The Ruinous Sweep, by Tim Wynne-Jones

On the night Donovan Turner is thrown out of a car on a highway in the middle of nowhere, he can barely remember his own name, let alone the past twenty-four hours.

Where is he? Where is his girlfriend, Bee? In an attempt to flag down the next passing car, he startles the driver, causing a fatal accident. With sirens in the distance and the lingering feeling that he’s running from something — or someone — Donovan grabs the dead driver’s briefcase and flees. Meanwhile, Bee is fighting for Dono’s life every bit as much as he is. But when the police show up and hint that he is the prime suspect in a murder, Bee is determined to put together the pieces of what happened and clear his name. With echoes of Dante’s Divine Comedy, this harrowing journey through hell and back is a page-turning tale of guilt, retribution, love, and redemption.

 

Taking inspiration from Dante’s Inferno, Wynne-Jones presents an ambitious novel that is grim and suspenseful to the end...Turn’s experience in purgatory (or maybe the environs of hell?) is harrowing and confusing, adding to this page-turner that explores loyalty, guilt, anger, and redemption. This murder mystery is highly recommended and would make for a great book-club read.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Readers will love putting together the puzzle pieces to figure out what is really going on here on multiple levels. Some may find the ending bittersweet, but the heart of the latest from the acclaimed Wynne-Jones is refreshing. A literary thriller with riveting characters, infused with just a touch of magical realism.
—Booklist

Wynne-Jones' writing is smooth and compelling, and certain images will likely linger in readers' minds...Suspenseful and complex, this will mesmerize readers patient enough to stick with it.
—Kirkus Reviews