Reviews
Advance Praise for Mona Simpson's CASEBOOK "Ensnaring, witty, and perceptive . . . This exceptionally incisive, fine-tuned and charming novel unfolds gracefully as [Simpson] brings fresh understanding and keen humor to the complexities intrinsic to each stage of life and love."--Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review) "This is a story about a son's love for his mother, and Simpson's portrayal of utter loyalty is infectious."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The setup is ingenious . . . A child of divorce turns private-eye in the latest well-observed study of domestic dysfunction from Simpson . . . a top-shelf novelist . . . The new book is framed as a detective story about discovering the deceptions that can swirl around relationships."-- Kirkus Reviews "In this sensitively rendered bildungsroman, Simpson recalls authentic, detailed memories of childhood . . . [A] clever, insightful, and at times hilarious story about family, friendship, and love in all its complex iterations."-- Library Journal, " Captivating . . . Simpson's aim is to lyrically capture the time between childhood and adulthood, as fleeting and delicate as the golden-hour light that filmmakers chase."--Lisa Zeidner, The Washington Post "Just as in Anywhere But Here, Simpson's central, complicated relationship of parent and child is both a motif and a window into bared hearts . . . She has a gift for re-creating the unique psychological landscape of the adolescent . . . Miles is an extraordinary character--exceptionally intuitive, observant, feeling."--Susannah Luthi, Los Angeles Review of Books "What's most remarkable is how Simpson effortlessly snares readers inside a full, intimate world. . . . And for a few delicious days allows readers to relish the innocence of childhood and the intense yearning to discover the secrets of life."--Christine Thomas, The Miami Herald "The heart of the book is simply the story of an emotional coming-of-age. Simpson's novel is at its strongest in the quiet, unadorned gray areas where Miles's childhood neuroses and tender loving impulses for his family mingle painfully with his desire to face up to the truth. . . . It's the poignancy of a child coming to terms with the irreversible losses and ill-judged compromises of adult life that gives emotional weight to the narrative."--Claire Fallon, The Huffington Post " Casebook is both a detective story and a coming-of-age novel--a hybrid of Harriet the Spy and Chandler's Phillip Marlow books."--Darcy Steinke, The Los Angeles Times "If Casebook were a box of cereal, there would be dozens of raisins in every spoonful. Yes, the novel itself has a satisfying arc, but I love it most for the small rewards and humorous touches that Simpson doles out on nearly every page."--Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Any person who grew up in a family being slowly torn apart by their parents' crumbling marriage will instantly relate to Miles Adler-Rich's attempt to understand why things are falling apart. Casebook will even find a way to sink its hooks into readers who haven't had to experience that."--Jason Diamond, Flavorwire Advance Praise for Mona Simpson's CASEBOOK "Ensnaring, witty, and perceptive . . . This exceptionally incisive, fine-tuned and charming novel unfolds gracefully as [Simpson] brings fresh understanding and keen humor to the complexities intrinsic to each stage of life and love."--Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review) "This is a story about a son's love for his mother, and Simpson's portrayal of utter loyalty is infectious."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The setup is ingenious . . . A child of divorce turns private-eye in the latest well-observed study of domestic dysfunction from Simpson . . . a top-shelf novelist . . . The new book is framed as a detective story about discovering the deceptions that can swirl around relationships."-- Kirkus Reviews "In this sensitively rendered bildungsroman, Simpson recalls authentic, detailed memories of childhood . . . [A] clever, insightful, and at times hilarious story about family, friendship, and love in all its complex iterations."-- Library Journal
