Long Bright River

My expectation of this novel was that it was a chunky thriller. In reality this is much grittier. Set in Philadelphia, Michaela a female street cop who works the rough streets and slums of Philadelphia is working a murder investigation alongside, trying to find out what has happened to her sister who seems to have disappeared. Her sister Kacey is a heroin and opioid user and Michaela hasn't seen her on the streets in a while. They have a somewhat estranged relationship but when there are signs that female drug users are being targeted in the area and it looks like there is a murderer on the loose, Michaela is terrified her sister might become the next victim.

This is a very drawn out slow paced novel. It had its own gritty harsh tone to it that I don't think will appeal to everyone but I found very intriguing. These characters felt more flawed and therefore more endearing than usual stock caricatures used in police procedural style novels. But this book certainly isn't plot heavy so don't go into this book expecting plot twists or high drama. I really enjoyed the nuances of this novel and it's commentary on abuses of the police, America's opioid crisis and the treatment of sex workers.

Thanks to Liz Moore, Random House UK and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.