This is the first time I've read Liz Moore's work but it certainly won't be the last. "Long Bright River" is a tale of deprivation, addiction, love, loss and family. The writing is eloquent and some passages strike you in the heart. I devoured it and lost sleep reading well into the small hours. Moore provides an excellent and considered exploration of what makes us who we are.

I chose this book based on a review from someone whose reading tastes cover the same range as mine. I don't read many modern mystery/thrillers (preferring more "literary fiction", whatever that means) - this one is not so much a procedural but also covers many issues such as opioid addiction and its effects on individuals and families. However that's all done in a very easy to read, fast-moving way. And although there weren't any particularly graphic crime details or violence, there were still exciting moments where you feel that the main character is definitely in peril.

I gave it 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, but on reflection I should probably have rounded up!

Would I recommend it to a friend? Would I read something else by Liz Moore? Yes, definitely, to both questions.

I haven’t read another book like this. Focusing on the family and community around addiction, Long Bright River is immersive, suspenseful, moving and smart. Well written and well plotted. Mickey is a compelling narrator – I related to her, rooted for her and believed her mistakes (well, there was one bit at the end that had my eyes rolling, but… it was fairly minor in the relation to the whole). 
I was invested from the outset and had a hard time putting this one down and more so with each impressive twist as they appeared.  
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc to review.

An excellent story about two sisters very different lives that share a dangerous element that will bring their lives together in conflict. The story is set in a suburb of Philadelphia renowned for drug addicts and people living rough. A murderer has started to target homeless drug addicts and Mickey who works for Philadelphia PD is worried that her sister Kacey will be targeted. An interesting story which proved a most enjoyable read.

A challenging read with characters that are both flawed and interesting. Mickey appears to have risen from her difficult childhood but does not feel as though she has used the potential that her high school teacher saw in her. Her job as a police officer and her addicted sister bring her into contact with the people of Kensington in Philadelphia. Grandmother Gee is so weeklong written and her character is revealed throughout the novel. All is not as it seems. Liz Moore has written a book that is both detective. Story and family saga with a sharp look at how society affects people's live and the inequalities that make it so difficult for people to even survive.

At first I wasn't too sure about this but very quickly I became as hooked as the addicts featured in the story, desperate for my next fix.Two sisters, same tough, impoverished upbringing with a grandmother reeling from her daughter's death by overdose and emotionally compassionate as a rock, two very different paths chosen.
Mickey, goes one way, into the Philadelphia Police Department patrolling the run down, drug addled area known as Kensington.
The other sister, Kaycee, goes in the opposite direction into a life of addiction, crime and prostitution.
Mickey doesn't see her or speak to her but she always thinks of her and keeps a watchful eye. Which is why when a series of murders takes place, all victims with similar lifestyles to her sister's, Mickey is terrified it will be Kaycee who is next.
This is a harrowing story of love and how love can be seriously threatened and corrupted through drug taking. It is heart breaking to read how damaging addiction is and how hard it is to stand by and watch someone you love slowly die again and again.
I found the storyline tense, believable and full of suspicion. There are a few characters whose behaviour is worrying. Could the murderer be Simon, Mickey's ex? Could it be Kaycee's one time boyfriend and dealer/user Dock? Or could there be corruption with the police department that means the murderer is one of their own?
Kept me guessing, kept me reading, kept me appalled at how some people have to live and then after wringing me dry emotionally gave me some respite with a hopeful ending.
Well worth picking up and reading.

I’m sorry to say that this book was not a good choice for me personally. It is too gritty and depressing, set in the deprived areas of Philadelphia, and dealing with an opioid crisis. 
The particular style of narration does not work for me, it just does not bring the story to life. 
Altogether this proved too be too challenging a novel for me, though I’m sure it will appeal to many readers, as it is well written, and I recognise the hard work that the author has put into it. Unfortunately  I was unable to finish the book.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.

Two sisters, Mickey and Kacey, had a very strong bond as children. When their mother OD’d and their father became absent they were all the other had. As they grew up however they took very different paths. Mickey became a police officer and Kacey an addict.  

