Since BB only looks for 4+ Star books, which I have been doing for years my personal method for rating books is by the degree that they are Memorable to Me. I have a simple test which is captured by the statement I Really have to tell somebody about this book.
I just finished The Impossible THING by Belinda Bauer, and it is truly one of my memorable books of 2025. Here is a very brief synopsis:
Overview
- Genre: Historical Mystery / Crime Thriller
- Published: April 8, 2025
- Series: Follows Rubbernecker, featuring Patrick Fort
- Setting: 1920s Yorkshire & present-day Wales
- Themes: Obsession, exploitation, neurodivergence, nature vs. possession
Writing Style & Pacing - Bauer’s prose is vivid and economical. Her descriptions of the Yorkshire cliffs and nesting birds are especially evocative:
- “Celie had expected a cliff, but all she could see was a towering wall of birds… huddled wing to chocolate wing.”
- The historical sections unfold slowly and richly, while the modern-day plot moves briskly with sleuthing and suspense.
Themes
- Obsession: From egg collectors to Patrick’s fixation on teaspoons, obsession drives the narrative.
- Exploitation: Of nature, children, and even scientific institutions.
- Nature vs. Possession: Raises ethical questions about collecting and commodifying natural wonders.
Belinda Bauer is new to me, and I already have obtained her first book The Rubbernecker