Long bright river

October 14, 2019
Moore (The Unseen World) weaves a police procedural and a family drama into a captivating novel. Mickey Fitzpatrick, a single mother, is an officer for the Philadelphia PD, tasked with patrolling Kensington, a neighborhood devastated by opioid addiction. Drugs have impacted Mickey’s life as well: her mother died of an overdose, her father, also an addict, is thought dead after disappearing, and her estranged younger sister, Kasey, is a known user and prostitute. While on her beat, Mickey tries to keep tabs on Kasey by speaking to locals and shop owners, but when Kasey vanishes amid a flurry of unsolved murders of women in the neighborhood, Mickey dedicates herself to finding Kasey and the killer, all the while praying her sister isn’t the next victim. Moore breaks her novel into sections labeled “Then” and “Now,” filling each with short, direct chapters that explore Mickey and Kasey’s history while also propelling the narrative’s murder mystery. The author presents several characters as the potential killer, and though seasoned readers may guess the culprit long before the reveal, Mickey’s personal journey that runs parallel to her pursuit is smartly crafted. Filled with strong characters and a layered plot, this will please fans of both genre and literary fiction.

Moore's heartbreaking story centers on family, addiction, and forgiveness. Alternating between present day and flashbacks, narrator Allyson Ryan expertly engages listeners. Mickey Fitzpatrick is a hardworking police officer who is trying to provide for her son. Raised by her grandmother after losing her parents to drugs, Mickey couldn't be more different from her estranged sister, Kacey, who lives on the streets, doing anything for her next fix. When Kacey goes missing, Mickey tries to save her. Ryan creates compelling distinctions between the characters and between the time periods, beautifully voicing the bleak reality of addiction, fear and hope for the future, and the powerful bond that exists between sisters, even in the darkest moments. K.S.M. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine