The Arsonist Hardcover – Deckle Edge, June 24, 2014

During one summer in a small New Hampshire town, tensions are ignited between the summer people and the locals after a string of fires spread across the landscape. Despite its time period, set in the 1990s during the Clinton years, the issues exposed during and after each conflagration seem timely.Bud Jacobs, the editor of the local newspaper, writes about the impact of the arsonist:"The sense of community that is the bedrock of small-town life is broken, suddenly."Home from a fifteen-year stint in Kenya doing aid work, Frankie Rowley finds herself caught up in the fear that overwhelms all the residents, as she also struggles with family issues. Her parents, Sylvia and Alfie, have retired to their former summer home in Pomeroy, but Alfie's slow descent into dementia seemingly changes everything about the dynamic between them. Meanwhile, Frankie is at loose ends, undecided about what to do next and whether or not to return to Africa.In Miller's beautiful prose, the story of  The Arsonist: A novel  unfolds, while Frankie and newspaper owner Bud give in to the powerful pull between them.We follow the tale from the perspectives of the various characters, as it sweeps back and forth through the years, revealing the relationships between them all and the paths that have led them to where they now are. We learn more about Sylvia's teen years and how an unresolved relationship has informed her life in the subsequent decades.Meanwhile, we must ask ourselves: Who is targeting the summer people in Pomeroy, and why? Could the frustrations and conflicts of the past be presenting themselves now? What will Frankie decide about her next project, and how can she escape the feelings of not belonging anywhere?Themes of home and belonging, of the social context that surrounds us in our dwellings, and the divide across which hostilities are played out, bring the story to its somewhat nebulous conclusion, with still more questions than answers. A brief fast forward through the years gives us a glimpse of what might be, even as we puzzle over those unanswered questions. A lovely narrative that will never leave me. Five stars.

I have been in love with Sue Miller's writing since The Good Mother, which I read at least 20 years ago. I wait anxiously for another book from her and each time I read another, I am amazed at how she is able to capture the deep feelings beneath the surface of even daily life. In the arsonist she uses Bud and Frankie almost as symbols of the ordinary and the dreams of what we are and what we want in life. The book is a slow dive into those feelings. The losses and changes old age brings, through the characters Alfie and Sylvia. There is also a dive into class distinction between the summer people and the residents of Pomeroy. So much is examined, yet it is so subtle that some people would perhaps call it a boring read. If you're looking for adventure packed, this book is not for you. If you're looking to see what makes us all tick, what we think and feel as we carry on with life, then this book is a jewel. Thank you Sue Miller, your books are well worth waiting for.

Let me start by saying that I love Sue Miller's writing. I have read all her books. And having said that I must say the negative reviews puzzle me. Is it her best? In my opinion, no. But the level of her writing and character development is so superb that even a book with flaws sails far and above the rest. I don't even think I liked the main character. That happens a lot in Miller novels as the people in them are human. I felt the main character was full of herself, elevated in her mind above everyone else because she had done humanitarian work. And couldn't decide what to do next. Oh, the angst! Yes, flaws abound. But the portrayal of her dad with issues of his own was very real and interesting. The plot of the fires in the town is not resolved to my liking, but it's not my book. When we delve into another world in a novel we get what we get; it was enough for me and I'll be back for the next Sue Miller adventure.

Sue Miller has an exceptional talent for understanding and depicting the interior worlds of her characters. That is as true in The Arsonist as in her other books. For me, however, the plot of this book isn't as tight as I would have liked. The arsonist of the title, for example, is (spoiler alert) really a peripheral character, and the main characters are hardly affected by the fires. My impression is that having set a number of plots spinning on the ends of poles, Miller sort of lost interest in several of them and allowed them to crash to the ground in the last third of the book. I will continue to read Miller's books for the sheer pleasure of getting to know her characters, but I don't think this is her best.

The Arsonist does deliver at weaving the effect of loss and change through the book on several levels. However, as the arson investigation builds to a conclusion the fire events seem almost incidental rather than an element of suspense. The main focus on relationship development is aptly written. Miller also relates loss through the painful reality and challenges of Alzheimer’s and the family dynamics of change.After 20 years of performing aid work in Africa, Frankie returns in a mid-life crisis to her parents in the United States. She is struggling with a selective awareness that her commitment to performing meaningful work is admirable but in reality may be an excuse to prevent her from committing herself on a personal level. Miller describes a scene of the riders on a delayed train stopped in a mid-trip on a railroad track that allows the reader to explore the comparison to Frankie’s life that is also at a standstill and unable to veer off the prescribed track.

Sue Miller is an eloquent writer with finely crafted sentences and brilliant dialog. This book is not a mystery per se but creatively uses the mystery to define the relationships between the characters. In the hands of a lesser writer the arsons and the father's dementia would likely be over-emphasize for cheap drama. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the ending seems a bit less forceful than it could be.

I love Sue Miller and would recommend any of her books, she is a tremendous writer. She is able to write about any subject and make it fascinating, purely through the way she explores the depths of her characters. I always say a good book should be something you fall into, not something you have to work hard to get through - her writing just draws you in and carries you away. Wonderful!

Enjoyed very much

Exxellent book

Sue Miller: The Arsonist.I used to like reading Sue Miller, but I didn’t like The Arsonist. Perhaps it is my fault that I became tired of these lonely professional women who, after a long absence, return home where they find their true love. The plot has been so many times re-hashed by so many authors that it became predictable and boring.There is some interesting information about a white volunteer’s life in Africa and the safety of small places in America. Not much about detection, no great surprises.There is always something to learn from Miller’s books but this long story, as a whole, was certainly a disappointment.

Sue miller's novels are always a treat to read.A personal and emotional journey exploring expectations of life, finding love and allowing yourself to belong where you are, set in rural New Hampshire. Beautifully written and highly recommended.