A poignant, charming novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined

Looking at real estate isn’t usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can’t fix up their own marriage. There’s a wealthy banker who has been too busy making money to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can’t seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in

the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment’s only bathroom, and you’ve got the worst group of hostages in the world.

Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises, these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in a motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next.

Humorous, compassionate, and wise, Anxious People is an ingeniously constructed story about the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope—the things that save us, even in the most anxious of times.

 

I needed an audio book to listen to while driving and this was available. I knew nothing about it, but decided if I didn’t like it I could always return it to the library.

I never even considered it — this book hooked me from the beginning and even when it felt like it might be start rambling or get ridiculous, the author brought the story back around to keep it on track and moving forward. Though it was heartbreaking — the book includes references to suicide and depression — but it also made me laugh out loud numerous times (it reminds me of the TV show Mom, dealing with serious issues but reminding us that there can still be humor in life.

I really had no idea where this story was going to go. Backman introduced several unique characters, but nothing is really what you expect. The twists happen completely naturally and instead of feeling lost or confused, I found myself anxiously waiting to see which direction the story would go next.

My favorite kind of book — one that makes you laugh and cry (and includes several suicide support group names and numbers at the end).

PG-13 for mature themes (I don’t believe there was any/very much swearing). Get your copy here!