Hey kids! It's been forever since I've posted anything, but I'm taking time out of my fabulously busy life (lies) to recommend a book to you. It's called All Unquiet Things, and it's written by Anna Jarzab. I have long been a fan of murder mysteries, but I'll be the first to tell you that this novel is nothing like the insipid life stories of some of the adult murder mystery heroines (I'm looking at you, Jill Churchill and Joanne Fluke!) who spend half the novel correcting grammar and drooling over their current heart-throb.
The story follows the lives of Neily Monroe and Audrey Ribelli (though mostly Neily) as they investigate the murder of Carly Ribelli, Neily's ex and Audrey's cousin-cum-sister. Audrey's father was convicted of Carly's murder and locked up, but some elements of the story don't add up for Audrey who convinces Neily to help her open a dangerous investigation that flirts with the world of drug dealing. A slew of colorful characters keep the story interesting and surprising, but what makes the story a success is the inner dialogue of Neily.
Dumped in a wildly public and embarrassing fashion by Carly for resident bad boy Adam, Neily seems intent on convincing both the reader and himself that, even though she's dead, he hates Carly more than he loves her and that forgiveness for her actions is not an option. While it's clear from page one (well, maybe page two) that this is not the case for the reader, Neily's struggle with himself is raw and touching. You can feel the ache of the boy who can't understand what happened to the girl he loved. His inability to reconcile the Carly he knew with the girl who was murder at the start of their Junior year makes for an emotional read.
Audrey, on the other hand, is determined to clear her father's name. A life-long alcoholic, Enzo Ribelli estranged his family and has only begun to rebuild his relationship with his only child now that he's locked behind bars. Having lost her father once before to booze, Audrey is unable to lose him again to the legal system without fighting what she knows is a lie. Yes, her grief over losing her cousin and the closest thing she had to a sister is a motivator for her, but Enzo's incarceration is by far the most important injustice she's fighting. Nevermind that her boyfriend of two years and Adam's best friend, Cass, dumped her after her father was convicted because it would tarnish his name.
The eventual conclusion of "who done it" seemed a little unnatural to me, and I had trouble believing it when Neily and Audrey ultimately realized it, but I can't seem to fault the book for that. To me, this story was primarily about Neily's struggle to forgive Carly, and all other plots were secondary.
3 1/2 of 5 stars.
