A beautiful story of communal passion, loss, and grief, Sycamore is full of deeply actualized characters, each with their own compelling voice and connection to Jess's disappearance - even if that connection isn't immediately clear. Though the heart of the novel is the question surrounding Jess's disappearance and the discovery of bones 18 years later, it would be a mistake to label this book merely a mystery. It's less about "what happened" or "whodunit" than it is about how small, seemingly disconnected moments can lead to one life-changing event and how that event has echoes far beyond what would be expected. When you do find out what happened, it's just as heartrending and needless as all that preceded it would suggest.