The Duet

By Robert Elmer
Fiction
287 pages
ISBN 1-57856-740-8

The Duet is a charming novel set in the fictitious town of Van Dalen, Washington.  With a thinly disguised Lynden as the background, author Robert Elmer shares the story of two very different families as they struggle through painful, life altering events.

Elmer deftly offers Joan Horton as one of the novel’s main characters. Joan, a music professor from New York, moves to Van Dalen for a one-year sabbatical.  As she battles between her prim and proper façade and steadfast belief in her own inadequacy, Joan is determined to accept her husband’s death and her son’s downward spiral into depression. While Joan’s son and daughter are secondary characters, they serve the novel well in capturing Joan’s emotions and presenting a well-rounded picture of this self-doubting matriarch.

Gerrit Appeldoorn, a retired dairy farmer and staunch Calvinist, becomes Joan’s reluctant piano student. Rooted deeply in his faith, Gerrit is quite set in his ways and does not flinch at the prospect of telling others how they should live their lives. Despite his sometimes curmudgeonly attitude, Gerrit is a likeable, old school gentleman.

Gerrit and Joan, both suffering from the loss of a beloved spouse, come together as friends, learning about each other’s different backgrounds and beliefs. Predictably, they lean on each other for companionship and support, barely aware of the emerging relationship between them.

Elmer, who has primarily been a children’s author, successfully provides the adult reader with an interesting, relatable romance. His characters are well defined and likeable, creating a genuine fondness for the families who are lovingly depicted. While the plot is somewhat predictable, Elmer skillfully draws the reader in through the use of articulate language, realistic dialogue and appealing descriptions. In addition to an already well written novel, Elmer sprinkles in famous quotes that bring added charm and breadth to the story.

About the Author

Robert Elmer has degrees in communications and the Bible. He has written 32 youth novels including the Young Underground and Adventures Down Under series. He lives in Lynden, Washington with his wife Ronda. They have two sons and a daughter, all in college.

For more information, visit the author’s website at www.robertelmerbooks.com.

This review originally appeared in the Whatcom Independent on December 30, 2004.

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