Publishers Weekly
★ 10/21/2019
Six-year-old Aoife Scott, the narrator of Nellums’s impressive debut, worries about her mother, Siobhan, after Siobhan is sent to the hospital following a disturbance outside Michigan’s Westgate Mall. Aoife is puzzled about the delay in her mother’s return home and the vagueness of her beloved lawyer uncle, Donny Scott, about her mother’s situation. Aoife is equally mystified by conflicting information about her dead brother, Theo; the silence around Theo’s parentage and demise; the role of her mother’s “special friend,” Marine veteran Mac Corey; the hostility of her neighbor, Mr. Rutledge; and the odd nocturnal behavior of Uncle Donny. Inspired by her imaginary friend, Teddy, and her actual friend, eight-year-old fledgling detective Hannah, Aoife sets out on a path of discovery that entails risk to herself and her loved ones. Through the honest, winning, and convincing Aoife, Nellums provides ample evidence that the most important mysteries are those that lie closest to home. Fans of Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce novels won’t want to miss this one. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
An Amazon “Best Book of the Month”
“Sure to rouse emotions in this classic coming-of-age tale that fans of Jodi Picoult will love.”
—mindbodygreen
“[An] impressive debut...Through the honest, winning, and convincing Aoife, Nellums provides ample evidence that the most important mysteries are those that lie closest to home.”
—Publishers Weekly starred review
“Both a murder mystery and a coming-of-age story...Perfect for fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, All That's Bright and Gone goes to the heart of what we are prepared to do to keep our family safe, from dangers within and without, and to bring them home.”
—Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Book Review
“Aoife’s poignant and endearing story will linger long after the final pages. This family-forward debut is one to be savored and shared.”
—New York Journal of Books
“Eliza Nellums All That’s Bright and Gone brought me to unashamed tears...This book is sure to touch the hearts of many people..Highly recommended.”
—Suspense Magazine
“This first novel blends elements of literary fiction and domestic thrillers to explore the power of secrets, the resilience of children, and their ability to understand matters far beyond their years, if given a chance.”
—Booklist
“Gripping, funny, enormously affecting, it is a book about the deepest mysteries of all, and it will knock your socks off.”
—Booktrib
“The reader is fully engaged in Aoife's point of view as Nellums pulls the reader into the world of this child.”
—Midwest Book Review
“A luminous debut. Eliza Nellums' six-year-old Aoife (pronounced "EE-fah", if you please) will knock you cock-a-hoop. A hero's journey, with possible angels, ghosts, and Teddies. It will change forever the way you look at the little girl next door.”
—Alan Bradley, New York Times bestselling author of the Flavia de Luce mysteries
“A gripping and affecting debut that will leave you laughing. Prepare to fall in love with this beautiful mystery and six-year old Aoife. Eliza Nellums is one to watch.”
—Rhiannon Navin, international bestselling author of Only Child
“All That's Bright and Gone is all that a coming-of-age story should be. Endearing, funny, and poignant, you'll be charmed by six-year-old narrator Aiofe and be rooting for her as she tries to come to terms with the complexities of life by solving the mystery of death.”
—Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of Whistling in the Dark
“Eliza Nellums has crafted a mesmerizing debut novel. Pulled into the world of Aoife, a six-year-old girl searching for the truth about her brother, we experience her grief and hope as our own as the mystery twists and turns to an unexpected ending. A thoroughly engaging read!”
—Wendy Walker, bestselling author of The Night Before
“A dreamlike, enthralling whodunit for fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, filtered through the imaginative mind of a precocious six-year-old girl. An impressive debut.”
—A. J. Banner, USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author
“Heart-wrenching . . . Nellums takes her readers on a twisty carnival ride.”
—Susan Crawford, bestselling author of The Other Widow
“Triumphant . . . A gorgeously intimate work of art. Nellums has a grip like Virgil, and you won't want to let go.”
—Meg Elison, author of The Book of the Unnamed Midwife
“A thoughtful, compelling, thrilling mystery with heart.”
—Laurie Petrou, award-winning author of Love, Heather
AUGUST 2020 - AudioFile
Imaginative and suspenseful, this audiobook does not disappoint. Narrator Jesse Vilinsky perfectly voices 6-year-old Aoife’s innocence and resolve. As the story opens, Aoife's mother has been hospitalized for a mental health crisis, and Aoife believes that the only way she can get her mom back home is to figure out why her older brother, Theo, is gone. Armed with sheer determination and her imaginary friend, Teddy, Aoife sets out to find the truth and save her family. Vilinsky's pacing and nuances perfectly match the journey Aoife undertakes, complete with multidimensional supporting characters, gasp-worthy plot twists, and a heartwarming undertone that everything will be okay in the end. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
