Mercury: A Novel

Teenage Marley and her mother have recently moved to Mercury. A small town where everyone knows everything. Shortly after moving Marley becomes involved with Baylor Joseph - one of the three Joseph boys belonging to Mick and Elise. Baylor, Waylon and Shay all end up working for their father at his roofing company.

When a body is discovered in the roof of their local church, layer upon layer of the Joseph family secrets begin to unravel...

This was my first title by Amy Jo Burns and I really enjoyed it. I loved the layers and complications in the family dynamics. The emotions the characters were feeling were conveyed wonderfully. The character development was flawless. This book will definitely hit you in the feels.

Thank you to Amy Jo Burn, NetGalley and Celadon Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Amy Jo Burns’ third novel, “Mercury,” is a complex study of a dysfunctional family dynamic with an element of mystery skillfully woven into the narrative. The story takes place from 1990-1999 and is set in the small town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. The heart of the story revolves around the Joseph family: parents Mick and Elise, their three sons, Baylor, Waylon, and Shay, and their relationship with newcomer, Marley West. The novel begins with a call from a phone booth intruding on Waylon Joseph’s hiding place behind a bleacher at his son’s baseball game. Cowardly hiding from his wife—their relationship is deteriorating and neither can communicate their past hurts and feelings—Waylon answers the phone. His brother is on the line and he reveals the discovery of a dead body in the attic of the church. Flashing back to 1990, seventeen-year-old Marley West arrives in Mercury with her mother. Determined to finally set down roots and develop long-lasting friendships, Marley meets the Joseph family and finds herself an honorary member of the family, sitting down for nightly dinners and attending church with them. Baylor and Waylon both set eyes upon Marley, but it is the older brother who makes the first move. After a couple of make-out sessions, Marley confronts Baylor only to find that he is unable to open up. Not wanting to remove herself from this new family dynamic and feeling of belonging, Marley continues to attend dinner each night. Over time, she falls for the shier and more compassionate middle son, Waylon. Slowly the two fall in love. Marley becomes pregnant and the two get married. After the death of the matriarch of the family, Marley takes on the role of wife, mother, housekeeper, and cook to the men and son in her life as they all move into the same house together. Burns’ characters are multi-faceted, flawed and relatable. The complex study of Marley’s evolution from lovestruck teenager, to young mother, to becoming the matriarch who keeps the family and roofing business afloat is exceptionally well-developed. The tragedies and sacrifices, along with the financial and marital struggles, (plus the secrets) push the members of the family to their emotional limits. The decisions made after these events evoke sympathy and empathy from the reader. Readers who enjoyed Hello Beautiful will enjoy the themes of abandonment and family ties. Readers who enjoyed “Little Fires Everywhere” will relate to Marley’s need to settle down and form roots instead of living a transient life. Both novels are similarly tied to this novel and share a sense of longing for security. Thank you to Celadon Books for providing an advance reader copy of Mercury in exchange for an honest review. Rating 4/5 Favorite quote “Sometimes a secret is all a woman has to call her own.”