Signal Fires is a quiet, beautifully written novel about a family torn apart and put back together by shared tragedy. When Sarah and Theo are teenagers, they are in a car crash with their dear friend. She dies as a result, and the family never speaks of it again. 

That was 1985, and now Shapiro guides us deftly through a non-linear chronology to tell the story of each family member and of a family across the street. This is a book about human connections and the whispers between us, not necessarily the shouts. The writing reminds me of Celeste Ng and once I settled into it, I was engrossed. 

I wished for just a bit more at the end, although I can't say just what. Maybe more emotion, maybe more resolution, maybe more drama. Whatever the case, I thought this was beautiful and I'll happily dive into Shapiro's backlist.