the two of them. He figures out that he is the toddler … so who is the older boy?
As John goes in search of the answers to the many questions he has, his already tenuous grip on his life, starts to unravel. And as it becomes evidently clear that he had an older brother that he has absolutely no recollection of, John realises that it will be impossible for his future to be complete without him knowing the truth about his past.
Brilliantly written to keep readers turning those pages in eager anticipation for whatever is about to hit them next, Malone has created a shocking stunner of a book! Dealing with sensitive issues and repressed memory he reminds us of a time (not so long ago really) when things were perhaps tremendously different to the high-tech era that we live in today: the days of ‘The Shows’ (similar to the travelling circus), where people may have been less vigilant, less suspicious, and possibly a lot more naive and less inclined to question.
Malone also looks at the psychological aspect of differing perspectives, which I found riveting. John and Chris have completely different memories of their younger years. Whereas John – when he really thinks about it – is astounded to discover that he has barely any memory of his younger years, Chris does. And this is the very reason why he keeps his distance from home.
This is an outstanding 5-star read. The author has maintained a perfect balance between giving his readers a feeling of unease and empathy- surely not an easy thing to achieve!
July 31, 2019
When I thought that Michael J Malone couldn't put anymore heart and soul into his work, he creates this astonishing creation that spun my head full 360 degrees. Within the first few chapters, I knew that i'd stepped off the cliff of sunshine and rainbows - I was now plummeting into a poetically articulated, disturbing depth that has made me see the world completely differently, more with a bout of sadness than rose tinted glasses. Absolute literary perfection that left me catatonic within a vortex of emotion! I can't recommend it highly enough, just buy the damn book!
As has become Michael's forte, In The Absence of Miracles is a fictional story that has been built upon the foundations of an unsettling social issue that continues to occur throughout society. Malone's attention to detail has created an intense disquieting narrative that had me edging towards the edge of my seat, holding my breath and completely captivated within the world of John Docherty and the wreckage that has become John's family after a life altering secret resurfaces after decades; he had a brother that disappeared. The storyline is mainly first person from John's point of view, with visits into the past that help us 'reading detectives' piece together the what, how and why of the historical disappearance and why no one speaks about it.
John as a character punched his way into my heart, I was fully committed to this highly evocative and insanely emotive novel, I felt the pain and loss that the story was drenched in - this book effected me to the point of tears. I was promised a book of A Suitable Lie quality, I loved that book but my god I love this one so much more. Michael J Malone was made for writing, he draws these overshadowed social issues into the light, it's both hard hitting and entirely necessary. We need more writers like this!
Again, I highly recommend this breathtakingly distorted domestic thriller that will leave you a completely speechless, blank staring, catatonic mess. The exploration into many powerful themes will stay with you way after you finish the final page - In The Absence of Miracles is one that you will not forget anytime soon. Utterly bereft!
As has become Michael's forte, In The Absence of Miracles is a fictional story that has been built upon the foundations of an unsettling social issue that continues to occur throughout society. Malone's attention to detail has created an intense disquieting narrative that had me edging towards the edge of my seat, holding my breath and completely captivated within the world of John Docherty and the wreckage that has become John's family after a life altering secret resurfaces after decades; he had a brother that disappeared. The storyline is mainly first person from John's point of view, with visits into the past that help us 'reading detectives' piece together the what, how and why of the historical disappearance and why no one speaks about it.
John as a character punched his way into my heart, I was fully committed to this highly evocative and insanely emotive novel, I felt the pain and loss that the story was drenched in - this book effected me to the point of tears. I was promised a book of A Suitable Lie quality, I loved that book but my god I love this one so much more. Michael J Malone was made for writing, he draws these overshadowed social issues into the light, it's both hard hitting and entirely necessary. We need more writers like this!
Again, I highly recommend this breathtakingly distorted domestic thriller that will leave you a completely speechless, blank staring, catatonic mess. The exploration into many powerful themes will stay with you way after you finish the final page - In The Absence of Miracles is one that you will not forget anytime soon. Utterly bereft!
September 19, 2019
Well, this is going to be one tough review to write. Author Michael Malone has had me on an emotional roller coaster for the past few days with this incredible book and I'm still thinking about it.
The book starts off with John's mother having had a stroke and living in a care center to receive help. When John realizes that he won't be able to support her and that she probably won't be coming home he decides to clean out the house to sell it. When he comes across a family photograph he hadn't seen before with a brother he never knew about, it starts off a series of events that will ultimately shock John (and you, the reader!).
