A House Like an Accordion

Billionaire Keryth’s hand vanishes one morning, sending her on a desperate quest to track her father down through the half-forgotten surreal homes of her childhood. Keryth’s father steals reality by sketching it into his book. Now, the question is why he would want to take her after decades of silence. Burges’s latest is more magical than The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone. Still, this world feels more muted, centering on Keryth’s emotional journey to accept she deserves her life, her talent, and her family. While Keryth interacts with many people, including her husband and precocious children, her ex-boyfriend, and her deceased but digitized father-in-law, her journey is private until the final pages. Rebecca Lowman reflects this interiority, offering a subdued narration of Keryth. Other characters, such as Keryth’s daughters or ex–best friend Erma, dot the story with more energy and drama. Lowman alternates narration with Mark Bramhill, who reads the ephemera between chapters. He’s lively and often folksy as he shares newspaper articles, letters, and diary entries but can dip into true sorrow when needed.