Miracle Creek

Fascinating mystery thriller, a real page-turner. An arson murder investigation is conducted and a tight group of people involved in the accident and their actions are being examined and analysed. As each layer of lies is shed we are shocked at what we find, but feel like being closer than ever to solving the mystery. But all what was revealed turns out to be lies as well with the next shocking revelation.

Angie Kim demonstrates how subjective the truth can be, how each fact taken out of context can be twisted in any amount of ways, how biased we are as people. The lawyers manage to present the same set of facts in such contradicting ways they make the same person look in turn like a villain and like a saint.

A lot of difficult emotions and complicated family situations give depth to the story. There's unconditional love for one's children, but this love has it's limits and boundaries. There's the pain of not fitting in, loneliness, jealousy, obedience, loyalty.

I wonder how realistically the American judicial system is portrayed here. After reading this book I got the illusion they gather just enough evidence to make a case and sit on it for a year-while the rest of the evidence rots away. When each party finds new evidence, which might be part of a bigger puzzle and lead to more evidence, it is kept silent about so it can be thrown into the other party's face in court at an unexpected moment. I sure hope it is not always like that.

Perhaps closer to a 3 but rounding up. I think the author graciously maneuvered with her writing on having emotional elements but without going over in terms of clear manipulation in pulling on your heart strings. I felt invested in the outcomes. This book would be easy to recommend to many people, especially people who don't read a lot or are newer to reading.