Broken CountryBroken Country
What it's about
Beth and her kind husband Frank run a sheep farm in rural England, and their happy marriage depends on the past staying buried. When Frank's brother shoots a dog worrying their sheep, the dog turns out to belong to Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager, who has returned to the village with his young son. The boy reminds her of the son she lost. The novel moves between that summer and a later murder trial, as the truth slowly comes out.
Why it's worth reading
It spent more than thirty weeks on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a love triangle, a family drama and a mystery, and readers call it impossible to put down.
You'll love it if you liked
The Frozen River
The God of the Woods
Lessons in ChemistryGood to know
It involves the death of a child and grief. It's best read without spoilers.
By the numbers
- Readers78 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz35 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #30 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #42 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #71 of the 481 new books we rank
- #379 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Gripping
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Quick answers
Is Broken Country worth reading?
Yes. It spent more than thirty weeks on the New York Times lists and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #379 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Broken Country about?
Beth and her kind husband Frank run a sheep farm in rural England, and their happy marriage depends on the past staying buried. When Frank's brother shoots a dog worrying their sheep, the dog turns out to belong to Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager, who has returned to the village with his young son. The boy reminds her of the son she lost. The novel moves between that summer and a later murder trial, as the truth slowly comes out.
How long does it take to read Broken Country?
About 8 hours (320 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Broken Country?
If you liked it, try The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore or Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.