A Nearly Normal Family - M.T. Edvardsson

Mystery (Noir)

Rating: 7.5/10

Shakespeare unknowingly defined one of the key elements of noir the best, “I will tell lies like the truth.” This kind of ambiguity can be found in each version of the story laid out by our three narrators; a father, a daughter and a mother. Events have left the daughter accused of murder and each telling is a variation on the details. The reader is left to wonder if they are keeping secrets from us or themselves. Is it meant to mislead or self-delude? As it turns out, a bit of both.

While not particularly suspenseful, it is a nuanced and well-formed dissection of a family in crisis. A family that is flawed and something else that you can’t quite put your finger on.

Footnote: While I would agree with other reviewers that the ending is “startling”, it lacks the menace you would expect . That is a miss.