nomadreader

The backstory: The Girl She Used to Be was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Mystery Novel by an American Author in 2010. The basics: Melody Grace McCartney has been in the Federal Witness Protection Program for twenty years because she and her parents accidentally witnessed Mafia boss Tony Bovaro brutally murder a man. My thoughts: While I wouldn't call this novel a mystery, I did enjoy the story and characters. Melody is an intriguing narrator. She is truly alone in the world. She's lived through numerous aliases and has never been able to share her life story with anyone. Despite her lonely life, both Melody and this novel have a sense of humor. As the book opens, Melody is working as a math teacher. "Though I may be less effective than I hope; sadly, today is Tuesday and they are taking that pop quiz--the same day of the week, every week, that I give a pop quiz--and there are always a few who are surprised. Life will be cruel to them." It was a ...