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Long Bright River

An intense family thriller

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Long Bright River

By: Liz Moore
Narrated by: Allyson Ryan
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The New York Times bestseller and
Guardian Book of the Month

KENSINGTON AVE, PHILADELPHIA:

THE FIRST PLACE YOU GO FOR DRUGS OR SEX.
THE LAST PLACE YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR YOUR SISTER.

Mickey Fitzpatrick has been patrolling the 24th District for years. She knows most of the working women by name. She knows what desperation looks like and what people will do when they need a fix. She's become used to finding overdose victims: their numbers are growing every year. But every time she sees someone sprawled out, slumped over, cold to the touch, she has to pray it's not her sister, Kacey.

When the bodies of murdered sex workers start turning up on the Ave, the Chief of Police is keen to bury the news. They're not the kind of victims that generate a whole lot of press anyway. But Mickey is obsessed, dangerously so, with finding the perpetrator - before Kacey becomes the next victim.

'This flawless masterpiece deserves to be a bestseller.' DAILY EXPRESS

'Tough, tense and twisty - but tender, human and deeply affecting, too ... I don't have a sister, but when I finished the book I called my brother, just to hear his voice.'
LEE CHILD

'An outstanding crime novel.'
PAULA HAWKINS, author of The Girl on the Train

'A remarkable, profoundly moving novel about the ties that bind and the irrevocable wounds of childhood. It's also a riveting mystery, perfectly paced. I loved every page of it.' DENNIS LEHANE

'Outstanding . . . an intense family thriller . . . The clever plot and involving characters set a high standard for this new year.' DAILY MAIL

'This is a thrilling and heartbreaking exploration of the strain the opioid crisis puts on families. A masterpiece.' DAILY MIRROR

© Liz Moore 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Crime Thrillers Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Crime

Critic reviews

Every so often a thriller comes along that is so remarkable that it transcends genre and Long Bright River is one such book. The mystery at its heart is absorbing, thoughtful and perfectly paced and Mickey is a flawed heroine who it’s easy to root for. But the fourth novel from acclaimed American writer Moore is also heartbreakingly profound in exploring the strain put on families and entire communities by the opioid crisis in US cities. It exposes the way addicted parents’ broken promises inflict childhood wounds that never heal. But it also gives hope that familial bonds and community spirit can ultimately triumph. This flawless masterpiece deserves to be a bestseller.
Strong characters and some truly evocative writing.
[T]he twists are clever . . . but it is the novel's more eccentric, reflective aspects that make it stand out from the ruck.
As with the best crime novels, its scope defies the constraints of genre . . . the result feels startlingly fresh . . . Moore has created a memorable portrait of the devastation created by poverty and addiction, and the compassion and courage that can rise to meet it.
Tough, tense and twisty - but tender, human and deeply affecting, too ... I don't have a sister, but when I finished the book I called my brother, just to hear his voice. (Lee Child)
Liz Moore's stunning Long Bright River works as a vivid portrait of a city (Philadelphia), as an acute study of mothers and daughters and as a psychologically coherent, morally unsettling, incredibly moving broken-family saga. It is by some considerable distance my crime novel of the year.
An outstanding crime novel, bringing to mind the best of Dennis Lehane or David Simon. I found myself eking out the final pages because I didn't want it to end. I absolutely loved it.
Extraordinary . . . twists, turns and subverts readers’ expectations till its very last pages . . . a sweeping, elegiac novel about a blighted city.
Very moving.
All stars
Most relevant
I was a little sceptical after reading some of the reviews, but I have to say that I truly enjoyed the book. The story is really well written and it talks about real, current social problems. As well as entertainment, I felt that I learned something through this book.

Very interesting book

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This is a novel that is very unflinching in its portrayal of the effects of the USA opioid crises through the eyes of a Philadelphia police officer whose mother was and sister are addicts. There is also a murder inquiry.

Powerful story of family and the opioid crises

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I really enjoyed this book. Kept me guessing.
And great narration too. Highly recommended 👌

Brilliant story

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Struggled to start, found Mickey's character a bit whiny. But really loved it when it really hooked about half way through, and has twists and turns that take you on an emotional ride. Some elements still topical sadly...

hooks middle and goes

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I couldn't help but be deeply irritated by the selfishness of the main character... But the story and performance kept me engaged till the end...

The most annoying protagonist

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