The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow

Molly Marx is 35 years old, mother to beloved Annabel, wife to suspected philanderer Dr. Barry Marx. She's mostly happy, but by the time the novel starts, she's already dead, killed in a biking accident that might've been murder, might've been suicide, or might've been plain old bad luck.

The novel interweaves scenes from Molly's past with scenes of her watching the family and best friend she left behind. Molly's ghostly powers and her visit to the afterlife -- known as the Duration -- are never overstated or presented in a cheesy way, and she is not able to haunt or interact with the living.

As the mystery of her death is investigated and her family and best friend Brie struggle to come to terms with her loss, Molly revisits her own life and takes an honest look at her strengths and failings. Molly is no saint, she has made mistakes, but ultimately she was a good person and is an extremely likable and relatable protagonist. She only rarely feels sorry for herself, is often clever, and at times is laugh-out-loud funny. Not bad for a dead woman.

Every character in the book, from Molly's parents to the detective investigating her case to her daughter's nanny, is well-rounded and well-written. The pacing is fantastic, and the book is quite a page-turner. Until the last few chapters, I was desperate to find out the truth about Molly's death, but by the end it almost didn't matter. Her death had never been the point of the story, as even Molly herself realized. I won't give away the ending, but it made me a little teary, and wrapped the story up in the most satisfying way I could imagine. I loved this book, and heartily recommend it.


The Late, Lamented Molly Marx is due out on May 19, 2009, and is available for preorder on Amazon.

Bookish Birthday, again

Thanks to my fabulous friends, I had a wonderfully book-filled birthday. Between what I was given directly and gift cards, my birthday added these books to my shelves:

    

    

        

Basscomm also gave me a really cool old science book from the 1930s that I can't find a picture of, The World Around Us : A Survey of Science I for Junior High Schools. And I still have a Barnes & Noble giftcard from my parents that I haven't even touched. :D

Thanks to everyone...you guys rule.