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It's sad but true. There are some books that should be major bestsellers but are released to a resounding Flop! and barely see the light of day. They may acquire a quiet cult following, but they never achieve the notoriety, the fame, that they deserve. There are a number of reasons why this happens, though it can sometimes occur for no reason at all. One of my favorite novels, a little suspense novel titled KARMA by Mitchell Smith, may not even be in print anymore. Another book, a mystery titled THE DEATH OF THE DETECTIVE by Mark Smith (no relation, heh heh) contains some of the most memorable prose I have ever read. I know of two people, besides myself, who have ever read it.
THE 37TH HOUR by Jodi Compton is a fine, unforgettable debut. My goal is to make sure that people know about it, read it and remember it. And that they are still talking about it years from now, remembering the day that they first discovered her.
The title, THE 37TH HOUR, refers to the truism that after 36 hours it is nearly impossible to find a missing person, or at least find them still living. There are of course exceptions to that --- Elizabeth Smart being the most recent one --- but it generally holds true in those cases where someone goes missing as the result of the bad intent of another or by misadventure. In the case of this novel, it refers to Michael Shiloh, who disappears on the day that he is supposed to leave Minnesota for Quantico, Virginia to begin FBI training. Shiloh is the silent subject of much of THE 37TH HOUR, but the focus of the book is Minneapolis Detective Sarah Pribek, Shiloh's wife, who doggedly pursues the investigation of her husband's disappearance. Pribek is an enigmatic character, as ultimately is Shiloh.
As the story unfolds the reader learns how these two people after an initial encounter drifted slowly, almost reluctantly, toward a more permanent relationship. Pribek's quest takes her into Shiloh's past, including his estranged family. It is Pribek's own past though that ultimately holds the key to Shiloh's mysterious disappearance. Pribek's investigation, however, uncovers secrets and ultimately acts as a catalyst that will change her life forever.
Compton's character development in THE 37TH HOUR is simply incredible. Pribek, almost from the opening page of her first person narration, gives the subtle impression that she is not entirely on balance. There is a reason for this --- she carries some baggage with her --- and her quietly odd relationship with Shiloh is but one manifestation of the quiet turmoil within her. As is occasionally noted in Alanon meetings, however, a "ten" doesn't marry a "two." And by the conclusion of THE 37th HOUR, you won't know whether you should have stared or looked away. This is not an explosions-and-karate novel. Compton paints a complete picture, but very slowly, with a stroke here and a brush there, keeping things quietly simmering but always interesting.
THE 37TH HOUR is supposed to be the first of a series of Pribek novels, and it is a tribute to Compton's success and talent that readers of her book will sit on tenterhooks as they await what comes next. Meanwhile, THE 37TH HOUR will be read and reread, and will haunt the consciousness of its readers.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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