Beautiful cover, beautiful writer, Sibella Giorello offers another complex story to the collection of Raleigh Harmon novels.
From the moment The Wind Will Howl began, I got that sinking, melancholy feeling that this Raleigh Harmon story was going to be painful in more ways than one. And it truly was. No one experiences soul-deep sadness, alerted tenuous multi-faceted fear and anxiety even while maintaining uncanny inner strength, than Raleigh.
In this story Raleigh is in turmoil. So in love with Jack (her FBI fiancé), but the trepidation of her mother being released from the mental hospital she's occupied has interfered with any excitement or expectations for her so far date-less wedding. Fearing what lies ahead with her mother, who often doesn't recognize Raleigh as her daughter, she still decides it's her responsibility to make sure she's well cared for - and that means bringing her to her aunt's house which she's sharing with the elderly and wealthy Eleanor while her aunt (Charlotte) is on one of her crazy new-age retreats.
Raleigh gets tangled up in a corpse underwater. Turns out the young dead man is from the Makah Tribe located at the northwest tip of Washington state. So how did he get dead in a Makah death ritual in Seattle? Raleigh's encounter spurs her on to investigate, but the female Seattle Police Detective wants none of Raleigh's help even though it could help her with the case and intends to cause Raleigh unearned grief. Meanwhile, Raleigh's aunt sends her a client for her private investigation. Jack flies Raleigh to visit the Makah reservation and drops her off. Trouble shrouds her investigation and distances her from Jack.
Jack is in love, and he's all man. When Raleigh becomes non-committal concerning their wedding date, he steps back. Heartache, fear, and convincing herself she doesn't care that Jack's been silent fill her waking moments while she isn't totally absorbed in the two investigations. When terrifying trouble finds her, she calls Jack - her hero. Tragedy nearly strikes to rip them apart.
The Wind Will Howl captures the essence of Raleigh's life to date. It's filled with her familial uncertainty, the hurtful condition of her mother, the emotional fear created by that burden, her genuine love for Jack combined with her panic about the disarray in her life.
Sibella Giorello writes stunning prose, complex plots, insightful dialogue both spoken and internal with incredible humor speckled with superior malaprops, and fascinating peripheral characters. Sorrow oozes through Raleigh, faith rises up when she needs it most, and she's definitely happiest when she's spending time with Jack - but it scares her because nothing truly good seems to last in her life. The Wind Will Howl brings every kind of emotional challenge for Raleigh and threatens her life more than once. The final scenes are both shocking and near perfect.
Sibella's Raleigh Harmon Series, from the prequels to this one, presents incredible stories with the best female character in fiction today boosted by superior writing. Recommendation for this series is off the charts. I don't rave about authors, but there is simply no denying this talented author her due.
Father, you know Sibella's heart and soul, her needs and trials, her hopes and desires. Please bless her deep, Lord, inside and out. Cover her and keep her safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.