Set in a neighbourhood of Philadelphia known for drugs and prositution. When sex workers are found to have been murdered a homicide investigation is opened up and Mickey finds herself getting more involved than she should. She’s consumed with the need to find the murderer, before her sister becomes the next victim.

We’re only two weeks into 2020 and already this year has given us some great new releases, and this is one of them. I knew nothing going into this other than I had enjoyed the authors previous work and wanted to read more. This book is very different to anything I have read by her in both style and tone, but the quality was still there.

Long Bright River cleverly explores the issue of when crime and family are one in the same. In the ‘Then’ and ‘Now’ chapters we really come to sympthise and feel for the two sisters, whose relationship has changed so dramatically between the two.

As the main narrator is a police officer who patrols the streets of a neighbourhood whose residents are largely drug users. And because her sister is an addict herself. This book deals a lot with addiction. This makes it a hard and uncomfortable read, I found I had to put it down a couple of times to take a breather, but the pay out was worth it as it is very impactful. I felt the author’s portrayal of this issue was non-judgemental and very honest.

This book was constantly progressing. There are twists in both plot and theme that keeps the book interesting and flowing. It was suspenseful in both the mystery and emotional aspect and it was so unpredictable I couldn’t even guess what was going to happen on the next page.

Would I Read Again? Yes.
Would I Recommend? Yes.

Mickey Fitzpatrick ist Polizistin in Philadelphias zwielichtigem Bezirk Kensington, während ihre Schwester in der gleichen Gegend ein Leben zwischen Drogen und Prostitution fristet. Schon lange Zeit hatten sie keinen direkten Kontakt mehr, dabei waren sie als Mädchen quasi unzertrennlich. Sie wurden mehr schlecht als recht von der Großmutter in ärmlichen lieblosen Verhältnissen großgezogen, nachdem ihre, der Drogensucht verfallene Mutter, sie verlassen hat. In rückblickenden Kapiteln erfährt man, wie sich die Geschwister so unterschiedlich entwickeln konnten. Zum Anfang des Buches ist man emotional schnell in der Situation drin, wird sofort in die Ereignisse geworfen.

Immer wenn ein Einsatz rein kommt fürchtet Mickey doch eines Tages ihre Schwester als Opfer an der Einsatzstelle vorzufinden. So ist sie wieder mal besonders beunruhigt, als sie mit ihrem neuen Partner zu einer weiblichen Leiche gerufen wird. Doch es handelt sich um eine unbekannte Frau, deren Todesursache zunächst auch ungeklärt bleibt. Als einfache Streifenpolizistin ist Mickey trotz ihres großen persönlichen Interesses sowieso aus den meisten Informationen und den weiteren Ermittlungen ausgeschlossen. Doch dann werden zwei weitere Leichen von erwürgten Frauen gefunden, die vermutlich auch Prostituierte waren. Mickey wird immer besorgter um ihre Schwester. Und so nimmt sie selbst, obwohl sie kein Detective ist, Ermittlungen nach ihrem Verbleib auf. Mit dem Vergehen der Zeit wird die Suche nach ihr immer dringlicher. Sie riskiert zu viel bei der Recherche nach Kacey, die wahrscheinlich nicht mal gefunden werden will. Sie setzt ihre Arbeit, ihr Leben und die Sicherheit ihres 5-jährigen Sohnes Thomas aufs Spiel. Plötzlich geht es dann sogar um weit mehr. Sie gerät immer tiefer in den Schlamassel.   

Es folgen unerwartete Enthüllungen und Entwicklungen. Ein unglaublicher Verdacht entsteht und die Spannung steigert sich weiter bis zum Ende hin. Zum Schluss wird alles aufgeklärt. Das Buch hat mich mit seinem letzten Absatz nachdenklich zurückgelassen.

