Dear readers, I know myself well enough to say that fictional stories of mothers and daughters — and especially single moms — will always interest me. So much the better if they wade into complicated territory, like Monica Datta’s novel “Nebraska” or Quiara Alegría Hudes’s “The White Hot.” Over the weekend I reviewed a new novel, Sarai Walker’s thriller “Furious Violet,” which certainly fits the “complex motherhood” bill. (“Motherhood complex” would be equally apt.) The main character, a true-crime writer named West, is researching a serial killer from decades ago when she receives an anonymous, threatening note on her windshield: “Hello Mother.” West has no children, so her correspondent is either unhinged or frighteningly manipulative; West’s feelings about motherhood and daughterhood are fraught. Her mother, Juliet, was a volatile, Sylvia Plath-esque poet who died by suicide when West was an infant. In the 50 years since, Juliet has taken on a glamorous, mythic quality — Gwyneth Paltrow portrayed her in a biopic, West tells readers — and amassed an intense feminist following. The novel’s title, “Furious Violet” is also the name of her final poem, which acted as her suicide note. For someone like me who doesn’t read a ton of thrillers, this was a pretty great gateway book; Walker has a wide array of influences and shifts easily among different modes, including old newspaper clips and essays about Juliet’s life and work. And the central mystery — who is stalking West? — anchors a thought-provoking literary detective story. Remember our summer reading bucket list? One of the suggested goals was to read a book in a genre you don’t typically pick up. If you’re casting about for another item on the checklist to complete, this might be a good way to challenge yourself and find an unexpected delight. Once you finish five items you can submit your list — and you might even win a prize. See you on Friday. In other news
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