The Mother

March 7, 2016
Edwards (A Cupboard Full of Coats) delves into the hyperactive mind of Marcia Williams as she struggles to process the recent murder of her 16-year-old son, Ryan, and find closure in an ocean of grief. Composed primarily of daily court proceedings and Marcia’s internal search for meaning, the novel is evocatively claustrophobic. As neglected details of the case begin to emerge, Marcia’s circular ruminations become increasingly seductive. The smallest facts begin to take on great importance as potential keys to Ryan’s death, though Marcia reminds herself that the “what-ifs are infinite, a useless spiral stairway descending straight into hell.” Marcia has been resentfully avoiding Sweetie—the young woman with whom Ryan had been involved. But after this initial aversion wears away, Sweetie shows herself to be crucial in understanding Ryan’s final days. The trial of Ryan’s accused killer, Tyson Manley, which at first seems as if it will result in an easy murder conviction, is complicated by Sweetie’s testimony and the shocking new evidence she brings to light. In this memorable story of strength in the aftermath of violent tragedy, Edwards paints a close, vivid portrait of a mother’s unrelenting mission to avoid anger and blame, instead finding real justice and necessary closure.