Aus eigener Anschauung gibt die Autorin einen harten realistischen und bestürzenden Einblick in die Welt der Drogen, der regionalen Polizei und der Prostitution. Sie zeigt auf wie schnell man über unüberlegt verschriebene Medikamente in die Abhängigkeit geraten kann, selbst als gut gebildeter und gut situierter Mensch. Ein großartiger Thriller und intensives Familiendrama voller überraschender Wendungen und überzeugenden Charakteren.

A very current crime / police novel that looks at the opioid epidemic in Philadelphia, from the point of view of Mickey, the ‘sensible‘ sister. Mickey is a cop and her sister is one of the addicted, on the streets. When women start getting murdered Mickey is determined to find out who is responsible.

I didn‘t predict the twist in the middle (no spoilers here, but not the whodunit one!) and I‘d like to see more of Mickey.... always a good sign!

3.5 stars

I am a HUGE fan of this author having devoured Heft and The Unseen World with high praise

There's a lot going on in this story and at first glance it might appear that this is just your average, run-of-the-mill mystery. However, I think the strength of this novel is the relationship between the sisters and how addiction tore them apart.

The sense of place was also done exceptionally well and I absolutely recommend reading it, especially the last 25%, but it didn’t quite reach the 4-star phase for me.  Perhaps it’s because I have read quite a few police procedurals lately and just was not in the right mind for another one.

Liz Moore is a solid 4-star author for me, and I love the fact that she has no formula when writing. Each of the three books I’ve read, are original and very different from each other, except for the fact that they are all well-written, intelligent and filled with flawed but intriguing and nuanced characters.

In the foreword Liz Moore shares with us her relationship with Kensington and it’s community. This connection to and empathy for people dealing with addiction is evident throughout the novel. Although Long Bright River very much fits into the suspense genre, for me this focus on the people and the place is what made the book stand out from the crowd.

The plot and twists are very well done, and I didn’t see any of them coming, BUT they were all realistic and formed a functional part of the storyline.

One of the strongest elements is the relationship between the two sisters. The difficulty in letting go and accepting that a younger sibling must make their own choices, if you’ve always been their protector is something that I’m familiar with, and I though the author did an excellent job describing this.

This is an ode to a long bright river of departed souls.

Recommended if you’re looking for a literary family drama or a police procedural.

The Story: Set in the opioid-soused Irish and Polish ghettos of Philadelphia, in which Mickey, a single cop, is looking for her missing sister, Kacey. When women start to turn up murdered, Mickey’s dormant familial instincts are roused.

★★★✰✰ 3.5 stars

“These girls, he says. He looks at me and puts one finger to his right temple, taps it twice. Stupid, is what he means. No sense.”

Set against the opioid crisis in Philadelphia Liz Moore's thought-provoking novel portrays the long-lasting and devastating effects of addiction. Focusing on the fraught relationship between two sisters, Moore shows the circumstances that can lead to addiction, parental negligence, and crime. Sadly, what had the potential of being a captivating tale is let down by an uneven structure and an undeveloped murder storyline.

The Good
The setting of this novel is strikingly rendered. Moore has done an amazing job in depicting both Philadelphia. The neighbourhood of Kensington, the area in which much of the story's action takes place, comes alive on Moore's pages. Kensington is reputed has having the highest rates of heroin use in the United States. On its streets there is crime, addiction, and prostitution. While Moore does capture its desperation, she also introduces us to some of its compassionate inhabitants. Readers get a nuanced yet unflinching look at this neighbourhood. There are entire families that fall into drugs. One's parents, one's uncles and aunts, and one's cousin. We understand how difficult it is to break this cycle. Nature and nurture are both to blame for the way in which many children follow the same pattern as their parents and lead a life of crime and addiction. Rather than just presenting us with a Hollywood version of an addict or a prostitute, Moore digs deeper. The people who Mickey encounters on her patrol come across as real people. So much so that readers are bound to feel a mixture of heartbreak and horror over them. Unsurprisingly Dennis Lehane has praised this novel. In many ways Moore's strong sense of place reminded me of his novels.
Another refreshing thing about Long Bright River is that it subverts the 'good sister/bad sister0 trope that has been oh-so-popular in recent years. The dynamic between Mickey and Kacey was complex and painfully believable. I certainly felt invested in their relationship and its outcome. The choices they make aren't always easy to understand but we are fully aware of the circumstances that have shaped them in such a way. Through flashbacks we see the way in which they slowly yet irrevocably drift apart and their past closeness becomes a thing of the past. Yet, in spite of their painful history, the two are bound to each other.
Having a family in Long Bright River is not an easy thing. Mickey's career path in the police department has made her into a persona non grata to most of her blood relatives. But, as readers soon will realise, this familial uneasiness runs both ways. Connections can be formed with unexpected people, such as Mickey does with her elderly neighbour (who was perhaps my favourite character in the entire novel).
I liked the ambivalence of Moore's story. There are no easy answers or solutions. People capable of violence or malice can also be capable of kindness.

