I’m thrilled to be part of the blog tour for the new novel written by Deborah Brasket whose blog Writing on the Edge of the Wild I’ve been reading almost as long as I have been blogging. I’ve reviewed this very special book, and I’d love for you to read the review, hoping that will motivate you to pick it up for yourself.
EBOOK GIVEAWAY The top 3 people who leave the most likes and comments on the participating blogs will be emailed a free eBook of When Things Go Missing (epub or mobi) PLUS two extra chapters (pdf or doc file)
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REVIEW
As I began reading Deborah Brasket’s debut novel, When Things Go Missing, I was expecting a smart and well-written story since I had been reading Brasket’s thoughtful blog for at least ten years. What I didn’t expect was such gorgeous writing, significant and densely woven themes and images, or how strongly the book would make me feel.
This novel is the story of a traditionally structured family of four and how the pieces that are the individuals fit together—smoothly, imperfectly, and jaggedly. The mother leaves one day without saying goodbye or providing a destination. At that point, daughter, son, and husband all respond differently, depending on their relationship with Mom/Frannie. As might be expected, they feel as if the center of the family is gone, leaving them with only tenuous connections to each other.
When Franny leaves town, her son, Cal, is a heroin addict who relies on the help of a rotating roster of enablers—including his mother—to give him money or a place to stay. The younger child, Kay, is a graduate student in archaeology, focused on finding a place for herself in her field. They both rely on their mother emotionally, but with the maternal tenderness spigot suddenly all but closed tight, they struggle to discover who they are and how they can succeed in life whether their mother is a part of their day-to-day lives or not.
The character portraits are carefully drawn. Brasket captures not only Cal’s addictive personality, but his sister’s love wrapped in resentment for the way he siphons attention for negative reasons. Even if the characters and their fascinating evolution throughout the book were all When Things Go Missing has to offer, it would be enough. I couldn’t look away for an instant. Every moment was a surprise and yet each new action made absolute sense for these people and their troubles and their conflicted emotions for each other.
Anyone who has an addict in their lives will be able to relate to this book at a profound level. Anyone who is part of a dysfunctional family group will be compelled to learn from the psychology at work here. And, finally, any parent who ever wanted to just get away from everyone and everything to search for peace and to find themselves, will feel a connection with the character who is missing throughout the novel—Franny herself. Where Franny finds herself will surprise and please you. The character her husband and children find within themselves will gratify you. I promise.
When Things Go Missing made me cry. I could not stop thinking about it when I finished reading. Frankly, I was stunned by the beauty and the brilliance.
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Following you will find the book information, description, and author bio–as well as the blog tour schedule.
PUBLISHER: Sea Stone Press
PUB DATE: September 22, 2025
PAGE COUNT: 352
FORMAT: E-book $8.99, paperback $14,95, hardback $21.95
AVAILABLE NOW at Amazon, Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and all major retailers.
ABOUT WHEN THINGS GO MISSING
When Fran Albright turns fifty, she heads to the grocery store and keeps going until she reached the tip of South America, leaving behind an empty hole in the lives of her bewildered family. Her daughter Kay scrambles to finish her master’s degree while trying to glue the family back together. Her son Cal is torn between grief and rage as he fights his own addictions and demons without her there to help. And Walter tracks his wife’s journey southward with her credit card purchases, continuing to care for her as he always has, before heading north to Alaska. Adding to the mystery of the mother’s disappearance are the elated messages she leaves on Kay’s phone and the strange photos she sends Cal, who studies them like hieroglyphs he must decipher to save her and save himself.
When Things Go Missing is a masterful exploration of loss, loyalty, and self-renewal. Told through the viewpoints of Kay, Cal, and Walter, this emotionally rich, mystery-driven family drama is wrapped up in a propulsive page-turner you cannot help getting swept up in.
GENRES: Book Club Fiction, Literary Fiction, Family Saga, Women’s Fiction, Sibling
Fiction, Addiction Fiction, Introspective Family Drama, Healing and Self-Renewal
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
After sailing around the world with her husband and children, teaching literature to college students, and fighting for affordable housing as the leader of a nonprofit, Deborah J Brasket finally settled down among the golden hills and vineyards of California’s central coast to write the kinds of novels she loves to read.
http://www.deborahjbrasket.com
seastonepress@gmail.com
WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Author website and blog, Deborah J. Brasket, Author ~ Writing on the Edge of the Wild –
Novels
Substack Newsletter, https://deborahbrasket.substack.com/
Facebook, Deborah J. Brasket, Writer – https://www.facebook.com/DeborahJBrasket/
Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55448191.Deborah_J_Brasket
Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/dbrasket/
LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-brasket-39384370/
BOOK BLOG PARTICIPANTS
- Sep. 15 – Sally Cronin, Smorgasbord Blog Magazine, https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/SPOTLIGHT
- Sep.16 – Valorie Hallinan, Books Can Save a Life https://bookscansavealife.com/ INTERVIEW / GUEST POST
- Sep. 18 – Laura Bruno Lilly, classical guitarist/composer/poethttps://laurabrunolilly.com/ – REVIEW & GIVEAWAY
- Sept. 20 – Margaret Moon, Book Chat, a Newsletter for Eaters & Readers https://marg.substack.com/INTERVIEW
- Sept. 21 – Luanne Castle, Poet/Author https://writersite.org/REVIEW
- Sep. 23 – Dr. Vicki Atkinson, Therapist/Author https://victoriaponders.com/ – REVIEW
- Sep. 24 – Jacqui Murray, Author https://worddreams.wordpress.com/REVIEW
- Sep. 25 – Liz Gauffreau, Poet/Author https://substack.com/@lizgauffreau/postsSPOTLIGHT
- Sep. 26 – Wynn Leon, The Heart of the Matter Podcast, https://sharingtheheartofthematter.com/PODCAST INTERIVEW
- Sep. 27 – Liz Dexter, Editor/Book Reviewer https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/REVIEW
