Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman: A Book Recommendation

Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman

Turtle Moon is hands down one of my favorite books of all time.

This is a multiple-POV story where each character’s arc affects the other characters, sometimes in completely unexpected ways.

There’s a lot of focus on Keith, “the meanest boy in Verity” (Verity being the small Floridian town that these characters gravitate to for one reason or another).

Keith finds himself privy to a neighbor’s murder and realizes that their baby is all alone in the world. He takes the baby and runs, which leads to a murder mystery laced with magical realism.

Alice Hoffman’s prose kept me spellbound from start to finish! Hoffman is best known for Practical Magic but not many people know about Turtle Moon. I hope with all my heart that that changes over time.

He knew even at an early age of seven, how dangerous it was for someone like him to have hope. He knows how to have no expectations. He can completely control not just what he wants, but what he needs.
Alice Hoffman, Turtle Moon

If you’re giving Turtle Moon as a gift, here are a few things to consider:

The vibes are sensual, mysterious, adventurous, emotional, and dark with a medium pace.

It’s the perfect book for anyone who loves a good mystery with multiple POVs and some light magical realism.

Permission to judge a book by its cover!

Published in 1992, I’ve found about half a dozen different covers for Turtle Moon. You can find some of the older editions on marketplaces such as Etsy. The Floridian cherubs cover is from valerietylerco. BebeFamVintage carried this gorgeous signed edition. OldBookSource is offering the more popular cover with the tall trees.