The Not So Good Things
Mickey's staccato narration takes some getting used to. While I do understand that if her internal monologue or descriptions occasionally sounded robotic it was because she is a somewhat aloof and logical individual, I wish her narrative hadn't been so wooden. The 'then' sections—aka the flashbacks—would have had a much more emotional impact if they'd been narrated by Kacey. Mickey's perspective has its limitation. The story would benefitted from having her as the narrator as it would have allowed a more balanced portrayal of their relationship. Kacey was a much more interesting and compelling character, and I do think that having her as a narrator would have made me care more for her.
The pacing isn't great. There are many instances in which the plot loose itself and doesn't really advance Mickey's investigation. Mickey herself makes a lot of dumb decisions, and some of them do seem a bit outlandish. For me, the murder investigation was the novel's weakest point. While it does show the way in which vulnerable people are used or disregarded by the system that is supposed to help them, it also resorts to cheap, and occasionally predictable, 'twists'. At times this murder-storyline seems forgotten, only to be later picked up at a too convenient moment.

Overall
Long Bright River is a mournful novel as Mickey's search for her sister is not an easy one. The story shows the in interplay between addiction, poverty, and crime in a stark manner without resorting to pulpy stereotypes. It presents with the devastating reality of the opioid crisis, the way in which can destroy entire families and neighbourhoods, by focusing on the individual rather than the statistics.
Although it has its flaws (the pacing, structure, and protagonist had their weaknesses) I would still recommend it as I could see how much work Moore has put into it.

Long Bright River is told from the POV of thirty-something Mikey, a single mother who juggles life as a patrol officer. She patrols the streets of Philadelphia, also searching for her heroin-addicted younger sister, Kacey. Her search for her sister becomes frenzied when she discovers heroin-addicted prostitutes are being strangled. Can Mickey find her sister before she becomes the next victim?...
With flashbacks to their childhood this is a heart-breaking story about the broken relationship of sisters. This also touches upon the themes of police corruption, drug addiction, juggling being a mother and a job, as well as trans-generational trauma. I was particularly moved by the character of Thomas, her son, and the fragile mother-son relationship filled with guilt and a simultaneous fierce desire to protect. I was highly moved by this assuredly written debut. The streets of Kensington, Philadelphia, are vividly drawn. There’s plenty of reveals and twists in this gritty read. My only gripe is that I felt the reveal of the killer wasn’t explored enough. I was confused about the killer’s motivations and wished the person was more fleshed out. Other than that this is a stellar read. 4/5.

This book was very sad and heartbreaking to read, but I guess it's a part of life too. It's the story of 2 sisters, one is a drug addict and the other is a police officer. It's very well written with great character development. It's one of those slow and detailed literary reads. 
I think Moore is very successful at placing you in the middle of the scene and making you part of it and feel everything that goes with the story. 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy!

Wow, this is a book that will kick you right in the guts with its raw honestly and emotion. It’s a book that tackles the very difficult and often heart-wrenching topics of drug addiction, opiate use, overdoses and the harrowing effects of addiction on families. Parts of this story were told with so much insight that I felt like the author must have had firsthand experience of the subject matter. (The author does explain how this book came about, and it did involve her getting up close and personal with men and women who had come to Kensington in Philadelphia in search of opioids).

