This was part of my Christmas book pile, selected due to the endorsement by Susan Juby (Mindful of Murder). There seems to be a cohort of local children’s authors who are moving into light adult fiction, and this novel is part of that wave. It seemed like a nice light read and it was that for sure.
As the title suggests, our main characters are people who have snapped – ordinary and good people who have done something in an act of rage and madness that has landed them in trouble with the law or society or both. The main character is Frances (a children’s author, so a bit of autobiography) who, after pushing back and down on several difficulties in her private life, loses it on a lippy teenager during a school visit; in today’s world, no such act goes undocumented, and soon the video is online, and she is being a) cancelled and b) charged with assault. As part of a mandated anger management program and period of community service, she meets and befriends two others with similar stories – in a period of personal turmoil, they snapped and are a paying the price. Through their mutual rehabilitation, they help each other sort out their lives, and along the way form enduring bonds of friendship and the strength to move through their traumas and tragedies.
This was a highly enjoyable read. While predictable in many ways, there are also several surprises that keep the pages turning, and the characters are both comfortable and complex. I also enjoyed the Vancouver settings, with my own reminiscences of friends, love, and adventure in these neighbourhoods.
Fate: will pass along to another Vancouver reader.
4 – published in 2025
8 – female author
20 – one word title
25 – new author to me
33 – Canadian
rclr 
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