The Day My Mother Died: A Mystery Novel
An unspeakable tragedy leaves both of Jimmy Miller’s parents dead and Jimmy in juvenile detention. After his release, Jimmy puts miles, continents, and years between himself and his seemingly idyllic New Jersey hometown.
Finally settled in Costa Rica, Jimmy is found by Dillon, his childhood best friend, and the two quickly fall back into old rhythms. At the airport, Dillon apologizes for what he thinks is his part in the death of Jimmy’s parents. Jimmy is stunned, but instead of assuring his friend that none of what happened was Dillon’s fault, Jimmy freezes, and Dillon turns to go.
Three weeks later Hurricane Sandy turns their hometown into a disaster zone.
Three weeks after that Dillon is murdered.
Jimmy gets on a plane and goes home.
He finds a town ready to lock up a childhood classmate for Dillon’s murder even though the crime itself makes no sense. A jailhouse visit convinces Jimmy the classmate is innocent and leaves him determined to find the real killer. In his search, he learns that old friends and neighbors have unimaginable secrets, and that even though he watched his mother die, he understood only a small part of what actually happened.
But Dillon’s real killer?
Plot/Idea: 8 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Prose: 8 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 8.25 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The Day My Mother Died is a compelling mystery about an ex-con who finds himself back home under circumstances almost as bad as the reasons he left in the first place. Jimmy Miller finds himself hip-deep in long-buried secrets and must solve his friend's murder between pummeling from locals who will do anything to get him to leave the lies alone.
Prose: Costa's prose is punchy, yet vivid, and to the point, and he builds dread from page one, even when describing innocuous surroundings.
Originality: While some aspects of the plot are familiar, Costa's storyline proves alluring and keeps readers guessing throughout.
Character/Execution: Jimmy Miller is driven by his past and sees the world through decidedly black humor, an understandable coping mechanism given what he endured as an adolescent. As a protagonist, he's driven, brave, and entirely root-able. The other characters are equally vivid and fleshed-out, and though his mother is killed in the first chapter, her death looms large over the rest of the book, as does the memory of his late father. Costa is especially skilled in showing the gray layers in such flawed men and women.
Date Submitted: July 29, 2024
