Review: A Brilliant Death by Robin Yocum

A Brilliant Death

by Robin Yocum

Publisher: Seventh Street Books

Pages: 275

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Amanda Baron died in a boating accident on the Ohio River in 1953. Or, did she? While it was generally accepted that she had died when a coal barge rammed the pleasure boat she was sharing with her lover, her body was never found. 
 
Travis Baron was an infant when his mother disappeared. After the accident and the subsequent publicity, Travis’s father scoured the house of all evidence that Amanda Baron had ever lived, and her name was never to be uttered around him. Now in high school, Travis yearns to know more about his mother. With the help of his best friend, Mitch Malone, Travis begins a search for the truth about the mother he never knew. The two boys find an unlikely ally: an alcoholic former detective who served time for falsifying evidence. Although his reputation is in tatters, the information the detective provides about the death of Amanda Baron is indisputable—and dangerous.
 
Nearly two decades after her death, Travis and Mitch piece together a puzzle lost to the dark waters of the Ohio River. They know how Amanda Baron died, and why. Now what do they do with the information?


Kritters Thoughts:  Travis and Mitchell are best friends.  Although this book is completely about Travis and his life, Mitchell his best friend narrates the story and can tell the whole story because he was by his side the entire time.  The story is their investigation into Travis' mother's death that happened when Travis was just 5 months old and his father has never wanted to talk about it, so he must do some major investigative work to find out the ultimate truth.

This was such a different story for me because of how it was told.  The first two or three chapters I may have read through 2 times and took notes, just because I wanted to make sure I knew who belonged to whom and how.  Once I got through the first three ish chapters, the rest flew by and there was no way to put it down!  I liked how Mitchell told the story and he tells you why he decides now is the time to tell the story - it made the book feel even more real.  

I read a lot of mystery thrillers and sometimes I feel like they all mesh together and follow the same path - this one was different.  The set up, the plot, the characters - it all just worked right.  I am intrigued to read another Robin Yocum - has anyone read any of his other books?  Where should I go next?


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Promethus Books.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.