Learning to Swim By Sara J Henry

Learning to Swim

By Sara J Henry

PBR Book Review:

This is an easy to read compelling mystery. It starts strong, ends strong and there's a lot to like about it. It's nicely plotted with well-drawn characters, it's suspenseful and has some surprising twists. The premise of the story is also unusual, Troy, a freelance writer rescues a boy who falls from a moving ferry only to discover no one misses him- which sets in motion her hunt for the truth. Aside from the mystery, there is also a well-developed story, a nice mix of family drama and romance. A strong debut. Recommend for fans of mysteries and fans of women's fiction who enjoy a good story.

Buy From Amazon.com

*Author Website: http://www.sarajhenry.com/

*Discussion Questions



1. The novel opens when Troy dives into Lake Champlain to save a child she had seen only for a split second. Have you ever been in a similar situation? How did you react?

2. Troy describes her attachment to the little boy she rescues as quick and atavistic, and wonders if this is what her sisters felt like when they had their children. Do you think a maternal bond is instinctive and instant? Do you think a similar bond could be formed by people who share a traumatic experience?

3. Hoping to protect Paul from being put into foster care, or possibly being returned to a bad home situation, Troy keeps him at her home until she can track down his father. Why do you think she does this? Was she right to keep the police out of it?

4. Troy thinks she will be able to tell immediately if Paul's father had anything to do with his kidnapping. Is it possible to be so sure about a person's motives based on a first impression or gut reaction? What did your instincts tell you about Philippe when he and Troy first met?

5. In Lake Placid, Troy doesn't really have to adhere to any schedules or be accountable to anyone, until Paul enters her life. Aside from her lifestyle, how else does Paul change Troy? Are these changes for the better?

6. No one in Philippe's household talks about Madeleine at all. What conclusions did that cause you to draw about her relationships with Paul and Philippe? Were you right?

7. When Claude learned that a body was found that matched Madeleine's dental records, he was devastated. Did this change how Troy saw him? Did it change how you saw him?

8. Vince, Marguerite, and Alyssa all gain Troy's trust quickly, while it takes her a while to warm up to Jameson. Was Troy's trust always well-placed? Which characters did you find easier to trust than others?

9. Claude and Madeleine grew up in foster care after tragedy struck their family. What role do you think this played in their actions as adults?

10. There are several men in the book that seem to care for Troy deeply, especially Thomas. Does Troy treat him well? What do you think her feelings are toward the other male characters, and how well does she handle them?

11. The dogs in the story are all named for fiercer animals. What significance does this have? Could the characters be looking for protectors? What else was important about the animals?

12. How does the title illustrate the themes in the book? Troy has to swim for her life several times, but do you see any other significance to the title? What else does she learn?

13. At several key moments in the book, Troy reminds herself that he best thing to do is usually the hardest thing. In the end, she makes a particularly difficult decision. Was this the right choice? What about her other decisions? When she responded with ease, did she usually make the right choice, or the wrong one?

14. What's next for Troy Chance? What issues or characters in Learning to Swim would you like to see explored further?

Book Summary

"If I'd blinked, I would have missed it. But I didn't, and I saw something fall from the rear deck of the opposite ferry: a small, wide-eyed human face, in one tiny frozen moment, as it plummeted toward the water."

When she witnesses a small child tumbling from a ferry into Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. Harrowing moments later, she bobs to the surface, pulling a terrified little boy with her. As the ferry disappears into the distance, she begins a bone-chilling swim nearly a mile to shore with a tiny passenger on her back.

Surprisingly, he speaks only French. He'll acknowledge that his name is Paul; otherwise, he's resolutely mute.

Troy assumes that Paul's frantic parents will be in touch with the police or the press. But what follows is a shocking and deafening silence. And Troy, a freelance writer, finds herself as fiercely determined to protect Paul as she is to find out what happened to him. What she uncovers will take her into a world of wealth and privilege and heedless self-indulgence-a world in which the murder of a child is not unthinkable. She'll need skill and courage to survive and protect her charge and herself.

Sara J. Henry's powerful and compelling Learning to Swim will move and disturb readers right up to its shattering conclusion.
 
PbrHome - totes, wine bags, pillows for the book lover
Go There Now
More Reading Suggestions
Popular Books
If you have a passion for reading and, like most, have no time to find the right book, browse the most popular books trending right now. They are all page-turners, and they all let you escape from reality.

Popular Book-  The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Song of Achilles
By Madeline Miller
A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, THE SONG OF ACHILLES is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer's enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously...More


Popular Book-The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In this entrancing novel "that speaks to the Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor in us all" (Kirkus Reviews), a legendary film actress reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the...More


Popular The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient
by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman's act of violence against her husband-and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive. Alicia Berenson's life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter...More


Popular Book- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Circe
By Madeline Miller
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child-not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for ...More


Popular Book- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
The Unhoneymooners
By Christina Lauren
AFor two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime-maybe even love-in this romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling authors of Roomies. Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky ...More


Visit Our Blog
Browse A Little
PBR book reviews and Reading guides for book clubs
Visit out Etsy Shop
10 Books I Can't Stop Recommending