Book 41 of My 2012 Goal

Ryan's mother by Grainne Maher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ryan's Mother by Grainne Maher is what I would call a quick read with a simple plot. As the name suggests, the story is about finding Ryan's mother. Ryan Murray was adopted from an orphanage in Ballyhasset, Ireland and now he is searching for his birth mother. All he knows is his birth mother was Irish and he was abandoned in a phone booth in the center of Ballyhasset. To help him locate his birth mother Ryan is recommended a private detective named Libby Hargrove who he hires. As the story goes on Libby narrows it down to three possibilities since each of these three were pregnant at the right time but none admitting right out she is his birth mother. In the nineteen forties unwed girls who were pregnant were not acceptable by society which leads to the 'secret' stories each of these women had to tell including Libby herself.

I found that the story at times drags on but just when I was loosing interest in it something new happened which made me wanting to read more. I realize the author needs to set the characters and plot in the beginning of the story so many times the beginning seems to drag when the rest of the book glides along at a steady pace and this book is no different. I found the beginning a bit boring but the rest of the book held my interest more or less. The characters and scenes were described well but I feel that something is missing. I really can't put my finger on it but you know how you can read a book and it is like you are there in the room watching it play out? The book just draws you in so much that you loose time and nothing exists around you but that book. Well, this didn't happen. I was never 'drawn into' the story. I had no problem putting the book down and picking it up at a later time even though, as I said, the story itself wasn't all that bad.

The main characters, both Ryan and Libby, I found annoying at times. Libby jumps to conclusions and has a big mouth. She talked way to much for being a private detective and Ryan is now thirty and still using the titles of momma and daddy. I would think he would at least use "mother" and "father".

I would recommend this book for those who like a sort of detective story/mystery that is a simple and quick read. I think it is the perfect book to read right before bedtime since once you get tired you won't have a problem putting it down til tomorrow night when your curiosity makes you pick it up again to see what happens next.


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