by Nichelle Seely
Debut novel a thoughtful, well-written entry in the murder mystery genre
If we think of a machine as anything whose purpose it is to do work, then a book is such a thing. An engine to produce meaning, emotion, sometimes delight. We literary fiction types go to great lengths to hide the engine’s inner workings, but the appeal of genre writing, to me at least, is the joy the reader takes in the movement of its parts.
Not usually my kind of thing, as the author of “Memory of a Murder” would be the first to tell you. (Disclaimer: Nichelle Seely is a friend.) Even so, I found myself absorbed by this debut novel, a murder mystery set in Astoria, Washington. It is a misty place, evocatively drawn—perfect for the concealment of secrets built on the legacy of trauma.
As is pretty much standard in police procedurals these days, the protagonist/narrator is damaged goods, but her particular flaw gives the novel its special crime-solving twist, one that will no doubt fuel future titles in the series.
In these pages, we step deeply into the mind of this disgraced police detective turned private investigator, the shrewd particulars of her problem-solving, the unfortunate recent incidents that continue to plague her.
“Memory of a Murder” is an excellent read, a thoughtful, well-written entry in the murder mystery genre. I look forward to future titles in the series. { Cross-posted at goodreads. }