The following book review was written by Ruth Isenberg, vice president of the Weatherly Area Library board of directors.

“I Let You Go,” by Clare Mackintosh, is not a murder mystery, exactly. Nor is it a police procedural, exactly, though it will appeal to readers who enjoy both genres. Instead, it is a psychological exploration of a number of different relationships, full of twists and turns that weave in and out.

Even the title has multiple meanings, which become clear only as the story unfolds. The tale begins simply, with a terrible car accident that kills a young child walking home with his mother, a woman raising the 5-year-old on her own. The driver does not stop. Police investigate, and although the facts seem fairly straightforward, they make little headway in finding the driver.

The case is investigated by a middle-aged male Detective Inspector, and a younger female Detective Constable. They are both workaholics, both touched by the case, and both adrenaline junkies, drawn to police work because of its intensity. They are also drawn to each other, though the DI has a wife and son he cares about. The way they deal with that attraction is a secondary plot that is less compelling than the primary story, and to some extent seems tacked on.

Their part of the story is told in the third person. In between the police investigation chapters, first-person narratives provide insights into the history and personality of the adults most impacted by the accident. In the first section, we hear only from the woman, who has left Bristol where the accident took place, in an attempt to escape her memories. She begins to forge a new life in a remote area in Wales, and slowly regains confidence in herself.

So far, this is pretty standard stuff — well-written, but somewhat predictable. Then comes the end of part one, a major twist, and a totally new direction as the driver is identified as a result of a one-year anniversary appeal by the police to the public to come forward with information.

A new voice is introduced in part two, and the focus of the story changes entirely. The question is no longer who is responsible, but instead how and why the accident took place. The police are no longer looking for the driver, they are now trying to make sure justice is done, a trickier proposition.

This reader enjoyed the multiple voices and intertwined stories, though at times the author seems to strain a bit too hard to tie up all the loose ends, and it did require paying attention to make sure each voice was properly identified.

Mackintosh was a British police officer for 12 years, and her insight into the effects of police work on family relationships is evident. She is comfortable with ambiguity, so this is not a novel for a reader who wants a black-and-white, happy ending. It is, however, an insightful look into different ways of holding on to, and letting go of, loves and lives, an enjoyable read.