Michael Allen Dymmoch has served as President and Secretary of the Midwest Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and as newsletter editor for the Chicagoland Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Her books include Death In West Wheeling and White Tiger.She applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, M.I.A., and reported the following:
Page 69 of M.I.A. reads:Read an excerpt from M.I.A., and learn more about the author and her work at Michael Allen Dymmoch's website.
“When he left, we had a clear field. I guess Billy wanted her more. He asked her first.”
“Why do you s’pose my ma never told me any of this?”
“Was she happy with Mickey?”
“Well, ye-ah.”
Steve shrugged. “Then why bring up the past?”
“How come you and my ma didn’t keep in touch?”
“A couple reasons. It was too painful for me to make the effort, for one. And I think Mickey was uncomfortable having me around ’cause he knew how I feel about Rhiann.”
“Still?”
“You never get over your first love, kid. Even if it’s unrequited.”
This page may be a little confusing to those who haven't read pages 1 through 68 and who, therefore, don't know who the speaker is (Jimmy), or the people he's referring to--
Rhianne (Jimmy's mother),
Billy (Jimmy's birth father, Rhiann's first husband),
Mickey (Jimmy's stepfather, Rhiann's second husband), and
Steve (one of Rhiann's suitors in high school).
--but it's fairly representative of the novel.
M.I.A. is a complicated tale of family, of old friends, and of how the failings and mistakes of one generation screw up the next. It's also a love story.
Visit the complete list of books in the Page 69 Test Series.
--Marshal Zeringue
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