Working with his other brother Chris they investigate who is in the photograph and what happened to him, and why his parents kept it a secret from them. The answer was nowhere near what I expected it to be! I was absolutely floored!
Heart-wrenching and brutal, this story will grab you by the heart. I felt so much for these boys and my heart broke for them. The author's writing was beautiful, even with the tough subject matter. I was a mess at the end and know I will be thinking of this book for a long time.
Thanks to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for the chance to read In The Absence of Miracles! I highly recommend it.
The book starts off with John's mother having had a stroke and living in a care center to receive help. When John realizes that he won't be able to support her and that she probably won't be coming home he decides to clean out the house to sell it. When he comes across a family photograph he hadn't seen before with a brother he never knew about, it starts off a series of events that will ultimately shock John (and you, the reader!).
Working with his other brother Chris they investigate who is in the photograph and what happened to him, and why his parents kept it a secret from them. The answer was nowhere near what I expected it to be! I was absolutely floored!
Heart-wrenching and brutal, this story will grab you by the heart. I felt so much for these boys and my heart broke for them. The author's writing was beautiful, even with the tough subject matter. I was a mess at the end and know I will be thinking of this book for a long time.
Thanks to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for the chance to read In The Absence of Miracles! I highly recommend it.
April 24, 2020
The title of this book makes it appear whimsical and escapist, but the reality is anything but. What begins as a relatively harmless mystery involving a quest for self-discovery and hidden memories, eventually becomes a raw and impactful story that does not hold back when exploring a highly sensitive subject matter in compelling detail.
While I did find the writing and several aspects of the mystery fairly hit and miss, there is no doubt that the author brilliantly captures the emotion and atmosphere within the book, with expert portrayals of damaged characters and buried secrets. It was therefore impossible not to feel a connection with the narrative, such was its candour.
John Docherty's mother has just suffered a stroke and is residing in a nursing home. While clearing the family home, he comes across a photograph which shows him as a very young child, next to a teenage boy who looks exactly like him. After conducting research in his local library, John discovers that the older boy is an older brother called Thomas, who his parents had never told him about.
Thomas went missing nearly thirty years ago and has not been seen since, so John and his younger brother Chris attempt to unravel the mystery of what happened and who was involved in his disappearance. But John realises that there are many other unanswered questions from his childhood; awful memories that have been cast away.
The opening to the book yields very few clues about what is to come and the direction the story is likely to take. The mystery itself is a little slow going to begin with as the author chooses to focus more on character development, but it certainly brings about plenty of intrigue as several suspects gradually come to light. However, some of the tactics John and Chris employed to get information were pretty far-fetched, and I was amazed at how many people fell for their elaborate cover stories.
Most of the narrative is in the first person, from John's point of view, although there are some moments early in the book that switch to the third person for no explicable reason, and I found that quite confusing. Every now and then it goes back to 1990 and when Thomas disappeared, which raised some interesting questions about how closely the past and present storylines intersected.
John is an emotionally complex and damaged character. As he develops over the course of the book you really get to understand him better and some of his actions begin to make more sense. The author does a brilliant job here, conveying his flaws and making him believable as the truth of his life is eventually brought to the surface.
The book highlights the many ways people attempt to cope after suffering from abuse, and that is particularly evident in terms of some of the supporting characters. I grew to quite like the dynamic between John and Chris, who was very proactive and forward-thinking, while Paul was a very supportive friend. My only problem was with Seth, who felt a tad cliched.
Towards the end, the book became extremely powerful, such were the revelations and the knowledge that John had to confront. It hits all the right notes, as all the thoughts he had to process and his conflicting emotions were made to feel very tangible. It definitely left its mark on me as the reader.
Elsewhere, the writing is a bit of mixed bag. There are times where it is really poetic and abstract, until it reverts to a more conventional way of storytelling. The book is set in Scotland, and that fact is never lost on the reader at any point. My biggest issue was with the dialogue, which at times felt very clunky and unnatural.
Overall, the strength of this book is how it deals with sensitive topics, with a believable main character and his very real struggles making it quite moving when the full story becomes clear. The mystery was not the most gripping I have ever read, but while some aspects were below-par, others were outstanding.
While I did find the writing and several aspects of the mystery fairly hit and miss, there is no doubt that the author brilliantly captures the emotion and atmosphere within the book, with expert portrayals of damaged characters and buried secrets. It was therefore impossible not to feel a connection with the narrative, such was its candour.
