Book Review: Nowhere by Allison Gunn

When we first meet the Kennans, they are a family already in crisis. Dad Finn was behind the wheel for the car accident that cost them their son. Mom Rachel has thrown herself into her work as the police chief of the tiny Virginia town they moved to, barely speaks to Finn, and is harboring more than a few secrets. Remaining daughters, teenager Charlie and 6-year-old Lucy, are aware their parents’ marriage is in trouble (they aren’t exactly hiding it) and it’s taking a toll on their relationships with them.

So, Rachel already has a lot on her mind when she and Deputy Jeremy Whitman, her only remotely competent officer, are called out to the scene of a grisly crime. Initially, they want to chalk it up to a run-in with their local family of drug runners, but something doesn’t ring true about that story, so Rachel brings it to her superiors, only to be met with disinterest. Fortunately, she is able to call in a favor with an ex and get her evidence fast tracked for examination.

Meanwhile, the local children have begun hearing voices emanating from the woods that surround the town, beckoning them to come into the trees. When they do, they come back changed and urge other kids to join them. When the adults begin hearing the voices as well and feel compelled to behave violently, the community begin to spiral out of control, and the Kennans find themselves right at the center of it all.

There are several times that Rachel and Finn might have been able to spare themselves and their remaining children from the turmoil that lies in wait for them all, but both are so steadfastly obsessed with their own drama that they can’t see the warnings blaring in their faces. Rachel especially is unwilling to consider that anyone other than herself could possibly be correct about anything, which makes her an incredibly unlikable character, even if the root causes of her behavior are understandable.

Gunn’s lucid and evocative prose renders scenes well, creating a genuinely creepy atmosphere and effectively ratcheting up the suspense as the story progresses. Rooted in Appalachian folklore, Nowhere is one of the eeriest reads of the year so far. It is only improved by its searing examination of the ways that we can harm ourselves and those closest to us when we close off our hearts and withhold our forgiveness. Grace and open-mindedness are virtues, and we can exact a terrible toll when we allow ourselves to forget that. ★★★★