TRAVELLER

Ron McLarty Sphere $39

The family didn't get much out of me last weekend as I was totally engrossed in McLarty's new novel . This follows his first novel, The Memory of Running, which created such a stir when it was published a couple of years back.

In this new book the narrator is a 50's something New York-based part-time actor, Jono Riley, who supplements his income as a bartender in Manhattan.

He often dreams of his years growing up in East Providence, Rhode island back in the 6o's when his life revolved aropund his three best friends, Marlboro cigarettes, scouit camp, ice hockey and beautiful young girls.

He has not been back in decades but when he receives an unexpected letter from childhood best friend Cubby to tell him that Cubby's sister Marie has died in his sleep he is shocked as Marie had been the subject of his long term pre-teen and teenage "crush" all those years ago

So he travels back to attend her funeral and to find out what had casued Marie's death. When he gets there he discovers that her death is related to a childhood incident that he recalls with absolute clarity.

And so the book proves to be a murder mystery.

I found it an affecting, page-turning read which I'm sure will find its way to the big screen.