“Fully realized characters, a remarkable fluency of language, wit, and an extensive comprehension of French culture and history make this literary novel a stellar achievement.” – Kirkus Review (starred review) — full review here.
“Interested in the difficult journeys we make as we encounter life’s sometimes terrifying, often unfair challenges, Carpenter gives much here that will resonate powerfully with readers. A promising and impressive work that in many places is riveting.” – Library Journal (starred review).
What it’s about: At fifty-two, psychiatrist Philip Adler is divorced, alone, and gutted of passion. When a funeral draws him back to his ex-wife’s homeland of France, the trip reunites him with a trauma he has struggled to forget: the brutal death of his teenage daughter fifteen years earlier. Prodded by his former brother-in-law and stirred by the unspent embers of his marriage, he embarks on a mission to resolve lingering questions about this past, hoping to heal himself along the way. The search leads to a disturbed man who may hold more answers than anyone expects — if only Philip can hear what he’s trying to say.
A suspenseful literary novel set in the lush backgrounds of Normandy, Theory of Remainders explores the secret ties between love, trauma, and language.
Click here to view photos associated with scenes from the book.
The Press:
A Midwest Connections “Pick” — Midwest Independent Booksellers’ Association
“Fully realized characters, a remarkable fluency of language, wit, and an extensive comprehension of French culture and history make this literary novel a stellar achievement.” – Kirkus Review (starred review) — full review here.
“Interested in the difficult journeys we make as we encounter life’s sometimes terrifying, often unfair challenges, Carpenter gives much here that will resonate powerfully with readers. A promising and impressive work that in many places is riveting.” – Library Journal (starred review).
“Language and mystery intertwine in Minnesotan Scott Dominic Carpenter’s compelling debut novel, “Theory of Remainders,” a fast-paced, well-written story that is a perfect summer read for thinking people.” – Mary Ann Grossmann, St. Paul Pioneer Press
“This not only should be on your must-read list, it should be on your read it again and again one. It is poetry, suspense, life-changing reader revelation. Nothing I have read in the last three or four years even comes close.” – John Lehman, Rosebud Book Reviews
“Carpenter does a masterful job of conjuring a complicated psychological and cultural landscape. The exotic locale only heightens the mystery, as Carpenter dips into regional history to show how an entire town can be shaped by the burden of grief.” — Amy Goetzman, MinnPost
Named a “Bound to Please” title, and praised as “a tautly written page-turner with rich imagery and an absorbing plot.” — Reach Magazine
“This beautifully written psychological thriller does more than keep us on the edge of our seat. Theory of Remainders explores the nature of familial relationships–how essential they are to our humanity, and how difficult it is to survive their loss. Scott Dominic Carpenter is an extraordinarily gifted writer, one from whom we look forward to seeing more.” — Alice LaPlante, author of Turn of Mind (a New York Times “Editor’s Choice”).
“Every so often a reader comes upon a book that welcomes him like an old friend. The words flow, and the characters become real so quickly and easily that before you know it you are fully engrossed in the tale. Such is the case with Scott Dominic Carpenter’s Theory of Remainders, a rare and wondrous novel.” — Readers’ Favorite
“Theory of Remainders challenged me to examine words, to puzzle through conversations and scenes, to rely on the thought process rather than tangible evidence. That engagement of the reader sets this novel apart… For anyone who values a literary novel of substantial depth in character development, language, sense of place and reader engagement, Theory of Remainders ranks as a must-read.” — Audrey Kletscher Helbling, Minnesota Prairie Roots.
“Carpenter creates an incredible sense of place as he evokes Normandy and its people. The writing, elegant and subtle, draws the reader into this thoroughly gripping tale.” — Tripp Ryder, President, Midwest Independent Booksellers’ Association
“There are no easy solutions when trauma is at the heart of the story. Scott Dominic Carpenter’s Theory of Remainders provides the reader with an emotionally rich portrayal of the experience of loss that looks past easy solutions and instead digs deep into human connections.” — Alison Feigh, Jacob Wetterling Resource Center
“Hair-raising… [certain scenes] call to mind the erudite exchanges with Hannibal Lecter in Thomas Harris’ series of novels.” – Jeff Pieters, Rochester Post-Bulletin.
“Like a chess master lining up his pieces for the checkmate, Carpenter expertly places the variables of this mystery. It’s an imaginative tour of the mind via language and landscape.” – Nathan Bergstedt, Grand Rapids Herald-Review.
“As Adler, who is a tall American, travels the back roads of Normandy in a tiny rental Smart Car — a metaphor for the carefully restricted life Adler has been leading since the death of his daughter — the reader is skillfully led not only through the French landscape, but the inner landscapes of the characters.” Frances Edstrom, Winona Post.