Missing Isaac

Author: Valerie Fraser Luesse
Genre: Historical Fiction/Coming of Age

Isaac believed in luck. But from Pete's point of view, Isaac's luck had all run out.

When Pete McLean loses his father in the summer of 1962, his friend Isaac is one of the few people he can lean on. Though their worlds are as different as black and white, friendship knows no color. So when Isaac suddenly goes missing, Pete is 

determined to find out what happened--no matter what it costs him. His quest will lead him into parts of town that he knows only through rumors and introduce him to a girl who will change his life. What they discover together will change the small Southern town of Glory, Alabama--forever.

With vivid descriptions, palpable atmosphere, and unforgettable characters, debut novelist Valerie Fraser Luesse breathes life into the rural South of the 1960s--a place where ordinary people struggle to find their footing in a social landscape that is shifting beneath their feet.

Reviewer: Crystal P.
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Honestly the book wasn’t what I expected, but I loved it!

A little after the beginning, with Pete being a teenager, I kept thinking he was still ten. The way he said things made him seem younger. But as he got older, I really enjoyed getting to know him and I carried the pain he went through. The ending really did give us closure and that can be difficult to pull off.

Dovey was just the sweetest girl ever! From the moment she met Pete, I had a feeling that something would come of them being friends. I could really connect with her, and that really made me love her more.

The story was very interesting, a little boring at times, but I pretty much couldn’t put the book down. There was some romance, but not anything horrible. The only descriptions that really were relating to romance would be not detailed kisses throughout the book and some attraction between characters.

Overall, the characters were simply divine, and the story just reminded me of something Janette Oke would write, in a good way. This story had a mix of mystery (but not really one you could figure out per se), a little romance, and a historical feel to it. There was a lot of heartache and pain in this book, but it also was so sweet and refreshing to read something so realistic. I can really see this book being a kind of a “Janette Oke” classic, if you get what I mean. I’m looking forward to more books by Valerie. I totally recommend Missing Issac!

​The only content warnings I can think of would be the romance, the mysterious disappearance of Issac (which goes on to be a bit heavy on what happened to him), and some scary scenes.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Sabrina Wade

Grief is no respecter of person. Has a way of being more a pest then a warm reminder when closure has not been met. Pete had to learn this the hard way.

​We can be so cruel to one another based on our individually held beliefs.In the grand scheme of things beliefs are not 101% truth, however they give us power to act when we hold tight to them. The sad belief of another human beings complexion created differently,a dark chocolate versus a white chocolate perse is enough to stir up hate and evil. Isaac and the community he loved and work in faced this evil head on. Evil and hate can only be conquered one act of kindness at a time. 

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Olivia R.

With a style of writing that brings to life a Southern town of glory, this author achieved many emotions in one book. Most of all was the laughter I experienced while watching Pete and Dovey grow close to one another, and Lila and John explore their different relationship. Then there was Geneva who literally had me choking back bursts of laughter. Talk about a woman who knows how to get her own way!! The beginning of the book pulled me in, especially the interaction with Pete and Isaac. There was some great dialogue between them on their fishing trip.

In some ways this book deserves a higher rating because the setting was well written, and I could picture everything so well. But sadly, I found the storyline somewhat disjointed. Time passed, but the way it was written, it was like you saw all that time passing when you really didn't. There also were quite a number of characters and it took me until the end to really distinguish between some of them. This may be my fault entirely because most of the characters were extremely unique.

The part with Isaac missing was different than I imagined. That initially wasn't a problem. It was more how the title gave the impression that him missing changed the story completely, when for a good chunk of the middle there was only a few passing conversations about his disappearance, and Pete missing him. Something didn't quite seemed tied together, although the ending of the book achieved more of what the title shows.

This is the sort of book that I believe many will enjoy despite my rating. It deals with segregation, Christianity, and emotions. There weren't deep Bible conversations, but a soft underlay of many of the characters attending church and serving in their church.

I can say that I definitely will look more by this author in the future, because she is an extremely talented writer.   
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Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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