The Third Hotel | Laura van den Berg

My review of Laura van den Berg’s The Third Hotel ran today in the Providence Journal.

In her second novel, van den Berg has written a deeply moving, psychological ghost story. It’s a real knockout. A woman, recently widowed, attends a film festival in Havana, Cuba. When wandering the streets of the city, she stumbles upon her dead husband, seemingly alive and well in a crisp, white linen suit.

The Third Hotel refines many of the themes introduced in van den Berg’s previous novel, Find Me, and it’s a huge leap forward in my opinion. A perfect balance of mystery, humor and pathos and a pleasure to read.