This story alternates between two different timelines, which I always love. It shows the reader the changing relationship between two sisters, one of whom is now a cop and the other one a drug addict, who’s gone missing and hasn’t been seen in a month. The chapters that go back to the past detail the difficult childhood that the sisters shared and they show exactly when and how Kacey’s drug addiction starts to take hold, and how her sister tried to rescue her on a number of occasions. My heart literally broke reading about Mickey’s experiences trying to bring her sister back from the edge, when she’d gone missing for days, was presumed dead, only to be found in some dingy house, passed out, her skin blue and her body mimicking that of a corpse. Hard hitting, that I can promise you.

Emotions run deep in this story, and there were many times when I felt like I was there, experiencing the gritty and soul destroying world that the characters found themselves in. At times, this is an uncomfortable read, but if truth be told, I live for these types of reads. I’m very comfortable with uncomfortable when it comes to my reading preferences. At nearly 500 pages, this book is fairly long and I did feel that some chapters could have been shortened. Having said that, I never actually felt bored, or like I was wishing the pages away. As a potential reader though, you just need to know that this is a long story, and it’s told in some detail. The upside to that of course is that the characters are very well developed and you really have a sense of who they are.

I have a sneaky feeling that this one might feature in my Top 10 reads of the year. It’s a book that’s so difficult to pigeon hole, but the subject matter is very poignant for our times. With so many different forms of addiction ripe in society today, I feel that this book will resonate with many readers.

It’s hard, gritty, emotional and dark…but it’s excellent. It’s part mystery, part police procedural, part crime novel, and part family drama, so you can’t pigeon hole this one. If you’re the type of reader that’s comfortable with dark, serious novels filled with suspense, then do yourselves a favour and try this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

To say I was engrossed in <b>The Long Bright River</b> by Liz Moore is an understatement.    This fast pace novel which started out as a murder mystery had me reassessing suspects left, right and centre.   However, it was so much more than a standard murder mystery (if there is such a thing).   This story was one that tugged at the heartstrings as we learnt of the enduring love between two sisters on either side of the drug and crime divide.


Told from Mickey's (Michaela) perspective the story alternates between the present day and the past, gradually revealing information about her complicated, dysfunctional family history.    When the story opens a female body has been found, assumed to be yet another in a long list of overdose victims, but she notices the tell tale signs of strangulation and it is eventually deemed a homicide.   Mickey is a single mother with a cherished four year old son Thomas.   She's a police woman who's taken it upon herself to unofficially investigate a serial killer who has been targeting prostitutes and young drug addicted women.    And she's afraid for Kacey, the sister she's been estranged from for years, the sister who also happens to be a drug addict and prostitute and has not been sighted for several weeks now.    

The author cleverly helped readers form opinions and make assumptions, but then revealed things were not as straight forward nor clear cut as you first anticipated.      She included examples of police abusing their positions of trust and others going outside the law to help the drug impacted generations of families in this community.   She infused a great balance of tension and emotion into the story and expertly wove all of this into a riveting read which was crafted over a ten year period.     I highly recommend this book and intend to investigate other titles by this author.

My thanks to Liz Moore for her efforts bringing this story to life, and  to Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which I was delighted to provide.

The story follows Mickey, a Philadelphia Police Officer who patrols the poorest and toughest parts of the city, largely the neighbourhood of Kensington.  For the most part, Mickey’s job is painful and laborious. Philadelphia, notably Kensington, is in the grips of an opioid crisis. Finding a dead body is a common occurrence for Mickey. The thing that fascinated me most about this book was that it’s all based on true events. The neighborhood is real and regrettably so is the opioid crisis in certain cities in America. It was fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time.


