(80) The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

The Map of True Places was the 80th book of the year for me. And the year is not even half over. Granted, I was unemployed for most of the year. So I suspect my reading, as you all have noticed, has considerably slowed down.

I was one of the few people who enjoyed The Lace Reader and was thrilled to get my hands on The Map of True Places. For those people who felt The Lace Reader was a bit far fetched, The Map of True Places may be more your speed. It is also set in Salem and there is even a brief reference to the main character, Towner, of The Lace Reader, yet the mystical storyline is kept to a minimum.

Thanks to the love of her father, Finch and his partner, Melville, Zee survived her rough childhood. Her mother, Maureen, committed suicide because of her mental illness. What her mother went through prompted Zee to help others like her and she became a therapist. When one of her patients commits suicide Zee goes home to Salem. There she finds Melville gone and her father being destroyed by Parkinson's disease. Can Zee work through her unfounded guilt to live the happy life that she deserves? Or is she destined to repeat her Mother's history?

I have found myself growing enchanted with Salem and it's unique history. Because of this, I tend to enjoy books set in or around the historical town. I really enjoyed The Map of True Places. There was just an underlying hint of the witchcraft that Salem is known for, but Zee's story is a captivating one. The characters, including Zee, are enjoyable and have a depth to them that make them interesting. If you liked the Lace Reader or the Physik Book of Deliverance Dane, I think you would enjoy The Map of True Places.