Thursday, February 25, 2010


Blame by Michelle Huneven

Patsy MacLemoore awakens from yet another alcohol induced blackout in the county lockup. It's not the first time, but hopefully it's the last. She laughs it off and jokes with her jailers, as usual, but this time no one if laughing back. The previous night, while driving home from the local bar, she pulled into her driveway and struck and killed two Jehovah's Witnesses – a mother and daughter. We follow Patsy through her conviction, prison term, AA meetings and the slow return to her life. How do you live with all the guilt? Can you ever stop blaming yourself?

Michelle Huneven creates a realistic character in Patsy and her portrayals of life in prison and the return after her release to the normal every day are gripping. Her secondary characters are also very well crafted and you feel like you know these people by the book's end. A wonderful study of how one tragic event can shape, and change, a person for life.