summary

"My Name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973." So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as sh is watching life on earth continue without her-her friends trading rumors abou ther disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling. OUt of unspeakable tragedy and loss, The Lovely Bones succeeds, miraculously, in buildinga tale filled with hope, humor, suspence, even joy.

"Deeply affecting. . . A keenly observed portrait of familial love and how it endures and changes over time." -Michiko Kakutani. NEW YORK TIMES

"Destined to become a classic in the vein of To Kill a Mockingbird. . . . I loved it. -Anna Quindlen

"A novel that is painfully fine and accomplished." -Paula L. Woods. LOST ANGELES TIMES

"The Lovely bones seems to be saying there are more important things in life on earth than retribution. Like forgiveness, like love." -Conan Putman. CHICAGO TRIBUNE