The Common Bond

Merritt goes to the Aloha State for his insightful latest foray into domestic upheaval. Morgan Cary is a one-hit wonder novelist and former Kona fisherman who returns to Hawaii following the sudden death of his alluring but emotionally volatile wife, Victoria. Uncertain of the events leading up to Victoria's death and immensely guilt-ridden, Morgan spends his days incapacitated with grief and his nights boozing. It's not until he meets Ben Kamakani, a fellow fisherman, that Morgan's life begins to regain a sense of purpose, and after Ben dies, Morgan buys his boat and truck and begins turning himself around. While Morgan's life rolls on, Merritt backtracks to unfurl Victoria's story, loaded with abandonment, betrayal and violence. It is soon clear that though Morgan and Victoria were married, they remained separated by their inabilities (or unwillingness) to understand one another. Merritt has the right instincts when it comes to exposing the vagaries of human relationships, and though his novel's structure is unruly, Merritt crafts a thorough emotional examination of a couple who spend their lives side by side while managing to remain unknown to one another. (Oct.)