Review: A Place to Lodge by George Sanchez

An international hunt for a missing man turns into a breakneck whirlwind of intrigue and sinister stalking in A Place to Lodge by George Sanchez.

Years earlier, Jeff came across the Atlantic in search of Bryna, but the tables have turned, and now she is the one to jet off to Europe and locate her vanished partner, along with a dynamic posse of interlinked pals and in-laws. What follows is a manic mash-up of frenetic sightseeing, narrow escapes from mysterious men, vulnerable moments of self-reflection, and more than a few vicious hangovers, drawing this wild bunch of revelers and investigators ever closer to their kidnapped friend. However, rescuing him is only the beginning – getting Jeff safely back to the States without losing his love forever is an entirely separate challenge that Bryna has to face.

The story unfolds in the form of journal entries from both Bryna and Jeff, giving a comprehensive view of the twisted events of this story – the misconceptions, betrayals, secrets, and half-truths. This format makes the reading experience distinctly voyeuristic, a fact that Sanchez clearly understands and leans into with his innuendo-laced action. Bryna’s more disloyal and adulterous habits are frequently mentioned, and apparently hard to break even while searching for her missing husband, adding an extra layer of emotional complexity to an already problematic situation.

While some of these more intimate details add character depth, they also make Bryna a somewhat less sympathetic character, particularly her line-crossing behavior with Charley. Additionally, some of Bryna’s sneaking suspicions, namely that people in other parts of the world know her, aren’t always justified by the narration or dialogue in a given scene. Her heightened spider sense in the airport on the way to customs, for example, turns out to be correct, but the preceding scene doesn’t seem to warrant her reaction.

The narration spills out of Bryna in a compelling and energetic stream, but the uncensored flow of thoughts, tangents, and asides can be difficult to track, often obscuring the plot progress in a flood of internal comments, redirections, and clarifications. There are even some instances where the author barely disguises the breaking of the fourth wall, e.g., “Explain later.” These comments humanize the narrator’s disjointed recollections, but they are also disruptive to the flow of the story.

The dialogue can be similarly tough to follow, as character distinctions are often dropped, so it becomes unclear who is speaking, forcing the reader to backtrack and slowing the pace of the prose. There are also surprising jump cuts in the writing, switching settings and leaping forward rapidly, even in the space of a single line break. This can rob readers of the details of how a tangle or obstacle in the scene was overcome. On the purely technical side, there are plenty of misspelled words, singular/plural disagreements, tense inconsistencies, and an overabundance of ellipses, among other proofreading issues.

That said, there are many other smooth and slick passages of prose, along with consistent colloquial phrasing and idiomatic gems that easily immerse readers. Essentially, the prose needs a fine-toothed proofread, more discernment regarding internal monologues and dialogue, and greater plot focus to heighten the emotional stakes. The bones of the novel are powerful and entertaining in terms of both plot and character, but the execution falters fairly often, so readers may not fully absorb each facet of the novel’s original premise.