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Cover of The life we bury

Mystery · 2014 · R

The life we bury

by Allen Eskens

A dying man convicted of murder. A college student who might believe him.

For17+GenreMysteryLength281 pagesRead time~7 hours

This analysis was generated by AI from publicly available reader reviews, literary criticism, and book discussions. It has not been verified by a BookLens community reviewer and may contain errors. Be the first to verify →

Content snapshot

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

A lot

A brutal murder and its aftermath; the violence is depicted in meaningful context

Language

Some

Some strong language

Sexual Content

Barely any

Brief adult content

Substance Use

Barely any

Some alcohol use

Emotional Intensity

A lot

The psychological weight of Vietnam trauma, wrongful conviction, and what justice actually requires

What this book is about

Joe Talbert is assigned to interview an elderly man for a class project. Carl Iverson — a Vietnam veteran dying of cancer — was convicted of murder decades ago. The more Joe investigates, the less certain the conviction seems. Eskens's debut is a gripping literary thriller about guilt, memory, and the courage it takes to face the truth.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

Graphic murder depicted

Rape and violence themes

Vietnam trauma

Reader Verification

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