by Chantal W.
The novel opens with an unusual discovery–a boy field has been wounded and left for dead in a field. Three teenagers comes across his body by accident when they are out walking.
The discovery has a ripple effect in the local community, altering everyone’s life that intersects with his. The teenagers who discover him are warned by police not to speak of the case. Though the boy lives, no one knows the details of the incident–who the perpetrator is or why the attack happened.
The incident has repercussions for all of the teenagers who discover the boy’s nearly lifeless body. For thirteen-year-old Duncan, who is adopted, it stirs a longing to find his birth mother.
Zoe discards casual boyfriends as she looks for something she believes more meaningful–a relationship with an older American university student.
Matthew breaks up with his girlfriend and goes on a misguided quest to find the perpetrator.
Hal, the head of the Lang family, has several explosive secrets. He has been having an affair with a woman who may carry his child.
Karel is a complex character whose fate directly affects not only the Langs but all the residents of the quiet town. Against all the odds, Matthew and the other Lang children discover what happened when Karel hitched a ride after work.
Karel, they learn, worked at a home for the aged and was good at listening to other people’s stories. For this reason he is targeted and exploited by a man who had committed no prior crimes.
Tragically, even though they saved his life by calling 911 when they found him, Karel is still in danger. He listens to others’ secrets but cannot reveal his own sea of troubles.
The strength of the Langs enduring love for each other makes this an enjoyable read.
The Boy in the Field is a rich, layered novel that should not be missed.