Maureen McCarthy- Somebodys Crying (2008)
The backdrop for the story is essentially a murder mystery but what unravels is a complex intertwining of three distinctive characters. Tom an amateur photographer, his former best friend Jonty newly released from lock up and now working as a cook and Alice the young woman who searches for an identity that is separate from her mothers.McCarthy tells the story from each of the characters perspectives which create a deep sense of connecting and understanding of each in the context of their past and present.Three years prior, Jonty was arrested for killing Alice’s mother. He was eighteen and amnesic, having no memory of the incident. When Tom turns up back in his Australian home town of Warnoobool, he finds himself drawn into the conspiracies of the murder and he begins to question his role in the death.Alice reluctantly asks Tom to help her find the truth behind the murder, initially wary Tom is soon lured in by the strong feelings that he develops for Alice.I read McCarthy’s “When you wake and find me gone” several years ago and found it a really engaging and interesting read so when I came across Somebody’s Crying there was no hesitation in purchasing it, despite it being marketed as a young adult novel.An engaging Aussie read, that I just couldn’t put down. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it and wondering what I would learn next about each of these characters. A powerful story for young adults and I recommend it as a stimulating read to any age group or gender.
