Rated of 5
by Liz M. (Fair Haven, NJ) Mind Boggling
I very much enjoyed Turn of Mind. I found the portrayal of dementia to be very true to life. I found Turn of Mind to be quite a good mystery as well as an interesting study in how secrets and envy keep us together while tearing us down. I recommend Turn of Mind
Rated of 5
by Dorothy Sheehan, (Hendersonville, NC) Turn of Mind by Alice Laplante
Laplante's first novel is a brilliant portrayal of a powerful women's journey to oblivion. Loss of control in itself is horrifying. Losing control of your mind is the ultimate nightmare. Through Dr. Jennifer White's often disjointed and poignant journal we travel this journey with her to discover what is true in her world turned topsy-turvy where even memories are suspect. The characterization is powerful, the writing superb and understated, the narrative haunting. It ranks near the top of my list of most unforgettable books.
Rated of 5
by Debbie M. (grand junction, CO) Turn of Mind
Turn of Mind is an amazing book. Jennifer White is a doctor who's best friend is dead and Dr. White is the prime suspect. Dr. White has alzheimers and so doesn't know if she killed her friend. Alice LaPlant goes into the mind of someone with alzheimers and shows us the confusion and sadness that goes along with the disease. LaPlant is an excellent author and gives you great insight into the mind of an alzheimers sufferer.
Rated of 5
by JD l(ibrarian, NY) Murder and the Mind
Dr. Jennifer's White's best friend has been murdered and she finds herself a suspect. But there is a further complication - Jennifer is suffering from advanced Alzheimer's dementia and half the time can't remember that Amanda is dead, never mind if she was involved in her murder. Told completely from the point of view of Jennifer's deteriorating mind, you suffer with her as she slips further away from herself and those she loves. Your view of reality is hers - fractured, unsure and changeable as she has good days and bad days.
While the murder and its solution is interesting in itself, it is only one aspect of the novel. It is also a fascinating look into the mind being lost to a horrible disease and a study of relationships - what binds people together and tears them apart.
Rated of 5
by Sandra H. (St. Cloud, Minnesota) Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
Dr. Jennifer White, a 64-year-old orthopedic physician suffering from dementia is the prime suspect in the murder of her best friend, Amanda. Three of Amanda’s fingers have been surgically removed and Jennifer specialized in working with joints in the hands. Jennifer tries to make sense of what is happening but her dementia has progressed to the point that she cannot always identify faces , remember names or even care for her own basic daily functions. Jennifer’s companion keeps a notebook detailing daily activity, her children come to see her trying to find out what happened and the police keep taking her back for interrogation. Using short sentences and paragraphs, the author lets us experience Jennifer’s fragmented and disjointed thinking as she moves back and forth in her mind trying to remember her past and her friendship with the dead woman. This movement causes us to experience the painfully confusing life of a person losing her life to Alzheimers while giving the necessary clues (as well as some red herrings) to keep us wanting to learn what happened. Yet, this is so much more than a "who done it." At the end, I felt drained yet satisfied. This is a superbly written mystery.
Rated of 5
by Cindy A. (Bryan, Texas) A Fascinating Look at Declining Memory
Turn of Mind is a unique murder mystery in which the prime suspect, a former surgeon, suffers from progressive dementia. She struggles to remember that her friend and neighbor, Amanda, is dead, but has no memory of the event. The reader learns about events as Jennifer recalls them, or when she hears others discussing them, or reads back entries in her memory journal. A lengthy middle section barely touches on the murder plot, although it is still fascinating as it provides an intimate view of Jennifer’s mental decline from her own perspective.
The murder victim, who was Jennifer’s best friend, is an odd duck. She comes across as a woman who was difficult and full of jealousy; it is hard to see why Jennifer forged such a strong friendship with her, but that just adds to the mystery.
One of the best facets of Jennifer’s character is that, no matter what her mental state, she always demands the respect due to her. She reminds us that even those in the last stages of Alzheimer’s are human beings who should be treated with dignity. The ending is somewhat controversial, but I think few readers will object to it.
Turn of Mind works better as a psychological novel than as a murder mystery, since the majority of attention is given to Jennifer’s state of mind and her decline, but it is fascinating nonetheless.
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of 5
by Liz M. (Fair Haven, NJ) 
of 5
by Dorothy Sheehan, (Hendersonville, NC) 
