Judith Kirscht’s riveting novel, End of the Race, captured my attention from the start.
The story originates in Traverse Bay, Michigan, 2007. Brian Wolfson has gone missing. His wife, Annika, is frantic with worry; their daughter, Sadie, only six, cannot understand why her daddy doesn’t come home. Brian has been on a two-week ocean sailing trip, but when Annika and Sadie go to pick him up at the airport, he isn’t there.
The story has flashbacks to 1984 when Brian and Annika were children and continue through their marriage and the birth of their daughter. Both are athletic, accomplished swimmers. Although Brian can no longer swim competitively due to a knee injury caused by a careless accident, Annika is an Olympic hopeful; Brian her coach. As the story takes place, the Olympic qualifications loom. Annika is recovering her strength after she miscarried their second child, but now, with Brian missing, she’s too distraught to think of the daunting practice she should be doing.
Judith Kirscht writes with authority on competitive swimming and brings the reader into the world of racing and the physical and mental stamina it requires. The novel also includes sailing—her descriptions of a boat slicing through water as the sails catch the wind are breathtaking.
End of the Race is a gripping story. Kirscht, a native of the Great Lakes region, does a skillful job of describing the state’s terrain and waterways. The author develops the characters realistically, and I could sympathize with their fears and anxieties. I highly recommend End of the Race.
Thank you, Mary. I hope everyone else enjoys it too.
I’m sure this will be an appealing book for many, Judith.