I've got to hand it to Liane Moriarty. Just when I think I've seen it all, she comes along and completely surprises me with this sparkling and startling gem of a tale.
Joy Delaney, beloved wife and mother of four, has disappeared. Her adult children are rightfully aghast, but they're reluctant to report her missing. Because they know the prime suspect will be their father, and they're not really sure of his innocence. When the police start asking questions, it quickly becomes clear everyone in the family has stories to tell and secrets to hide. And before it's all over, everything will be revealed and laid bare.
I've really been enjoying stories about dysfunctional families lately, and this is such a superb one. The four siblings are all trying to figure out if their father could've really murdered their mother, and if so, which side would they be on? It's a fascinating premise, and the progression of the story captures all of the nuanced facets that this dilemma would bring to the family.
What I've always admired about Moriarty's writing is her sharp and astute observations of people and their flaws. She has this ability to peel back the layers of family relationships and what it means to be human, and to expose everything ugly and beautiful within, while injecting just that right dose of humor. This book hits upon tender subjects that everyone would recognize as familiar, yet instead of making me cry, it made me laugh.
Needless to say, I found this whole thing to be utterly riveting and unputdownable. The characters are memorable, the strife feels all too real, and the dialogue is snappy. I devoured it in just a few days. While the mystery isn't the core of this book, there were still plenty of revelations along the way that kept me surprised and delighted.
Liane Moriarty is back! This seemingly simple tale of dysfunctional families and relationships, of people's flaws and the messiness of their lives, of unmet expectations and unspoken dreams, hit all the right notes for me. It feels like Moriarty's last two books have been a little bit off of her true form. But with this one, she again returns to the pinnacle of her craft.
Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!
My heartfelt thanks for the advance copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.
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