Rated of 5
by Melissa H. (McKees Rocks, PA) Not edge of your seat suspense
Rose Notes wasn't quite the psychological thriller that I was expecting. I enjoyed the back and forth of the present and past, and being a child of the 80s I enjoyed the references to that era. I also enjoyed the psychology of the person you are as a child versus the person you are as an adult. The book got me thinking about old high school friends whom I've lost touch with and if it's possible to ever reclaim that friendship. But the suspense wasn't quite there in the book. There were red herrings which weren't all that convincing and while I didn't figure out the "who done it" I wasn't left gasping at each chapter or on the edge of my seat. The book does provide a "what would you do" kind of atmosphere, but because it comes at the end, I don't know how much time a reader would spend thinking about it.
Rated of 5
by Mary M. (Lexington, KY) Two stories
I liked half of this book and really disliked the other half. The book went back and forth between 1990 and 2006. As the book went on I found myself dreading the 1990 story. It was a good mystery, but I think the 1990 story could have been told in the first two or three chapters. The characters were much more interesting as adults. Maybe I missed something but frankly I rushed through the flashbacks to get to the parts that took place in the present.
Rated of 5
by Kathleen W. (New Brighton,, MN) A Good Beach Read!
Mary Chapin Carpenter sings a song that includes the lines, "our future begins with our past" and "step out of the shadow you cast." These lines relate perfectly to IN SEARCH OF THE ROSE NOTES by Emily Arsenault. This is a book , narrated in an alternating present/ past format that addresses the question of the mysterious disappearance of a babysitter years ago. Nora returns years later, to visit her home town where it all happened and, to re-visit the person she once was by connecting with former friends. While the premise was promising, I felt that the style did not truly deliver for me. While it lacked that "glued to the page" factor I treasure, it was interesting enough for a casual take-along to the beach. Those who enjoy a look back as well as a revisiting of those years of early teen angst may wish to take a peek at this book. All in all, not compelling but interesting enough.
Rated of 5
by Teresa R. (Fort Collins, CO) Plus-es and minus-es
Some snappy dialogue, witty descriptions and very "of the moment" characters will appeal to younger readers, as will the themes of the angst and confusion that accompany entrance into adulthood. But I thought the pacing was far too slow to sustain interest in the ostensible central event--i.e., what the heck HAPPENED to Rose??--for the book to fall into the "mystery" category. The story line simply meandered, and abrupt shifts in the time frame were confusing to me at times. I found the author's earlier book, The Broken Tea Glass, more grounded and appealing.
Rated of 5
by Gail L. (Cypress, TX) Disappointed
I think this book might best be appreciated by a Young Adult/High School audience. The juxtaposition of adult (present day) and young teen (childhood memories) perspectives did not work well for me. The story also will probably appeal to a young audience. Adult readers looking for a literary mystery filled with suspense and well-developed characters will be disappointed.
Rated of 5
by Diane C. (Lutz, FL) Claiming the truth
The friendship between Nora and Charlotte began on the first day of kindergarten, and by the time the girls are eleven they have developed a mutual history that lacks mutual respect. At least that is the viewpoint of Nora, who narrates this story that twists between three points in time. We meet the girls when they are eleven and bedazzled by Rose, an older high school girl who babysits them after school. One night, after walking Nora home, Rose disappears without a trace. In 2006, Charlotte calls Nora, who is now happily married and long gone from her hometown, to tell her that Rose's bones have been found. Keys to the disintegration of the girls' friendship, the trauma of Rose's disappearance, and Nora's suicidal breakdown, however, are buried in the experiences of 2006, when Charlotte and Nora are in high school. Clues and red herring are scattered throughout Nora's telling, and the reader is never sure if Nora is revealing the truth or her own fears and fantasies. It's an engrossing and suspenseful symphony. Fans of psychological mysteries should like this one.
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of 5
by Melissa H. (McKees Rocks, PA) 
of 5
by Diane C. (Lutz, FL) 
