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The best of times : a novel / Penny Vincenzi.

Vincenzi, Penny. (Author).

Summary:

In a matter of seconds, absolutely everything can change ... In thias masterfully crafted page-turner, peopled with intense characters and centered on one devastating moment that involves them all, plot-twist queen Penny Vincenzi vividly captures how the actions of one person can dramatically affect many in the blink of an eye. On an ordinary Friday afternoon, on a major motorway outside of London, a trailer truck suddenly and violently swerves across fives lanes of traffic-careening cars into one another like dominoes and leaving a trail of chaos and confusion. Within the space of a minute, an astounding miles-long pileup has amassed, and, as the survivors await help, their stories unfold. Vincenzi expertly maneuvers the plot between the panic-stricken husband trapped in his car with his young mistress, his adultery sure to be discovered; the bridegroom trying frantically to get to the church on time (he won't); the widow on her way to reunite with the love of her life after sixty years, now forced to ponder whether she'll ever see him again; the junior doctor waiting to receive the crash victims in the ER ... And at the epicenter of this field of destruction lies the truck driver, suffering from memory loss, while the mysterious hitchhiker, the only person who knows what really happened, has fled the scene. Spellbound by these intimate and evocative tales, we watch as fate takes its powerful course and the far-reaching effects of the crash ripple through the lives of hundreds of people. Written with incredible verve, candor, and wit, Penny Vincenzi reveals human behavior in all its fascinating detail as she challenges her characters to face crisis boldly-and she surprises us with the results at every turn.

Record details

  • ISBN: 0385528248
  • ISBN: 9780385528245
  • Physical Description: 598 pages ; 25 cm
  • Edition: 1st U.S. edition
  • Publisher: New York : Doubleday, 2009.

Content descriptions

General Note:
"Originally published in different form in the United Kingdom by Headline, London, in 2009"--T.p. verso.
Subject:
Life change events > Fiction.
Traffic accidents > Fiction.
Genre:
Psychological fiction.

Available copies

  • 13 of 15 copies available at NC Cardinal.
  • 0 of 0 copies available at McDowell County Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 15 total copies.
Sort by distance from:
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Albert Carlton - Cashiers Community Library F VINCENZI (Text) 39493106561337 Adult Fiction Available -
Cleveland County Main Library F VINCENZI (Text) 22281500083936 Adult Fiction Available -
Eden Library Fic (Text) 31554008885328 Adult Fiction Available -
George H. & Laura E. Brown Library AF Vin (Text) 30308100854380 Adult Fiction Available -
Gunn Memorial Public Library F VIN (Text) 34621200167032 Adult Fiction Available -
Henderson Main Branch VIN (Text) 33258006354950 Adult Fiction Available -
Jackson County Public Library F VINCENZI (Text) 39493106574959 Adult Fiction Available -
Madison-Mayodan Public Library Fic (Text) 31554008885336 Adult Fiction Available -
Paddison Memorial Branch FIC Vincenzi, Penny (Text) 0112516900548 Adult Fiction Available -
Perry Memorial Library F Vin (Text) 33727001734978 Adult Fiction Available -