Bookish Thoughts: The Expats by Chris Pavone

The Expats by Chris Pavone

Broadway, 2013

Crime Fiction; 352 pgs

When Kate's husband first tells her he has taken a job in Luxembourg, her mind reels with what the move will involve.  It means leaving behind her own job, one that has defined her for many years.  She convinces herself it is for the best--she'd been feeling the strain between working outside the home in such a demanding job and her family since the day her first child was born.  This could be the opportunity she's been waiting for to break from her old life.

As she attempts to settle into her new life as a stay at home mom, socializing with the other expats in Luxembourg, she seems to be going through the motions, just playing a part.  Her husband had promised to be home more and have fewer late nights working, only that isn't proving to be the case.  And then there is the new American couple in town who seems a bit off.  Both set off bells for Kate, and she begins to look into the possible secrets everyone, including her husband, around her is hiding.  Kate can't help but wonder though if it is all in her head, remnants of her old life, of always being suspicious and never taking anything at face value.

Kate herself has her own secrets, including that she once worked for the CIA.  She struggles internally with whether to tell her husband, unsure how he will react.  The lies came so easily for so long; she wonders if the truth will do more damage than good.  The author captures very well the strain secrets can have on on a marital relationship, and I found myself wondering what would happen to Kate and her husband throughout.  Chris Pavone poses some difficult ethical questions in terms of honesty and protecting the ones we love.  He does an excellent job of demonstrating how no decision is exactly black and white.

Kate is an interesting character.  I never felt like she completely let me in, even as a reader, and yet I feel as if I understand her.  I got the impression she was often just going through the motions, not really happy with her life.  I think it was the burden of the secrets she carries as well as the constant lies. Much of the novel is focused on Kate's internal struggles, which I really appreciated as it added depth to the story.

I have made this book sound more like a book about relationships than the thriller it is, but The Expats has plenty of thrill.  The story is told in the first person narrative, with the past and present running parallel.  It makes for an especially intriguing story with just enough foreshadowing to build suspense but not enough to spoil.  I was quite taken with Chris Pavone's ability to surprise me with the many twists in the novel.  There was rarely a dull moment. And I loved the author's way with words, at once beautiful and thoughtful.  The Expats is both an intense and thought provoking book.

Rating:  (Very Good)

To learn more about Chris Pavone and his book, please visit the author's website.

I hope you will check out what others had to say about The Expats on the TLC Book Tours route!

Many thanks to the TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour. Copy of The Expats provided by publisher.

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