Book Review: Long Bright River | Liz Moore

This is book #9/20 (#14 overall) that I read this year. It was published on January 7, 2020 and counts toward my 20 for 2020 challenge. My review will be spoiler free.

I really liked this book! I found the mystery to be very interesting. There were several mini twists along the way that I thought were really effective. I wouldn't say that I was on the edge of my seat, but I was very interested throughout. I think the twists made sense, even though I didn't see most of them coming. I like that the main character didn't annoy me. I feel like in mystery/thrillers it's easy for the main character to make a bunch of dumb decisions, but I didn't find that to be the case here. I liked hearing about Mickey's inner conflict and struggles. I think she was compassionate and grounded. She was very understanding and non-judgmental about the struggles of the city she patrols which we learn comes from what she's been through with her sister. She's not perfect. She makes some bad decisions that anyone would make but generally owns up to them. I enjoyed learning more about the relationships between her and her sister and the rest of the family. I think the side characters are also fairly well developed, and the ties between all of the characters are really interesting. I liked getting an insight into this town, and seeing how the opioid crisis affected each character in the book differently, and how drastic of an effect if had on everyone in the community.

I do have some comments though on ways I think the book could have been improved, (or at least how my enjoyment could have improved). I think there were some discussions that could have been elaborated on, specifically in regard to the missing women and their relationship to the police department. I think the police involvement in the story is very underdeveloped. I think in general there also wasn't as much police involvement or clue reveals as there typically are in these types of books. It was more focused on the family relationships and the impact that drug addiction can have on a community. I think focusing a little bit more on finding clues and keeping up with police developments would have helped in keeping the thrill and suspense factor, and would have directly tied the main character to the criminal investigations. Conversations about the police involvement were also important to the overall themes and messages of the story so I think these should have been developed a little more.

I wouldn't say that I really had any emotional highs or lows while reading. I was interested in the story, but I wouldn't say that I was emotionally invested or affected. I also think the climax is a big let down.

So overall, I really liked the book. I liked the mystery and the family relationships and gaining insight into how addiction can affect a family and community. I wouldn't say I was on the edge of my seat, but that's okay because there were many other elements that kept me interested. I would rate this book a 3.5/5 stars. Have you read this book? I'd love to hear your thoughts down below!