Set in Sunnylake, Santa Monica in the summer of 1959 , The Long Long Afternoon by Inga Vespar follows the case of the disappearance of Joyce. Joyce is a married mother of two who seemingly lived a happy life. The book follows the investigation into her disappearance and the aftermath. It explores the problem of race through the character of Ruth and her partner Joseph. Ruth is the help of a number of households in Sunnylake including the Haney household. She is the first to discover Joyce missing and Vespar very subtly brings the problem of race into the tale. Ruth is arrested at the scene despite it being clear she is only a witness. This whole theme is cleverly interwoven into the story throughout.
The imagery throughout the book is great and you feel so immersed in time and place. I was kept guessing throughout and the contrastingly written paragraphs some of which are from Joyce's perspective all just add to the air of mystery. A great read
The imagery throughout the book is great and you feel so immersed in time and place. I was kept guessing throughout and the contrastingly written paragraphs some of which are from Joyce's perspective all just add to the air of mystery. A great read