This story kept me turning the pages, and it touched my heart. 'Set against the backdrop of a brutal Minnesota winter, The Life We Bury is much more than a satisfying, suspenseful novel. This debut novel never lets the reader off the edge of the seat-the mark of a great story.' 'An intelligent and compelling story with characters that will capture you from the start. 'Thriller fans should keep their eyes on Eskens he's a comer.' - BOOKLIST Suspense Magazine BEST BOOKS OF 2014/DEBUT AUTHOR ITW Thriller Awards Finalist, BEST FIRST NOVEL Minnesota Book Award Finalist, BEST GENRE NOVEL WINNER! Silver Falchion Award, BEST FIRST NOVEL: traditionalĢ015 Edgar(R) Award Finalist, BEST FIRST NOVEL WINNER! Barry Award, BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL WINNER! Left Coast Crime Rosebud Award, BEST DEBUT MYSTERY

Will Joe discover the truth before it's too late to escape the fallout? But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl's conviction. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran-and a convicted murderer. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person.

Description A USA Today bestseller and book club favorite!Ĭollege student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class.

The life we bury author