Mickey and her younger sister, Kacey, were affected by the drug crisis from a young age. Both parents were addicts and the girls were eventually given to the care of their tough and bitter Grandmother, Gee. While Mickey went on to become a Police Officer, Kacey finds herself deep in the depths of addiction and soon severes all ties with her family. For years the sisters have barely spoken, although Mickey always kept tabs on her sister’s whereabouts until Kacey is pronounced missing. Mickey risks everything to find her sister, her job, her family and her life. 


This book was incredible. I will admit uncomfortable at times due to the reality of the story. I loved Mickey. From the outside, she looks like she has got it together but the more we read we see she has been deeply affected by the traumas of her childhood and remains living a quiet and isolated life with only her young son for company. An amazing and tragic story of the fierce love of family and the destructive nature of addiction. Incredible. Five big stars.

My thanks to Penguin Random House U.K./Hutchinson for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Long Bright River’ by Liz Moore in exchange for an honest review.

It only took me a short time to realise that I was fully engaged by this novel and as it was available as an audiobook, narrated by Allyson Ryan, I obtained it in order to listen alongside reading the eARC.

Mickey is a police officer in Philadelphia who doesn’t look the other way when sex workers are victims of crime as some members of the PD are apt to do. She is very aware that her sister, Kacey, an opioid addict and sex worker, may well be next.
The Kensington beat that Mickey covers is firmly in the grip of the national opioid crises. 

Mickey and Kacey were once inseparable but are now estranged though Mickey continues to worry about her sister’s high risk lifestyle. Mickey becomes especially concerned when her sister disappears at the same time as a string of murders targeting women occurs in the district. Although she’s not part of the official investigative team, Mickey becomes obsessed to a dangerous degree with finding the culprit. 
 
Mickey is the novel’s narrator and the story alternates between the present day and an account of the sisters’ childhood and adolescence. I found this a very powerful novel: a well crafted hybrid of literary crime fiction with family drama. I found it almost impossible to put down and despite its nearly 500 page length finished it in two sittings. 

Liz Moore opens with a letter to her readers explaining the genesis of ‘Long Bright River’ following her collaboration with photographer Jeffrey Stockbridge in Kensington, Philadelphia on projects highlighting the effects of the opioid crises within the community. She also continues to engage in community work there. This sense of social relevancy underpins the narrative. 

It is a multilayered novel, very dark and gritty with very vivid descriptions of the cityscape. Moore doesn’t pull any punches in describing the effects of opioid addiction. Her account of a newborn suffering withdrawal due to the mother’s drug use during pregnancy was especially harrowing. So, quite bleak in places though Mickey‘s determination to make a difference was inspiring. 

I am very glad that I read this novel and while it is not comfortable reading, I feel that it’s an important work and one that I would recommend highly.

Full Review: http://www.readingruby.co.uk/?p=2567

I knew I needed to read this one as soon as I read that short synopsis. It was so intriguing and I love going into a mystery with no idea of what it is about really. Therefore I had no idea what I was about to read.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ 

What I got was an incredible slow-burn, gritty story about family, addiction, and the characters’ different struggles with a mystery weaved throughout the plot. It was intricate and suspenseful but with a deep emotional underlying story. Essentially, it combined the dynamics of a domestic drama novel and a police procedural. It is also incredibly relevant because of the plot and discussions around the opioid crisis.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

The characterisation was very well done here, I didn’t particularly like any of the characters but I appreciated their stories and could feel their emotions. The setting is almost it’s own character. I felt like I knew the city. Such an immersive experience.

I managed to guess most of the plot twists in this one, although one towards the last few hundred pages did surprise me. However, I didn’t mind predicting this as I was just desperate to see how everything worked out. I finished this near 500-page book in two sittings!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Overall, I would definitely recommend this one. I feel as though it is going to be a popular story this year and that lots of people will really relate to this story. It is quite different from most books within this genre today and an important subject. If you enjoy a good slow story about family dynamics with an underlying mystery, then I think you will enjoy this one.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Thank you to Hutchinson, Penguin and Netgalley for an advance copy of 'Long Bright River' by Liz Hutchinson for review.