The Double Bind – Chris Bohjalian

When college sophomore Laurel Estabrook is attacked while riding her bicycle through Vermont’s back roads, her life is forever changed. Formerly outgoing, Laurel withdraws into her photography and begins to work at a homeless shelter. There she meets Bobbie Crocker, a man with a history of mental illness and a box of photographs that he won’t let anyone see. When Bobbie dies suddenly, Laurel discovers that he was telling the truth: before he was homeless, Bobbie Crocker was a successful photographer who had indeed worked with such legends as Chuck Berry, Robert Frost, and Eartha Kitt.

As Laurel’s fascination with Bobbie’s former life begins to merge into obsession, she becomes convinced that some of his photographs reveal a deeply hidden, dark family secret. Her search for the truth will lead her further from her old life — and into a cat-and-mouse game with pursuers who claim they want to save her.

*SPOLIERISH COMMENTS BELOW  – BEWARE*

First of all, let me just say, that this is one of my favorite book covers of all time.   The book itself, not so much.  It was good. I liked it BUT, it had one of those fandango jabberwocky type endings that make you feel like you need to re-read the whole damn book.  It also got me all prepped for a romance that never happened.  I hate that.  I think what I really wanted was a good old fashioned psychological mystery, and some would say thats exactly what I got, but I feel slighty robbed.

That being said.  I thought it was a good book and would recommend it.

OH, and I’m taking everyone’s advice to read Jane Eyre before reading The Eyre Affair.  I started reading Jane Eyre on Saturday.  So far so good.