At Close of Day

by Joseph Bentz

At Close of Day follows the intricate unraveling—and ultimate restoration—of a modern family after their aging father lets slip a secret he has held close for more than fifty years. Reeling from the implications of their father’s confession, Hugh Morris’s grown children face the trauma of rewriting their family’s history, and their future, now that the secret has come to light.

Genres: Fiction, Christian

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Joseph Bentz's books span a variety of genres, including a fantasy novel, three contemporary novels, four non-fiction books on Christian living, and one book/DVD package. Bentz is a frequent speaker at writers conferences, churches, and other venues. He is a professor of English at Azusa Pacific University. He earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in American literature from Purdue University and a B.A. in English from Olivet Nazarene University. He lives with his wife and two children in Southern California. More information on his writing and speaking is available at his website, www.josephbentz.com. His blog, Life of the Mind and Soul, also appears at that site.

Reviews

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this book gave some insight on the plight of the aged and their caregivers, but I found the book depressing.

[Luci · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting start for an ultimately preachy book. Not recommended.

[Ryan Waduge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit disjointed and rambling at times but ultimately
I loved the characters and how the central
Story of regret and renewed hope played out for the family.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't read any books by Joseph Bentz yet, but this storyline was complex enough (kept me guessing in some places) to keep me wanting to read. I enjoyed getting to read the story told from several different characters' points of view. The basic plot is a family with three grown daughters (with their own families) who learn as their father is dying that he had a previous marriage and children before his marriage to their mother, and then goes through the two families trying to meet and heal. At 28 I don't often think about my own mortality or what things I would want closure with, but this book made me think.

[Keshia Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this book for English 102 and I was not terribly impressed with it. Neither was the teacher, actually. He apologized and said, "I'll never again assign a book to be read for a class before I've read it. Even if the author is an old friend."
I wish I could be more specific in this review, but it was a couple of years ago and all I can remember is that no one really enjoyed the novel. At all.

[Brenda Hawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this for $1 at a book sale... and thought it was something else. But it actually was pretty interesting: a family's problems told by each of the members in first person separated by chapters. I actually saw myself and my siblings but especially my elderly parents in a lot of the dialogue and laughed at ourselves a lot while reading. If you have elderly parents, it is worth the time to read this book.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that Bentz did a good job of taking the reader through the consequences of secrets in a family, and I enjoyed his rotating use of points of view. This is a book that readers with a little life under their belts would appreciate, and I enjoyed the plot and writing.

[NancyInWI · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long-married man with children divulges that he has two families...neither of which knew about the other. The finally meet and this meeting changes all of their lives. I really enjoyed this one!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wondered at the end of the book what might have happened if the family had not kept so many secrets. Not my favorite book ever, but sure reminded me of some families I know.

[Barbara Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book to make you stop and think of what us important .

[Evelyn Bickley]

Excellent! Really speaks to the issues adult children and their aging parents confront! I could identify with so many conversations and thoughts in this book.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

anticlimactic, good story line not well developed. Grown family dealing with revelation of a secret kept by their elderly father.