Elisabeth Hyde's new novel, "The Abortionist's Daughter," daringly skates around abortionists, right-to-life coalitionists, murder, sex and drugs in the life of Megan, a college freshman.
A novel about the effects and circumstances of the murder of Dr. Diana Duprey, Megan's mother, the book avoids being just a mystery. It focuses on character development, something that elevates it from a simple whodunit.
As the book works backward to discover the true circumstances of the death of Dr. Duprey, many new characters appear on the landscape. The lives of Megan's prosecuting attorney father, Frank; a handsome detective, Huck; a twisted ex-boyfriend, Bill; a pregnant girl considering abortion and many others collide. Everyone seems to have a motive for killing the doctor.
With so many characters, the novel certainly has a variety of subplots, but the early introduction of the characters is confusing. Some of the characters are well developed early in the novel. However, other important characters such as Frank and Dr. Duprey remain undeveloped until near the end of the novel. This creates a distance between the reader and these characters that cleverly mimics the distance between Megan and her parents. However, the number of characters and their unexplained connections may have the reader turning back chapters trying to remember who is who.
Fast-paced and full of exciting incidents, the novel's course follows unexpected and sometimes inexplicable twists and turns. As relationships develop between characters and detectives continue narrowing down suspects, the reader knows nothing more than Megan knows about her mother's practice, threats, possible drug habits and sexual relations. In this way, Hyde allows the reader to speculate, along with and separately from Megan, about what really happened on the night of Dr. Diana Duprey's murder.
"The Abortionist's Daughter" has more to offer the reader than the average mystery novel. With the topics of abortion, drug use, drinking and violence, this novel is sure to provoke hot debate in conservative College Station. Hyde's book, including its few minor flaws, is a fast-paced, enjoyable read.
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