The Midcoast by Adam White

 

Summary (from the publisher): The story of a family of lobstermen who skyrocket from poverty to wealth, a local writer obsessed with their rise, and the small-town secrets that bind them all together.

It's spring in the tiny town of Damariscotta, a tourist haven on the coast of Maine known for its oysters and antiques. Andrew, a high school English teacher recently returned to the area, has brought his family to Ed and Steph Thatch's riverside estate to attend an extravagant reception for the Amherst Women's Lacrosse Team, where everyone's wearing an Amherst shade of purple. Back when they were teenagers, Andrew never could have guessed that Ed--descended from a long line of lobstermen--would one day send his daughter to a place like Amherst, but clearly the years have been good to Ed. Andrew's enjoying the party, if a little jealously--a part of him wishes he could afford for his own family even a fraction of what Ed's provided for his.

As Andrew wanders through the Thatches' house, he stumbles upon a police file he's not supposed to see. In the file are pictures of a burned-out sedan: a blackened trunk, a torched body. Andrew's confusion and envy turn to horror. And when the police arrive an hour later, the true story of the Thatches--a family Andrew thought he understood--begins.

A propulsive drama that cares as deeply about its characters as it does about the crimes they commit, The Midcoast explores the machinations of privilege, the dark recesses of the American dream, and the lies we tell as we try, at all costs, to achieve it.

Review: Set in Damariscotta, Maine, Andrew is a high school English teacher who has returned to his hometown with his family. He is surprised to learn that Ed Thatch, a guy from a lobstermen family that he knew as a teenager, is now a wealthy man about town and his wife is mayor. Andrew stumbles upon a police report that he wasn't supposed to see and slowly the secret life of Thatches and the explanation for their wealth come to light. 

I loved the setting of this novel. The early scenes of teenager Ed working his summer job and fueling boats on Maine's coast were picturesque and vivid. The author based the setting and much of the biography of his main character on his own life and it's clear he's familiar with his subject matter. I listened to the audio book version of this book and the narrator did an excellent job at capturing Andrew's voice. 

But I just didn't enjoy this book. The great reveal of the Thatches - that their extreme wealth was built on illegal activity - wasn't that shocking or interesting. I didn't think Andrew as narrator worked particularly well either. It didn't add up that he would be that obsessed with the family and Andrew as a character wasn't in a position to observe or know all the things he supposedly did. I also just didn't care about any of the characters that much. No one is particularly likeable or endearing. Although the writing itself was credibly done, I just didn't enjoy the plot as much as I hoped. 

Stars: 2