BookSpin Review

The Girl Behind the Door: A Father's Quest to Understand his Daughter's Suicide
by John Brooks
Scribner
Hardcover

Many of us have been touched by the tragedy of suicide --whether it is a friend, a relative, or an acquaintance. When someone chooses to end their own life, it is difficult for those left behind to deal with the reality and all the emotions.

John Brooks and his wife Erika adopted Casey at fourteen months of age in Poland.  Their story is fraught with emotional twists and turns from the beginning -- we follow along as they navigate the adoption process in Eastern Europe; deal with a baby with apparent emotional issues, and learn to compromise with a difficult teenager.

The door of the title is Casey's bedroom door and the door is a literal and metaphoric barrier between her and her parents.

There is no getting around that this story is a sad one.  Thankfully, John Brooks has crafted the narrative in such a way as to try and help others with what his family discovered about mental health issues.  Perhaps you or someone you love can benefit from their wake-up call.

My heart was broken by their story but I'm glad I  learned about Casey.  This is a very important book, please share.

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