In Richard R. Becker's Born on Monday, the lives of three characters intertwine in Augusta, Maine. Jessica Michaud escaped her small hometown for New York, but after suffering an abusive relationship, she returns to care for her mother. Jessica’s former love, Billy Stevens, is shocked to see her again in Bear Paw, though Jessica firmly insists their past is over. After Jessica leaves, a stranger buys Billy drinks and secretly drugs him. Meanwhile, Dustin, once Billy’s best friend and also connected to Jessica, returns to town. Years earlier, an incident at school shattered Billy and Dustin’s friendship. On her way home, Jessica witnesses Dustin’s accident but refuses to admit that he smelled of alcohol. Journalist Andrea Kearney, long aware of the corruption and secrets festering in Augusta, decides she is done staying silent. Determined to expose the truth, she begins unraveling the dark ties binding the town’s residents.

Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker is a gripping roller coaster of hidden secrets, violence, and danger. The fast-paced plot is packed with nonstop action that begins immediately and never lets up. The first page completely captivated me, compelling me to turn the pages as fast as possible. With every twist and turn, the story kept me guessing, and the suspense held me on edge until the end. The characters felt authentic and easy to relate to. Too much has happened between Billy and Dustin for them to ever repair their friendship, while Jessica now finds herself feeling closer to Dustin. The writing style is vivid and captivating, with detailed descriptions that bring each scene to life. The story is exceptionally well-written and was an outstanding read that far surpassed my expectations.

Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker begins in Maine, where Billy and Dustin are high school football stars and close friends, both expected to earn scholarships until Billy fractures his tibia in an accident involving Dustin. Their friendship falls apart, and the group drifts away. Billy breaks up with Jessica, Dustin leaves for Baylor, and Jessica moves to New York. Years later, Billy remains in Augusta, drinking while watching his former friends move forward. When Jessica returns to care for her terminally ill mother, Billy pursues her, unaware that Dustin has also come back and may be forming a connection with her. As past relationships and old secrets resurface, Billy discovers that both Dustin and Jessica have skeletons that complicate the possibility of reconnecting and settling old scores. "Eventually, something had to give. Even granite has a breaking point.”

Richard R. Becker’s Born on Monday is a literary mystery that is even better than I expected, and given the hype around this book, my expectations were high. Becker does not disappoint. Augusta, Maine is so textured and atmospheric; from the Bear Paw to the Kennebec River and the crisp fall nights, the settings are amazing. Jessica and Andrea are my favorite characters, both tested by real threats. Jessica's situation with an ex is really scary, especially when she starts to literally break barriers and discovers them. Andrea’s drive to pursue a murder is intertwined with her moral concern for justice and the community, not just career ambition. The approach of a storm gives way to a chaotic, cinematic scene in a grocery store that is loaded with metaphors, and we see Becker crushing the raging fear inside Jessica with the literal onslaught outside. Absolutely magnificent and very highly recommended.