The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook is a 2007 Publisher’s Weekly Best Mystery. Cook is a favorite author of mine, so I was looking forward to reading this book.
David and Diana are brother and sister whose father had schizophrenia. Diana’s son has recently drowned, and her behavior is becoming more and more erratic. She starts researching about strange ancient murders and starts suspecting her husband in their son’s death. David is worried that she is starting to develop schizophrenia as well. He even begins to wonder if he should put her away for her own good. Was Diana’s son murdered or was it an accident?
I was a little disappointed in this book. My two favorites of his are Breakheart Hill and the Edgar-winning The Chatham School Affair. If you’ve never read Cook before, I suggest you start with one of those two.
2006, 311 pp.
Rating: 
This was published as “The Murmur of Stones” in the UK. Like you, I was disappointed. I read this after “Red Leaves” which is a punch-in-the-stomach-and-leave-you-winded read. I’m still winded 2 years after reading it. I have “The Chatham School Affair” lined up – must read it before the awards winners challenge finishes.
[...] The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook [...]
[...] A – Achebe/Atwood/Austen/Adichie B – Brooks, People of the Book C – Cook, The Cloud of Unknowing D – Dickson/Dostoevsky/Dreiser E – Endo, Silence F – Fforde G – Gaarder, Sophie’s World H – [...]
[...] – The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. [...]