The Mourning Hours

By Paula Treick DeBoard

A family's loyalty is put to the ultimate test

Kirsten Hammarstrom hasn't been home to her tiny corner of rural Wisconsin in yearsnot since the mysterious disappearance of a local teenage girl rocked the town and shattered her family. Kirsten was just nine years old when Stacy Lemke went missing, and the last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Johnnythe high school wrestling star and Kirsten's older brother. No one knows what to believenot even those closest to Johnnybut the event unhinges the quiet farming community and pins Kirsten's family beneath the crushing weight of suspicion.

Now, years later, a new tragedy forces Kirsten and her siblings to return home, where they must confront the devastating event that shifted the trajectory of their lives. Tautly written and beautifully evocative, The Mourning Hours is a gripping portrayal of a family straining against extraordinary pressure, and a powerful tale of loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
• Release date: Jul 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781460315125

Paula Treick DeBoard

Paula Treick DeBoard is the author of The Mourning Hours, The Fragile World and The Drowning Girls. She divides her time between reading, writing, teaching composition at the University of California, Merced, and enjoying the antics of her husband Will and their four-legged brood. She is a resident of northern California.

Reviews for The Mourning Hours

[bnbookgirl · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I am giving this book 2 stars because I was born in WI and it was fun to recognize the places that the author mentioned. Besides that, the story falls flat. It seems rather formulaic and like so many other stories that I have read before. I didn't love any of the characters; Kirsten had the most going for her, but she was even somewhat blah.

[swordarkeereon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Picked this book up on a whim to support a small, local bookstore. It turned out to be surprisingly good. I don't write spoilers into my reviews or give a synopsis - read the book blurb for that. Instead I will say that the characters were compelling and easy to relate to, I cried, I stayed up late to finish it, and the ending was surprising (though a little rushed). Overall a rather enjoyable read. I will read more from this author in the future.

[beckylynn_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not your typical 'Whodunnit", Mourning Hours leaves the reader with questions unanswered throughout the entirety of the book, until the last 20 pages. Honestly, as a reader I think I might have liked it better if everything in this book went unsolved, because the mere convenience of everything was a little annoying. I consumed this book because I HAD to know what happened to Stacy, but in the end I couldn't help but think of about 27 different ways I would have done it differently. However, DeBoard has to be given credit on a job well done. Written through the eyes of a ten year old she does a great job of pulling a story together by snips of conversation, sideways glances between adults, and the innocence that a child brings to any difficult situation. Small town injustice plays a huge part in this story; a passel of drunken men coming to gather their pound of flesh, condemning graffiti on personal effects, and the judgmental comments of the local congregation are all true to life effects of unfortunate circumstances. Considering I didn't go out looking for this book, rather it was recommended through Amazon for me, it wasn't what I consider a waste of time.

[nightprose · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel drew me in immediately. I did not want to put it down. The setting is a rural farm community in Wisconsin, which I can relate to. The characters are believable, and people I could care about.Kirsten Hammarstrom and her siblings are drawn back to their family farm by a tragedy. Many years ago, tragedy tore the Hammarstrom family apart, dividing them as well as their community. Kirsten recalls the events that occurred when she was only nine years old.Kirsten looked up to her brother Johnny, a high school sports hero. She also idolized his popular, wealthy girlfriend. Both families had mixed feelings, as the couple became inseparable. Pampered Stacy was very controlling and demanding. She often interfered with Johnny's goals and responsibilities.Young Kirsten began to notice and hear things that no one else did. She observed odd conversations and interactions between the young couple. These things concerned and confused her, especially when Stacy suddenly goes missing. Johnny is the last one to have seen her. As the investigation ensues, the town becomes divided and the families literally become torn apart. The case goes unsolved.Now, years later the Hammarstrom family must come together and face each other through another tragedy. The events and betrayals that tore them all apart are dredged back up. Ultimately, by coming together their questions are finally answered.I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this novel. I hope for more like this from author Paula Treick DeBoard.

[lettypearl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this book from Bookreporter.com. It is a story about a Wisconsin farm family with a 17 year old son (Johnny), and two younger daughters (Emilie & Kirsten). The majority of the story is told from the perspective of 9 year old Kirsten. When Johnny's 16 year old girlfriend goes missing, the entire community turns against the family & the pressure causes the family to split - first Johnny, in an attempt to take the pressure off his family, then the mother & two daughters so the girls can go to school where no one knows them. When the father dies of a heart attack 16 years later, the family comes back together for the funeral, and the truth finally comes out. This was an engrossing book, a quick read, if a little sad, but the twist at the end makes it worth it.

[68papyrus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Mourning Hours is an absolutely amazing debut novel. It is the story of the Hammarstrom family, a mid Western family dealing with a crushing event. Johnny, their oldest child falls under a cloud of suspicion after his girlfriend goes missing. Prior, to this devastating event they had been a tight knit family but when Stacy Lemke goes missing it tears apart the very foundation of their lives. When another.tragedy years later brings the family.back together for the first time in years, it puts the family on the path of finally being able to heal. This book was beautifully written and makes you realize just how life can turn on a dime. Well written and moving, 4 stars!

[muddyboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a very fast paced book written in a manner that I was sure I was reading young adult fiction. However the plot was kind of dark with a little sex so that threw me off. I looked it up on different websites and it said nothing about being young adult. The plot centers around a missing 16 year old girl and her boyfriend who is the principle focus of the investigation. It is told from his younger sisters point of view and the action primarily takes place at their home. The majority of the book takes place when they are 12 to 20 years old but there is a flash ahead to the future in the final chapters. This is about a four hour read - nothing complex - but it is well conceived with a satisfying ending.

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When Kirsten was nine years old, her brother Johnny's sixteen year old girlfriend Stacy, disappears after a date with Johnny. This is a book, set in Wisconsin on a farm, with a close knit family full of love, everything wasn't perfect but they were together, until this tragedy. Johnny comes under suspicion, not only by the police, but the whole town judges him guilty. This is a very touching and heartbreaking novel, showing how judgmental people can be, how a tragedy like this effects a whole family, disintegrating the family unit and leaving them with few choices. A first novel, it was incredibly thought provoking, how does one ever overcome something like this? Narrated by Kirsten, everything is filtered through her lens as we watch a family fall apart. Years later they are reunited on the farm because of another tragedy. Here they must all take stock of their lives a figure out how to reconnect. Is Stacey ever found? Well you will just have to read the book to find that out. Arc from publisher and NetGalley.