Diane P. (KentuckyReader) - reviewed Shoot the Moon on 5/9/2009 + 37 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

In 1972, small town DeClare, Oklahoma, was shocked by the murder of a young mother, Gaylene Harjo, and the disappearance of her ten month old baby, Nicky Jack. A suspect was arrested on two counts of murder, but he died in jail under mysterious circumstance and was never brought to trial.

Nearly thirty years later Mark Albright has just discovered he's adopted and his real name is Nicky Jack Harjo. He returns to DeClare to find his birth mother, looking for answers to why he was adopted. What he finds instead is that his mother was murdered on the day he disappears and suddenly he is digging up skeletons that some would prefer stay buried.

Shoot the Moon is a mystery that wraps around the town, revealing characters that will delight you with personalities that are diverse, giving us a look into life in a small town and a culture and way of life so different from ours. O Boy, the sheriff, is a bully keeping secrets Mark needs to discover. Teeve and Ivy, who are related to Mark, are his strongest allies, along with the old domino boys with their unique philosophy on shooting the moon.

The dialogue is excellent and the story is cleverly written around the diary excerpts of a young Gaylene, murdered many years ago. Nicky Jack stirs up many memories long buried and secrets are revealed that shock the town and threatens his life. What Nicky Jack finally discovers about the night he vanished is astounding and troublesome.

Although I found the end both sad and joyful the book has everything needed to hold a readers attention. Billie Letts is an author worth reading

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