Summary | Excerpt | Reading Guide | Discuss | Reviews | Readalikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' Opinion:
First Published:
May 2022, 272 pages
Paperback:
May 2022, 272 pages
Book Reviewed by:
Kim Kovacs
Buy This Book
Both suspenseful and deeply moving, Carolina Moonset is an engrossing novel about family, memories both golden and terrible, and secrets too dangerous to stay hidden forever, from New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award–winning author, Matt Goldman.
Joey Green has returned to Beaufort, South Carolina, with its palmettos and shrimp boats, to look after his ailing father, who is succumbing to dementia, while his overstressed mother takes a break. Marshall Green's short-term memory has all but evaporated, but, as if in compensation, his oldest memories are more vivid than ever. His mind keeps slipping backwards in time, retreating into long-ago yesterdays of growing up in Beaufort as a boy.
At first this seems like a blessing of sorts, with the past providing a refuge from a shrinking future, but Joey grows increasingly anxious as his father's hallucinatory arguments with figures from his youth begin to hint at deadly secrets, scandals, and suspicions long buried and forgotten. Resurfacing from decades past are mysteries that still have the power to shatter lives―and change everything Joey thought he knew.
Especially when a new murder brings the police to his door...
Simultaneous release in hardcover and paperback.
1
When I saw my first palm tree, I almost died of disappointment. It wasn't on a tiny island. It didn't have coconuts under its fronds or monkeys clinging to its trunk. That palm tree failed me.
The tree lived in Beaufort, South Carolina, in my grandparents' backyard, and the letdown I felt over its lack of picture-book clichés is my earliest memory of that place. I must have been three or four. It was the same trip I met the ocean at Hunting Island State Park. I waded into the salt water. Tasted it on my fingers. Scanned the surface for sharks. Thought every dolphin and hunk of driftwood was a shark, which sent me screaming and splashing back to the beach.
I spent languid afternoons with my sisters catching chameleons. We put the lizards in a box and named them. Took the box inside to show the adults. And under strict and often shrieked orders, carried the box back outside to let the creatures go. The chameleons turned brown on the palm tree's trunk or green if set on a leaf. ...
Here are some of the comments posted about Carolina Moonset.
You can see the full discussion here.
At the center of the story are multiple murder mysteries. Who did you originally think the perpetrators were and why?
The multiple murder mysteries were what first attracted my interest in this book. However, I found the characters to be as interesting as the plot!
As to whodunnit, I can’t believe that I didn’t think about one of The South&... - NCjeanne
Did your perceptions of Thomas and Gail shift? Is money the root of their power, or is power the root of their wealth? How does Trip Patterson's fate illustrate the class divisions within their community?
From the beginning their wealth was a turnoff as you could just feel the power they felt entitled to. No concern for doing the right thing, and trying to use money to wipe out guilt! - lindac
Do you feel Joey's reactions to divorce are common?
I agree with the above observances, but I would add that I was surprised by his lack of anger or irritation towards their exes. Usually when there is a divorced couple in a novel or movie there are so many issues to disagree about - custody, ... - ruthiea
Do you think it's true that we care less about others' opinions as we age?
For sure. As a teenager we are usually so worried about the opinions of our peers. As we age we become more self confident and able to more easily ignore what others think. - LindaMonaco
Do you think Marshall's legacy as a healer extended beyond his work as a physician?
It seems like some readers have trouble thinking of Marshall as a healer...long before he was a physician he was a thoughtful, compassionate person as examplified by his youthful friendships and loyalty. - somanybooks...
Goldman balances the various threads of the narrative masterfully; all of them are equally enthralling and beautifully interwoven, so much so that I found the mystery itself a less interesting aspect, almost an afterthought in this superbly wrought family drama. Those looking for a taut murder mystery may find it a bit of a letdown, but readers interested in a high-quality novel about aging and the complexities of middle age will definitely appreciate it.
If you liked Carolina Moonset, try these:
by Delia Owens
Published 2021
Winner of the 2018 BookBrowse Debut Author Award
How long can you protect your heart?
by Joshilyn Jackson
Published 2018
With empathy, grace, humor, and piercing insight, the author of gods in Alabama pens a powerful, emotionally resonant novel of the South that confronts the truth about privilege, family, and the distinctions between perception and reality - the stories we tell ourselves about our origins and who we really are.
Win a signed copy of Where the Crawdads Sing
In celebration of the movie release on July 15, we have three signed copies to give away.
Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. Full access is for members only.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.