What are the qualities that make some mysteries better than others? Liz Moore’s Long Bright River offers some clues.
- The main plot reflects bigger themes in the story: Long Bright River is about the devastation of drug addiction. Specifically it is about two sisters, Mickey and Kasey, who are born to teenage addicts. Their childhood is fractured when one parent dies and the other can’t care for them. Mickey becomes a beat cop in part to keep an eye on her sister, who becomes homeless as a result of her own addiction. When the main plot opens, young women are turning up dead. There are standard procedural elements: corpses discovered, precinct politics. But this story also reflects the protagonist’s inner struggle. The case is both professional and personal.
- The setting is both particular and universal: The story is set in a neighborhood in Philadelphia called Kensington. It is vividly rendered: the river, the two main avenues, the Eagles fans. Take away the specifics, though, and this could be any number of working class communities ravaged by globalization and opiods. While it is the story of one place, it really is about larger societal issues.
- There are personal stakes in the outcome: As young women begin dying, the tension rises for Mickey. She must not only solve the case, but protect her sister as well. Mickey has a shot at a happy life with her young son which could easily be derailed by the events. I found myself really rooting for them.
- Social commentary is subtle: The author has some things to say about tensions between the police and residents. She wisely lets the reader decide for themselves. There is a scene early on when Mickey and her partner go to a coffeeshop. It is one of those hipster places that gentrify declining areas. The baristas are not very respectful to Mickey and her old-school partner. There is some effective subtext about differing class attitudes towards the police. How you react will tell you something about your own social location.
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