I wanted to read this book as soon as I read the review at A Life in Books so I asked my library to buy it and they did. #BigBouquetForKingstonLibrary!
It is the achingly sad story of the disappearance of a teenage girl in a hill community in the heart of England. She was there on holiday, and she simply vanished. We have all heard stories like this in the media, and we know that these unsolved disappearances resonate long, long after the event. The names of Eloise Worledge, the Beaumont Children and Linda Stilwell are known to everyone my age, and never forgotten.
And yet… the saddest moment in this story comes when, years after the disappearance, one of the characters sees an item of the missing girl’s clothing, and doesn’t recognise it for what it is.
The story is written not as a crime novel nor from the parents’ perspective but as a chronicle of how life goes on, as it must. The villagers are good people: they turn out for the search, and they are respectful, cancelling long anticipated events and time-honoured traditions because they feel it would be inappropriate to hold them. But as the narrative progresses we see the endless natural cycle of life with the birth and death of wildlife and the progress of the seasons, and although they are haunted by the disappearance people grow older and make changes in their lives as people do. Amongst the other narratives, the story traces the growth and development of the teenagers who knew the girl, who is always referred to in a kind of refrain, as Rebecca Shaw, sometimes known as Becky or Bex. These teenagers are the ones who knew her best, though they didn’t know her very well at all. So there is no real sense of her as a person – which is what happens when a person becomes a ‘case’ to the police and to the media, who rustle up renewed interest at anniversaries which occur over the 13 year span of the novel.
Despite its sober storyline, this is a beautiful book which becomes impossible to put down. Do read Susan’s review – it’s irresistible.
Author: Jon McGregor
Title: Reservoir 13
Publisher: Fourth Estate UK (Harper Collins) 2017
ISBN: 9780008204860
Source: Kingston Library (who got this book in for me, because I implored them to!)
Available from Fishpond: Reservoir 13
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
I’m a huge fan of Jon McGregor, his Dublin Literary Award winner “Even the Dogs”, whilst difficult shows how controversial subjects can be treated compassionately. His editorial of the “Letters Page” is innovative & the boxed collection of facsimile letters is a beautiful publication.
I have a copy of this book on my TBR pile (purchased before my self imposed book buying ban) and will be getting to it shortly, I’m anticipating another great read.
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By: tonymess12 on June 20, 2017
at 1:57 pm
You’ve made my day, Lisa. Delighted that you enjoyed this beautifully expressed book, and not only that but have got your library to stock it so may convert more readers to McGregor’s sublime writing. Thanks for your kind words and for the link. I hope you’ll read his other novels.
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By: A Life in Books on June 20, 2017
at 5:23 pm
I have read Even the Dogs, which I thought was brilliant writing about an underclass without being patronising https://anzlitlovers.com/2010/06/14/even-the-dogs-by-jon-mcgregor/ but I know there is more to explore:)
But I do want to thank you again, it’s so good to find books through the magic of the internet and the wonderful bloggers who give their time and expertise to share their thoughts:)
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By: Lisa Hill on June 20, 2017
at 6:18 pm
I will follow up Lisa as a bit inclined towards Irish and Scottish writers both past and present. Another writer that does this genre well is Denise Mina a Glaswegian whose latest is on the infamous Peter Manual a serial killer who committed his horrors not far from where I grew up where his notoriety still has an effect on that community and on me even after six decades.Good fiction is such a powerful medium to speak of these events and remind us of the strangeness of the human condition.
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By: Fay Kennedy on June 20, 2017
at 5:49 pm
Ooh, you’re a braver reader than me, I never read true crime, it freaks me out.
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By: Lisa Hill on June 20, 2017
at 6:33 pm
This sounds like it’d be a good read. I’ve seen a couple of his books at my local library so they may get this one in as well.
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By: Jonathan on June 21, 2017
at 10:50 pm
[…] see my review […]
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By: Gosh, I’ve read some of the 2017 Man Booker longlist! | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on July 27, 2017
at 10:45 pm
[…] Reservoir 13 by Jon Mcgregor, longlisted but perversely not shortlisted for the Booker (see my review) […]
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By: 2017 Goldsmiths Prize shortlist | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on September 28, 2017
at 10:12 am
[…] seems I am not alone in my enthusiasm for this book. Take a look at reviews by Lisa at ANZlitlovers, Susan at A Life in Books and Paul at […]
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By: Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor [Book Review] | BookerTalk on October 6, 2017
at 7:12 am
[…] Italian by Shaun Whiteside All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor The Blood Miracles by Lisa McInerney Ithaca by Alan McMonagle Gather the […]
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By: 10 Aussies & Kiwis nominated for the 2018 Dublin Literary Award | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on November 20, 2018
at 8:39 am
[…] Italian by Shaun Whiteside All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor The Blood Miracles by Lisa McInerney Ithaca by Alan McMonagle Gather the […]
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By: Aussies & Kiwis nominated for the 2018 Dublin Literary Award | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on November 20, 2018
at 9:13 am
[…] review at Readings The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott, on my TBR see the review at The Guardian Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor The Blood Miracles by Lisa McInerney, see the review at The Guardian Ithaca […]
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By: Aussies & Kiwis nominated for the 2019 Dublin Literary Award | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on November 21, 2018
at 11:37 pm
[…] shortlisted for the 2017 Costa Novel Award (which Wikipedia tells me was won by Jon McGregor for Reservoir 13, which is a brilliant book […]
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By: Tin Man, by Sarah Winman | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on March 28, 2019
at 5:57 pm
[…] Reservoir 13 J. McGregor – READING – SHORTLIST (English village,missing girl…review Lisa) […]
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By: #Dublin Literary Award 2019 | NancyElin on April 4, 2019
at 8:37 pm
[…] Reservoir 13 J. McGregor – READING – SHORTLIST (English village,missing girl…review Lisa) […]
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By: #Dublin Literary Award shortlist 2019 | NancyElin on April 4, 2019
at 8:50 pm
[…] Reservoir 13 – J. McGregor – READ – SHORTLIST (English village,missing girl…review Lisa) […]
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By: #Dublin Award shortlist 2019 Jon McGregor | NancyElin on April 10, 2019
at 4:37 pm
[…] Eamon takes over the house and begins renovations. [Remember Jon McGregor’s achingly sad Reservoir 13, about how the world moves on after a tragic unexplained […]
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By: Field of Poppies, by Carmel Bird | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on October 6, 2019
at 10:06 pm
[…] to memorialise some events and to ignore others. The media, as we see in Jon Mcgregor’s Reservoir 13, has a role to play in keeping memories of events in the public eye. As individuals, we keep […]
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By: Three Daughters of Eve, by Elif Shafak | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on September 16, 2021
at 7:50 pm
[…] to memorialise some events and to ignore others. The media, as we see in Jon Mcgregor’s Reservoir 13, has a role to play in keeping memories of events in the public eye. As individuals, we keep […]
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By: Three Daughters of Eve, by Elif Shafak | ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on September 16, 2021
at 7:50 pm