Title: Seventeen Parcels
Author: Mic Lowther
Publisher: BookBaby
ASIN: B09YSYF9DG
Pages: 247
Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Thriller & Suspense
Reviewer: Christina Avina

Read Book Review

If there is one thing people start to think about as they get older in life, it is the legacy they are leaving behind. Whether they are looking to leave a legacy for their family and loved ones, or a legacy which will make a mark on the world for years and years to come, legacy is an integral part of a person’s life which will allow them to feel as if they are able to live on beyond their own mortality.

In author Mic Lowther’s Seventeen Parcels, the author explores the ideas of legacy and mortality. The story follows a delivery person who is hired to hide seventeen parcels across several US States over the course of two years. A decade or so later, the person who hired the driver passes away, and his adult children are tasked with finding the hidden parcels. Coming together despite their differences, the children go on the adventure their late father dreamed up for them, putting together a mystery that will reveal the legacy their father saw fit to leave behind.

The author did an incredible job of world-building and character development. The overall mystery and atmosphere the author crafted was enhanced and so much more engaging thanks to the rich world which the author was able to bring to life; as well as the real and relatable characters that readers will be able to identify with. The vivid imagery the author brings to life in each chapter not only helps make the characters more real and engaging, but the setting as the cross-country road-trip takes a firm hold is brought to life through heartfelt imagery in the author’s writing style.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy mysteries, especially those which have elements of suspense and literary fiction thriller storytelling. The balance struck between the delivery driver’s adventures planting the parcels and the dynamics between the children later on as they search for the parcels themselves made this such a fun and unique tale to get lost in. The thoughtfulness for which the author delivers each twist of the mystery and the themes of legacy, loss, family and wisdom in the unknown made this such a compelling narrative. The contrast of humor and heart that went into the dialogue between these characters added a dose of reality which many people with complex family lives will be able to identify with as well.