In M. K. Tod's third novel, TIME AND REGRET (Lake Union), a ticking-clock mystery provides the link between two narratives set in different eras. In March 1991, Grace Hansen, a just-divorced single mom trying to determine a new course for her life, finds a tackle box in her attic. The box contains mementos gathered by her beloved grandfather, Martin Devlin, over the course of his deployment in France during the First World War. Included among the bullet casings, brass buttons, and photographs are Martin's wartime diaries, accompanied by a curious note: "To my dearest Grace, read carefully. I never should have taken them. Love always, Grandpa." Reading the diaries, however, fails to identify the object of her grandfather's regrets. Intrigued by the puzzle she knows her grandfather is depending on her to solve, Grace decides to retrace his steps in France, certain that visiting the battlefields and cities where Martin was stationed will provide the clues she needs.
Martin's past sets the itinerary for Grace's journey. Tod weaves entries from Martin's diaries into Grace's first person account of her travels in northwestern France. In addition, the author introduces chapters narrated from Martin's unique perspective. This powerful combination of dramatic action and Martin's own musings eloquently depicts the effects of the horrors of war on a conscientious, honorable man. The reader watches Martin spiral into deep depression and unchecked rage as he witnesses the deaths of the men he commands and the friends he loves. Tod channels her extensive research on life in the trenches and the larger objectives of the war into a realistic yet touching portrait of a single psyche struggling to remain true to honor and duty in the face of senseless brutality. By asking Grace to rectify the crime he committed at his lowest point, Martin seeks forgiveness for his failing and offers her the key she needs to understand the family's thorny dynamics.
As she struggles to decipher her grandfather's secret and later, to make amends for his actions, Grace's life becomes increasingly complicated. Martin's secret has far-reaching effects. It becomes a point of contention between Grace and her imperious grandmother, who profited from her husband's actions. It threatens to destroy Grace's burgeoning relationship with charming museum director Pierre Auffret. It places Grace's very life in danger, as third parties trail and threaten her in order to recover the diaries and abscond with prize. The difficulties and dangers Grace faces help her to sort out her future and regain her self-possession after the heartache and uncertainties of her divorce. As Martin spirals downwards, Grace engages in an upward climb, garnering the courage to make difficult choices and acknowledge the validity of her dreams and desires. Her ultimate success in undoing Martin's wrong proves doubly powerful--not only does Grace redeem her beloved grandfather and correct a longstanding injustice, but she saves herself and opens a future she'd never imagined possible.
TIME AND REGRET successfully melds elements of women's fiction, historical fiction, and traditional mystery into an entertaining and satisfying read. A competent historian and skillful storyteller, M. K. Tod should certainly harbor no regrets in sharing this highly engaging tale with a broad audience.
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To read other reviews and an excerpt of TIME AND REGRET and an interview with M. K. Tod, please follow this link to the France Book Tours blog tour home page.
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To enter the drawing to win one of five print copies of TIME AND REGRET, please follow this link below. Contest open internationally.
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M. K. Tod began writing in 2005 while living as an expat in Hong Kong. What started as an interest in her grandparents' lives turned into a full-time occupation writing historical fiction. In addition to writing historical novels, she blogs about reading and writing at www.awriterofhistory.com, reviews books for the Historical Novel Society and the Washington Independent Review of Books, as has conducted three highly respected reader surveys. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and is the mother of two adult children.
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