The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow

Book Synopsis:

The circumstances of Molly Marx’s death may be suspicious, but she hasn’t lost her joie de vivre. Newly arrived in the hereafter, aka the Duration, Molly, thirty-five years old, is delighted to discover that she can still keep tabs on those she left behind: Annabel, her beloved four-year-old daughter; Lucy, her combustible twin sister; Kitty, her piece-of-work mother-in-law; Brie, her beautiful and steadfast best friend; and, of course, her husband, Barry, a plastic surgeon with more than a professional interest in many of his female patients. As a bonus, Molly quickly realizes that the afterlife comes with a finely tuned bullshit detector.

As Molly looks on, her loved ones try to discern whether her death was an accident, suicide, or murder. She was last seen alive leaving for a bike ride through New York City’s Riverside Park; her body was found lying on the bank of the Hudson River. Did a stranger lure Molly to danger? Did she plan to meet someone she thought she could trust? Could she have ended her own life for mysterious reasons, or did she simply lose control of her bike? As the police question her circle of intimates, Molly relives the years and days that led up to her sudden end: her marriage, troubled yet tender; her charmed work life as a magazine decorating editor; and the irresistible colleague to whom she was drawn.

More than anything, Molly finds herself watching over Annabel–and realizing how motherhood helped to bring out her very best self. As the investigation into her death proceeds, Molly will relive her most precious moments–and take responsibility for the choices in her life.

Exploring the bonds of fidelity, family, and friendship, and narrated by a memorable and endearing character, The Late, Lamented Molly Marx is a hilarious, deeply moving, and thought-provoking novel that is part mystery, part love story, and all heart.

My Thoughts:

Molly Marx dies at the young age of 35. Proceeding her death, she finds herself in the Duration. While here, she helplessly watches her family and friends mourn her passing. The Duration allows her to hear their inner most thoughts (some she wishes she knew while still alive). It’s here where Molly is truly able to make amends with herself, her marriage and the events leading to her death.

Molly is not perfect, by any means. In fact, it’s her flaws that make her seem so real, so honest. She's married to Barry, mother to Annabel and twin sister to Lucy. Molly attempts to be all to everyone and tries to please them, so much so that she loses herself in the process.

The Late, Lamented Molly Marx, to me, isn't a book about death. It's about the choices we make and the consequences that occur from those choices. As Molly watches the police piece together the events that led to her death, the reader hears Molly's story from her perspective and is able to understand the conflicted life she lead. One cannot help but to empathize with Molly and hopes she will find peace within herself.

Book details:
ISBN-13: 978-0-345-50620-7
Pages: 303
Year Published: 2009
Genre: Women's Fiction
Date Finished: July 24
Rating: A