Monument Road
*Starred Review* Leonard Self, an aging Colorado rancher, sets out to fulfill the promise he made to his dying wife, Inetta, to release her ashes over the highest overlook on Monument Road one year after her passing. Having made preparations, he plans to fling himself over the edge, as well. As he makes his way in his truck, Leonard ties up a few loose ends and meanders through his memories. We see that fateful meeting with Inetta, the coming together of this stoic man and optimistic woman of faith and their years of weathering life as a solid unit. We see Len struggle to tamp down a dark energy from his past and, over time, learn the meaning of love. Within the novel, two powerful subplots—a teenage girl seeking her inner Joan of Arc, an abused boy giving up on himself—rear up seemingly from nowhere. But trust Quimby. He merges them masterfully by book’s end. His love of character and the West is evident in every essential detail. Part modern western, part mystery, this first novel will appeal to fans of Louise Erdrich and Kent Haruf. Quimby’s prose reads so true, it breaks the heart. --Diane Holcomb