John Docherty's mother has just suffered a stroke and is residing in a nursing home. While clearing the family home, he comes across a photograph which shows him as a very young child, next to a teenage boy who looks exactly like him. After conducting research in his local library, John discovers that the older boy is an older brother called Thomas, who his parents had never told him about.
Thomas went missing nearly thirty years ago and has not been seen since, so John and his younger brother Chris attempt to unravel the mystery of what happened and who was involved in his disappearance. But John realises that there are many other unanswered questions from his childhood; awful memories that have been cast away.
The opening to the book yields very few clues about what is to come and the direction the story is likely to take. The mystery itself is a little slow going to begin with as the author chooses to focus more on character development, but it certainly brings about plenty of intrigue as several suspects gradually come to light. However, some of the tactics John and Chris employed to get information were pretty far-fetched, and I was amazed at how many people fell for their elaborate cover stories.
Most of the narrative is in the first person, from John's point of view, although there are some moments early in the book that switch to the third person for no explicable reason, and I found that quite confusing. Every now and then it goes back to 1990 and when Thomas disappeared, which raised some interesting questions about how closely the past and present storylines intersected.
John is an emotionally complex and damaged character. As he develops over the course of the book you really get to understand him better and some of his actions begin to make more sense. The author does a brilliant job here, conveying his flaws and making him believable as the truth of his life is eventually brought to the surface.
The book highlights the many ways people attempt to cope after suffering from abuse, and that is particularly evident in terms of some of the supporting characters. I grew to quite like the dynamic between John and Chris, who was very proactive and forward-thinking, while Paul was a very supportive friend. My only problem was with Seth, who felt a tad cliched.
Towards the end, the book became extremely powerful, such were the revelations and the knowledge that John had to confront. It hits all the right notes, as all the thoughts he had to process and his conflicting emotions were made to feel very tangible. It definitely left its mark on me as the reader.
Elsewhere, the writing is a bit of mixed bag. There are times where it is really poetic and abstract, until it reverts to a more conventional way of storytelling. The book is set in Scotland, and that fact is never lost on the reader at any point. My biggest issue was with the dialogue, which at times felt very clunky and unnatural.
Overall, the strength of this book is how it deals with sensitive topics, with a believable main character and his very real struggles making it quite moving when the full story becomes clear. The mystery was not the most gripping I have ever read, but while some aspects were below-par, others were outstanding.
October 1, 2019
Thriller set around GLASGOW .. a well rounded and gripping read
In this novel once again Michael J Malone demonstrates the profound ripple effect of secrets in the family, how they permeate the conscious make-up of family members at very deep levels and through into succeeding generations. He is adept at choosing a slant that is often just a little different and he is keen to show that victims come from all walks of life and from both sexes.
John Docherty’s mother has recently been admitted to a nursing home and it is time for him to sort through her house so that he can sell it to pay for her care. He starts the process but finds several indicators, including a shoe and a photo of “the boys”, which he at first assumes to be him and his younger brother, Chris. And yet, it seems, that he is the younger boy in the photo and surely the implication seems to be that he and Chris may have had an older brother, of whom he has zero knowledge. He alerts his younger brother about his suspicions and together they start to unravel this mystery.
Both John and Chris are individually fighting their demons – John struggles to commit to his girlfriend and uses alcohol to dampen down his chaotic thoughts, Chris has an ingrained pattern of running away when things start to get difficult. Their childhood was problematic in many ways and now, as the mystery threatens to blow all they know out of the water, they have find some redress and closure. They could, it seems, be opening up a whole quagmire of family dysfunction….
John takes the lead in looking deeper into his family’s history and as he assembles clues and attempts to fit the pieces of the jigsaw together, he is struck by how many people ‘recognise’ him. He is, it seems the spit of the brother, who, he discovers was called Thomas and went missing at age 14. Furthermore it becomes evident that several adolescent boys went missing around the same time, and each disappearance coincided with the arrival of The Shows – specifically the Marinellos Funfair. The police clearly were incompetent in their investigations.
As John uncovers more about his personal history, he has to contend with his own grief and deal with revelations that affect him to the core. His burgeoning headaches culminate in panic attacks as he doggedly ploughs on, trying to make sense of what he uncovers.
The author skilfully brings together several threads that make this a well rounded and gripping read. Peppy, short chapters keep the narrative bristling with anticipation. Glasgow, as a setting, is certainly recognisable. Recommended.
