Passion and Pathology Meet in Nora Roberts’ The Obsession

The tragedy of learning that our parents are not who we think they are is only compounded by realizing, as we grow older, that people seek to define us by our parents’ achievements—and their crimes. Reading about the early days of Naomi’s childhood following the terrible incident in the woods was fascinating, and Roberts does an excellent job of portraying the aftermath of a scenario we’ve seen splattered across newspaper pages in harsh black ink. The Obsession is not only a reflection on the habits of killers stalking their prey, but on society’s obsession with trauma: how we latch on to these crimes and sensationalize them, feed off of the pain of survivors and family members, turn them against one another as those thought to be loyal betray them for profit, and then funnel that terror into cold, hard cash by turning these heinous crimes into books and movies—all of which happens to Naomi as she, her younger brother, and traumatized mother seek to start over (and start over again and again and again, each time some terrible reminder of her father’s crimes sends them reeling).
By the time we meet the adult Naomi, who has just purchased a large house in Washington State, seeking yet another fresh start, she seems remarkably well-adjusted for someone who has suffered as she has. She is alone, though, by choice and by nature—unwilling to let anyone other than family close to her for fear of exploitation or deception. Roberts populates Naomi’s world with some quirky side characters, a delightful shift from earlier days spent with a mother who could never really get over their family’s devastating betrayal. There’s Kevin, the brawny and funny contractor and his wife Jenny; Loo, the surly yet affectionate local bar owner; and Tag, the dog who shows up on the side of the road begging for Naomi’s love when she doubts she has any of it to give.
By the time I was introduced to Xander, the local auto shop owner and Naomi’s love interest, I was wondering whether the rest of the novel would be a swoony romantic comedy about two people who fall in love amidst the roars of hammers, nails and saws as Naomi’s new house was ripped down and put back together, just like her heart.
But of course, a twist was coming, and when it did, I was ready. (It’s only fun when things are smooth sailing in life, not in books.) Soon Naomi’s past collides with her present and the drama and suspense picks up the pace, accented by interludes from the point of view of a mysterious murderer.
As Naomi, Xander, and her brother Mason—now an FBI investigator targeting serial killers, and one I wouldn’t mind reading about in a spinoff novel!—narrow down their list of targets, I was suspicious of everyone, including all of the good folks Naomi had met and integrated so seamlessly into her new life. (It’s the New Yorker in me to always be suspicious of nice people.) Watching Naomi and Xander fall for one another amidst the intrigue was refreshing, with some lovely moments (“You should always wear sunshine” made me smile) but reading The Obsession, I found myself the most obsessed with unraveling the “Whodunnit” of the latter half of the novel.
With an ending that was wholly satisfying, The Obsession delivers on the quintessential Nora Roberts promise: an engaging read with a captivating premise, well-paced romance, and a happily-ever-after worthy of her reputation.
The Obsession is in stores now.