Hollow Spaces, the title of Victor Suthammanont’s debut novel, refers to the emptiness created by emotions such as grief, anger and at times even love.
It’s been 30 years since Brennan and Hunter Lo’s father, John, was acquitted of murdering his lover, they were young children. Yet, for the last 30 years, the unresolved question of whether he was actually guilty or not has divided them.
Brennan only saw the good in her father while Hunter saw only the bad. Their mother, who was betrayed by her husband’s infidelity, did little to help either of her children work through their feelings. Instead, the siblings, who had rarely gotten along, decide to look for the answers to determine whether John was guilty of murder or not. Agreed is the concession that one will acknowledge the other was right all along.
Many witnesses are no longer alive and old police records not easily accessible. Still, they embark on their own private investigation. Brennan’s an attorney; Hunter is a journalist. They’re both adept at research.
Along the way, they receive threats from unknown sources to quit pursuing their search. This makes them suspect they’re on to something.
The narrative is fast paced and characters are well developed, if not always likeable. Brennan comes across as condescending and Hunter is arrogant. Nonetheless, their efforts to know more about the circumstances that tore their family apart all those years ago are intriguing and compelling. In the process they discover they have more in common than once believed.
Hollow Spaces
Three-and-three-quarters Bookmarks
Counterpoint, 2025
374 pages, includes acknowledgements
The Blue Page Special 
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