In this novel once again Michael J Malone demonstrates the profound ripple effect of secrets in the family, how they permeate the conscious make-up of family members at very deep levels and through into succeeding generations. He is adept at choosing a slant that is often just a little different and he is keen to show that victims come from all walks of life and from both sexes.
John Docherty’s mother has recently been admitted to a nursing home and it is time for him to sort through her house so that he can sell it to pay for her care. He starts the process but finds several indicators, including a shoe and a photo of “the boys”, which he at first assumes to be him and his younger brother, Chris. And yet, it seems, that he is the younger boy in the photo and surely the implication seems to be that he and Chris may have had an older brother, of whom he has zero knowledge. He alerts his younger brother about his suspicions and together they start to unravel this mystery.
Both John and Chris are individually fighting their demons – John struggles to commit to his girlfriend and uses alcohol to dampen down his chaotic thoughts, Chris has an ingrained pattern of running away when things start to get difficult. Their childhood was problematic in many ways and now, as the mystery threatens to blow all they know out of the water, they have find some redress and closure. They could, it seems, be opening up a whole quagmire of family dysfunction….
John takes the lead in looking deeper into his family’s history and as he assembles clues and attempts to fit the pieces of the jigsaw together, he is struck by how many people ‘recognise’ him. He is, it seems the spit of the brother, who, he discovers was called Thomas and went missing at age 14. Furthermore it becomes evident that several adolescent boys went missing around the same time, and each disappearance coincided with the arrival of The Shows – specifically the Marinellos Funfair. The police clearly were incompetent in their investigations.
As John uncovers more about his personal history, he has to contend with his own grief and deal with revelations that affect him to the core. His burgeoning headaches culminate in panic attacks as he doggedly ploughs on, trying to make sense of what he uncovers.
The author skilfully brings together several threads that make this a well rounded and gripping read. Peppy, short chapters keep the narrative bristling with anticipation. Glasgow, as a setting, is certainly recognisable. Recommended.
January 22, 2021
JESUS...that was dark! What a read. I raced through the last hundred pages, utterly gripped to the story by that stage and after reading this authors’ other domestic noir book, A Suitable Lie, I was not disappointed with the twisty/twisted ending.
This author is very hard hitting, makes taboo subjects readable and definitely makes you think. I thoroughly recommend this author after these two books that I have read, I certainly want to read more of his books. But be warned, his topics are harrowing, poignant but utterly compelling.
I gave A suitable Lie 5 stars, I read it in 24 hours and didn’t want to go to bed until I finished it. This one didn’t quite grip me at the start to want to do this. Trust me, this does grip you and makes you want to read on but for me, I just felt it didn’t have true direction until at least half way through the book. This is me being rather critical as i still read it in three sittings, it is very much worthy of 4 stars, the last 100 pages blows you out of the water!!
This author is very hard hitting, makes taboo subjects readable and definitely makes you think. I thoroughly recommend this author after these two books that I have read, I certainly want to read more of his books. But be warned, his topics are harrowing, poignant but utterly compelling.
I gave A suitable Lie 5 stars, I read it in 24 hours and didn’t want to go to bed until I finished it. This one didn’t quite grip me at the start to want to do this. Trust me, this does grip you and makes you want to read on but for me, I just felt it didn’t have true direction until at least half way through the book. This is me being rather critical as i still read it in three sittings, it is very much worthy of 4 stars, the last 100 pages blows you out of the water!!
July 3, 2024
I didn't enjoy this. I thought it was predictable, boring and too long for the content
September 29, 2019
It’s difficult to know where to start with reviewing this one. I suppose the first thing to say is that it is DARK. This book certainly won’t be for everyone. But it is marvellous in that it shines a light on a subject which is not often spoken about, so for that I applaud the author.
I will be totally honest: I got off to a rocky start with this one. It was very much a book of two halves for me. The book begins with very little introduction, throwing us into the lives of these characters with hardly any preamble. Some readers might like that but I couldn’t help feeling a little thrown. I also noticed quite a few errors (like names changing within the same scene and other mistakes that really should have been caught in editing). Of course, I was reading an ‘uncorrected proof copy’ so hopefully these things will not appear in the final copy. And I don’t mention them to criticise, only to point out why I had a tricky time getting into the book at first.
