The Keane family has been experiencing a series of strange, ominous events since moving into the rambling old Farr Hill mansion in New Hampshire. As R.J. Halbert's ARCHITECT (The Goodpasture Chronicles Book 3) opens, parents Ian and Lyana continue to deal with their own trauma and worry for their children. Their son Zach has returned after going missing—apparently traveling thousands of years into the past, where he befriended a boy named Akolo. Their daughter Ariel continues to struggle with her anger toward her parents and the slow realization that she hasn’t been a good sister (or person).
Zach’s adventure prompts a visit from child protective services, but Marshall, the caretaker of the property, continues to be a comfort to him and the family. Marshall isn’t quite who he seems, however. He has a surprising connection to both the Keanes and Akolo, who strives to serve his singular god in the past (blessed with a form of immortality, but stricken by the choices and trade-offs he has to make regarding those he loves and wishes to protect).
The Keanes feel very real on the page, as their family dynamic is an organic (and unfortunately familiar) one. Each member of the family has a personal challenge to overcome amidst the worry over what is happening to them in this old house, and their struggles are depicted compellingly. No one here has all the answers, but they’re all willing to stand their ground and face what’s coming.
Akolo’s adventures in the past are interesting, but they're depicted with a bland lack of detail. At one point, Akolo meets none other than Alexander the Great, but the scene doesn’t have an impact because it’s rendered without any kind of excitement or interesting description. Much of Akolo’s story goes by like this, due in part to its compressed nature. Meanwhile, some of the revelations in later chapters can be seen from a mile away, but that lack of surprise doesn’t hurt the story much; it was never the main point to begin with, anyway.
Overall, there’s an earnestness here that’s appealing in a novel where reconnection and the resolution of family trauma are just as important as solving the mystery behind the strange phenomena and history of the property.
Despite feeling rushed in places, R.J. Halbert's ARCHITECT (The Goodpasture Chronicles Book 3) delivers a satisfying end to an interesting mystery.
~ Jeff Somers for IndieReader