Review -- The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard

The Scent of Rain and Lightning

by Nancy Pickard

Random House, 2010

352 pages

*I purchased this book from my local bookstore.

Summary: Jody Linder's life is turned upside down when her uncles deliver shocking news. The man who killed Jody's father (and possibly her mother) is getting out of jail and coming back to live in their hometown. As Jody grapples to understand what happened over 26 years ago, she finds that not everything she grew to believe is true.

Review: Nancy Pickard is the author of one of my all time favorite books, The Virgin of Small Plains. So I had high expectations for this novel. The story takes place in two alternating time lines. In the present time, Jody finds out her father's murderer has been released from prison. In the past storyline, the reader sees the events leading up to the murder and disappearance of Jody's parents. I enjoyed the past storyline so much better because I felt like a detective looking at all the clues to determine who really committed the crime. The present day story line was not as fulfilling for me. I found Jody to be very immature and difficult. I also felt that the romance aspect of this portion to be very sparse. I just feel that two people who fall in love should have at least more than three conversations. But the plot was fantastic! I may have not liked many of the characters but the mystery more than made up for it. I didn't realize what had really happened until very late into the book. Rating: *** out of 5