However. Even in spite of the rocky beginnings, I could NOT put this book down. I was so gripped. It was slow to develop but with each new revelation, I felt myself being pulled in deeper and deeper. And the payoff was well worth the wait. The second half of this book was in another league.
Now as I’ve mentioned, this book is DARK. And it is a double-edged darkness that you can’t escape no matter which way you turn. Things become extremely visceral. In truth, this book was not what I expected and it isn’t the kind of thing I would normally choose to read (books are my escape from life’s pain, I don’t like to bring myself more hurt if I can help it). But as I’ve already stated, I can definitely see the value in telling this story. I just hope that the final book features trigger warnings because I think people need to know what they are getting into.
Overall, I would be hesitant to recommend this one due to its challenging nature but I know that there are readers out there who will really connect with it!
I will be totally honest: I got off to a rocky start with this one. It was very much a book of two halves for me. The book begins with very little introduction, throwing us into the lives of these characters with hardly any preamble. Some readers might like that but I couldn’t help feeling a little thrown. I also noticed quite a few errors (like names changing within the same scene and other mistakes that really should have been caught in editing). Of course, I was reading an ‘uncorrected proof copy’ so hopefully these things will not appear in the final copy. And I don’t mention them to criticise, only to point out why I had a tricky time getting into the book at first.
However. Even in spite of the rocky beginnings, I could NOT put this book down. I was so gripped. It was slow to develop but with each new revelation, I felt myself being pulled in deeper and deeper. And the payoff was well worth the wait. The second half of this book was in another league.
Now as I’ve mentioned, this book is DARK. And it is a double-edged darkness that you can’t escape no matter which way you turn. Things become extremely visceral. In truth, this book was not what I expected and it isn’t the kind of thing I would normally choose to read (books are my escape from life’s pain, I don’t like to bring myself more hurt if I can help it). But as I’ve already stated, I can definitely see the value in telling this story. I just hope that the final book features trigger warnings because I think people need to know what they are getting into.
Overall, I would be hesitant to recommend this one due to its challenging nature but I know that there are readers out there who will really connect with it!
October 19, 2019
What a book! Impossible to categorise - both moving and exciting in equal measure I loved this book from start to finish. John is a teacher struggle with day to day life and faced with selling the family home to fund his mother’s care home following a stroke.
He makes a start in the attic where he finds a blood stained child’s shoe and the birth certificate of an older brother that he never knew existed and does not remember at all. This is the start of John’s journey to learn what happened to Thomas and why he doesn’t remember him at all ...
Michael J Malone writes sensitively and beautifully of John’s inner struggles with relationships - both with his girlfriend and his other brother Chris - and has created a character that it is impossible not to feel sympathy for. This aspect of the novel is exceptional and once you add in a mystery and a spectacular twist that I did not ever see coming you have the making of a memorable tale.
I loved John and thought this was a fantastic book - impossible to describe without spoilers but well worth reading - 5 stars from me - exciting, moving, clever, sensitive and quite exceptional.
He makes a start in the attic where he finds a blood stained child’s shoe and the birth certificate of an older brother that he never knew existed and does not remember at all. This is the start of John’s journey to learn what happened to Thomas and why he doesn’t remember him at all ...
Michael J Malone writes sensitively and beautifully of John’s inner struggles with relationships - both with his girlfriend and his other brother Chris - and has created a character that it is impossible not to feel sympathy for. This aspect of the novel is exceptional and once you add in a mystery and a spectacular twist that I did not ever see coming you have the making of a memorable tale.
I loved John and thought this was a fantastic book - impossible to describe without spoilers but well worth reading - 5 stars from me - exciting, moving, clever, sensitive and quite exceptional.
August 18, 2020
I'm sorry to give a book two stars, but the story is so dark and depressing, I got nothing positive from it. To me, the narrator rambles on in places, and I skimmed through some to reach the end.
I realize this abuse happens, only too much, but when I read a book, I like to gain something enlightning. I didn't connect or relate to any of the characters. So I guess the book wasn't for me, since it left me with a feeling of despair.
I realize this abuse happens, only too much, but when I read a book, I like to gain something enlightning. I didn't connect or relate to any of the characters. So I guess the book wasn't for me, since it left me with a feeling of despair.
January 13, 2020
A sophisticated and intriguing thriller with a dark and original twist. I read this in one sitting and was mesmerised by the emotions running through the book and the wonderful prose that flowed effortlessly. A full five stars from me.
July 3, 2020
Books like this should come with a better description...or warning. I don't want to talk about it.😐
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