Who Would Like This Book:
Long Bright River is a powerful blend of literary fiction, suspense, and family drama, set against the gritty realism of Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood during the opioid crisis. The story’s biggest strengths are its unflinching portrayal of addiction, nuanced family relationships (especially between sisters), and realistic, flawed characters that feel both authentic and deeply human. If you’re drawn to books that deftly navigate tough topics like addiction, trauma, and social class, or if you love character-driven mysteries with emotional depth (think fans of Tana French or crime dramas like Mare of Easttown), this one is for you. The writing is sharp and immersive, with a storyline that keeps you guessing and a setting that feels vividly real.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found the pace a bit slow, especially at the start, and felt the focus leans more toward family drama than traditional thrillers or fast-paced mysteries. The book’s style - such as the lack of quotation marks for dialogue - threw a few people off, and the bleak, heavy subject matter can be emotionally taxing. If you’re looking for a straight-up, twisty detective story, or prefer lighter reads, this might not be your cup of tea.
About:
Long Bright River by Liz Moore is a gripping and multi-faceted story that delves into the lives of two sisters, Mickey and Kacey, set against the backdrop of Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood. Mickey, a dedicated police officer, is on a frantic search for her missing sister Kacey, who is caught in the throes of addiction and living on the streets. As Mickey navigates the gritty world of drug dealers and crime, the story weaves between past and present, unraveling the complexities of their family history and the challenges they face. The writing style is described as beautifully narrated, eloquent, and emotionally charged, capturing the dark realities of addiction and the bond between the two sisters.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include addiction, violence, trauma, and themes related to death and abuse, necessitating strong content warnings for sensitive readers.
From The Publisher:
ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR, PARADE, REAL SIMPLE, and BUZZFEED
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK
"[Moore's] careful balance of the hard-bitten with the heartfelt is what elevates Long Bright River from entertaining page-turner to a book that makes you want to call someone you love." - The New York Times Book Review
"This is police procedural and a thriller par excellence, one in which the city of Philadelphia itself is a character (think Boston and Mystic River). But it's also a literary tale narrated by a strong woman with a richly drawn personal life - powerful and genre-defying." - People
"A thoughtful, powerful novel by a writer who displays enormous compassion for her characters. Long Bright River is an outstanding crime novel… I absolutely loved it."
-Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Girl on the Train
Two sisters travel the same streets, though their lives couldn't be more different. Then one of them goes missing.
In a Philadelphia neighborhood rocked by the opioid crisis, two once-inseparable sisters find themselves at odds. One, Kacey, lives on the streets in the vise of addiction. The other, Mickey, walks those same blocks on her police beat. They don't speak anymore, but Mickey never stops worrying about her sibling.
Then Kacey disappears, suddenly, at the same time that a mysterious string of murders begins in Mickey's district, and Mickey becomes dangerously obsessed with finding the culprit-and her sister-before it's too late.
Alternating its present-day mystery with the story of the sisters' childhood and adolescence, Long Bright River is at once heart-pounding and heart-wrenching: a gripping suspense novel that is also a moving story of sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that persist between place, family, and fate.
Ratings (49)
Incredible (8) | |
Loved It (22) | |
Liked It (10) | |
It Was OK (8) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (110):
Read It (52) | |
Want To Read (44) | |
Did Not Finish (2) | |
Not Interested (12) |
3 comment(s)
****4.5****
Raised by the grandmother, Mickey and Kasey Fitzgerald have taken different and opposite paths. Mickey joins the local police and patrols Kensington neighborhood. Kasey mixed up with bad crowd is a prostitute and a drug addict now. Though not on talking terms, both the sisters love each other. Mickey always looks for Kasey in the neighbourhood just to know that Kasey is still safe.
Suddenly there starts rash murders of homeless, drug addict prostitutes and Mickey is worried. Kasey has disappeared and Mickey finds herself in her worst nightmares. Mickey is caught up in Murder mystery, Family and work politics, old backstories on her way to find her missing sister.
“I wouldn’t listen. I wanted everything to stay as it was. I was more afraid of the truth than the lie. The truth would change the circumstances of my life. The lie was static. The lie was peaceful. I was happy with the lie.”
Liz Moore has done a good job with very good quiet narration which also deals with woman's struggles at work, family abuse etc. A murder mystery weaved through a heart breaking story of two sisters.
Happy reading!!!
1.5 stars. Hard to get thru. Boring plot, boring one-dimensional characters. Predictable
(4.5 stars) I am so glad I selected this book. As a lover of mystery, this story was flawless. The answers weren’t obvious, and there were plenty of red herrings. Each character has a strong personality, and everyone was equally lovable and frustrating. My only qualm with the story was that I wanted a flashier ending with more “after” information. However, the character development was strong enough that I can imagine possible scenarios for future fake chapters.
Overall, this story was moving and emotional; it humanized a group of people who are often forgotten or disregarded. The story called attention to many systemic problems with the police force and the power officers can have over others. I absolutely recommend this
What can you read after
Long Bright River?
About the Author:
Liz Moore is the author of the acclaimed novels Heft and The Unseen World. A winner of the 2014 Rome Prize in Literature, she lives in Philadelphia.
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