The Arboretum

Exploring the human costs and demands of trust, The Arboretum by newcomer Michael J. Flanagan is a robust and telling debut. Profound and ambitious, this novel examines the many facets and increasingly conflicting demands of protecting another's confidence. With a rhythmic, well-considered prose, this narrative follows the dark journey of one caseworker as he is confronted with a destructive chain of events after a psychiatric patient pleads for his help with a secret problem. Ethan "Mack" Mackenzie is a compassionate and determined man, and when a fascinating but deeply troubled patient entrusts him with a confidence, he is determined to oblige no matter how high the cost.