The Year of Fog

"Here is the truth, this is what I know: I was walking on the beach with Emma. It was cold and very foggy. She let go of my hand. I stopped to photograph a baby seal, then glanced up toward the Great Highway. When I looked back, she was gone."

From this devastating moment unfolds the spellbinding story of Abby Mason - photographer, fiancée, soon-to-be stepmother - and the consequences of her greatest error. Heartbreaking, uplifting, and beautifully told, it is a riveting tale of how life can change in an instant, of the search for the truth behind a child's disappearance, and of one woman's unwavering faith in the redemptive power of love.

©2007 Michelle Richmond (P)2001 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A] page-turner with a philosophical bent." (Booklist)
"The book is beautifully paced; one feels Abby's clarity of purpose from the first page." (Publishers Weekly)

a lot of promise

I enjoyed this book for the most part -- it had echoes of "The Weight of Water" but lacked the literary tightness. Still, one is drawn into the story, wanting and caring to know the outcome.

I thought the protagonist, Abby, was a sympathetically portrayed character whose distress and subsequent actions after a momentary lapse of supervision over a small girl were believable, and that readers/listeners can readily relate to her overwhelming feelings of guilt and confusion. The introductory passages to the chapters were intriguing, and I hope that the author's future writing will reflect more of the ambiguity of life and less of the "tie up all the loose ends" like a TV drama.

In short, I don't think you would be disappointed in this book or regret spending money on it, but you may find some irksome - though not critical - flaws.

Fantastic Story!

I loved every moment of this book. Such rich and detailed descriptions of places and people. The characters in the book c
ome to life, and the story itself is riveting, with little twists that you don’t see coming. I read this book after reading The Marriage Pact, which was by the same author. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read another book by Michelle Richmond and now I’m really hooked. I want to read everything that she has written.

Grrrrrr

I don't think I can listen to another from this author after also listening to The Pact. Totally compelling because you keep thinking SOMETHING is about to happen soon. SPOILER ALERT:
But it just keeps going and going and the endings are so unsatisfying..if that is a word!
However, I stayed up all night listening!

The Year of Fog in Review

A compelling story with interesting characters and plot; the introspective style of the main character was interesting. The ending was a bit abrupt; it left me wanting to hear the next chapter. I do hope there is a sequel! It was obvious that this book was written before the pervasiveness of digital photography; otherwise the book was up-to-date.

unique reading

I only give 5 stars for books that are I expect to be classics, so 4 star, imo, is a very good rating.

I expected a regular mystery/suspense book. It is mystery/suspense, but told in a very unique and interesting way, with quotes from philosophers and psychologists as one woman deals the guilt of having "lost" her step-daughter to be on a foggy beach.


I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Very detailed and eye opening novel

I was reading an article on how to write a great book and this book was recommended. I really enjoyed this novel. The narrator was wonderful and the writing was great. The writer paid attention to details. She described every so well. My only negative comment was the story went off course a few times. But, I loved the overall concept.

year of fog

The Year of Fog was an excellent drama that I loved listening to. Great storyline and very well written. Reminded me of The Deep End of the Ocean but stands well on its own merits.

Average read/listen

Interesting story however I found the author to be to repetitive for me. Often she would interject information formally introduced for some unknown reason. Overkill really.

Not what I thought

The story is engaging…until it’s not. It drags on a little too long and has a somewhat unsatisfying ending. Still a good book.

With edits w/o edits--a good read...

Any additional comments?

I read this with my high school son. Then he got to meet the author at his school. This was a treat for him! We both enjoyed the book, felt the main character's deep remorse, and felt emotionally invested in her journey.

To explain my rating, as an editor, I would have advised the author to cut some of the asides regarding her relationships that did not really add justification to the plot. Overall I saw where she was going, so some of the asides, especially the more salacious ones, were a bit gratuitous and distracting. Sans this point, it was a good read!