A review by kleedc73
Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry

5.0

"If I'd blinked, I would have missed it." The opening sentence of the book in some ways summarizes one of the central themes of this book perfectly -- how, in the blink of an eye, your life can completely change. In this debut novel from Sara Henry, Troy Chance is a free spirit living unencumbered in Lake Placid, New York. On the ferry on her way to Burlington, VT she sees what looks like a child falling from the ferry crossing in the opposite direction. Acting on instinct, she dives into the water and rescues the child, a 6 year old named Paul. This kicks off a chain of bizarre events, when Troy realizes that Paul is a missing kidnapping victim from Montreal. Against her normal instincts to remain aloof and apart from emotional attachments, Troy becomes intensely involved in Paul's life in the aftermath of his reunion with his father, including actively investigating the kidnapping. Along the way, Troy is forced to acknowledge truths about her life, her emotional state and what she really needs in order to be happy and fulfilled.

Some books defy categorization. This is one of them. It is both women's fiction and mystery/thriller, both emotionally moving and suspenseful. The complexity underlying what could have been a pretty straightforward mystery novel makes this a truly unique reading experience. I read this book in a single day -- it has that intangible "something" that keeps you turning the pages even when your eyes are drooping and the hour grows late. I was happily surprised by how much I liked it.