Marilyn's Mystery Reads

The town of Riverwood, Minnesota is a small one, but like every small town it has its secrets.  The secrets actually might be things that everyone knows but doesn’t talk about, until someone does.

Clay Hawkins has returned to Riverwood after a twenty year absence, playing and coaching soccer in Europe.  His son Braedon is the result of a one-night stand, the baby given to Clay by the boy’s mother because “I thought I wanted him but I don’t.”  So Braedon has never met his mother nor heard from her, and he has only a photo of her as his sole reminder of her existence.

Upon Clay’s return to his hometown, he learns that his uncle Teddy, his father’s twin, is missing.  Everyone in the town is looking for him, but so far there is no trace of him.   Clay’s father Judd has always been the dependable one, his uncle less so.  Teddy has been in trouble with the law over the years, nothing major, but enough that it’s not surprising to the townspeople that he’s taken off again.  Still, it’s worrying.

Former police chief Judd Hawkins hadn’t done anything wrong, but there was a feeling in town that he had gotten a bit slack in overseeing the police department, so Zoey Jensen was brought in from northern Minnesota to take over the small force.  When Clay mentions to his father that he ought to be in contact with the new chief about Teddy, Judd tells him he’s in touch with the two detectives on the force and that’s enough.  Clay isn’t satisfied with this answer, so he decides to talk to Zoey himself.

Afterward, Judd tells Clay that he’s not happy that he spoke to the new chief about Teddy, that Detectives Mike and Andy can handle the search.  But Clay is not convinced that they can, or even that they’re actually looking for his uncle, so he’s not at all apologetic about what he’s done.  There have been no cell phone or social media searches, no dogs brought in to follow Teddy’s scent.  The conversation between Clay and Judd is another breach in the father-son relationship, one that has a long history.

There are a number of subplots in the book, all of which add richness to the story.  There’s Clay’s growing interest in Zoey, the romance between long-time widower Judd and Mei, a physician from out-of-state, the unhappy marriage of Clay’s high school sweetheart, and a bicycle given to Clay’s son’s friend that comes with serious strings attached.  Liar’s Creek mirrors life, where one major problem is surrounded by several smaller but important ones.

This is a truly engrossing novel, not simply due to the hunt for the missing Teddy but because its characters will strike the reader as realistic, with problems that are true to life.  The author has written a book that is completely satisfying.

You can read more about Matt Goldman at this website.

Check out the complete Marilyn’s Mystery Reads at her website.  In addition to book review posts, there are sections featuring Golden Oldies, Past Masters and Mistresses, and an About Marilyn column that features her opinions about everything to do with mystery novels.