An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Homes in New England

An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Homes in New England is an odd (but good) novel starring a sort of quirky (but lazy) protagonist, a mysterious mystery, family dysfunction and, of course, plenty of arson.

The main character is Sam Pulsifer, who, when he was a teenager, “accidentally” set the historial and beloved home of Emily Dickinson on fire, burnt it to a crisp, killed two people in the process, and solidified his role as the town’s outcast. So he went off to prison for ten years, squatted in his parents home for a while after that until he was kicked out, and reluctantly went off to community college. He quickly set out to forget his past and made a new life for himself. One that included marraige and fatherhood but didn’t include him telling his family about the “accident.” But it becomes impossible for him to hide his past when it walks right up his driveway. And when someone begins burning down historical writers’ homes in New England and Sam is the prime suspect, the perfect life he tried to build up around him, quickly come crashing down.

I felt that the novel began slowly. But soon mysteries start popping up, the plot begins moving swiftly along, and Sam’s character becomes both endearing and frustrating (an interesting combination). The tone, the voice and the characters in this novel are original, different. If you want to read a book that is both witty and heartbreaking, An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Homes in New England is a good choice.