Restoration Heights: A Novel by Wil Medearis is a complex look into racial inequality and tensions between the have and have nots, as well as your rank in society and who you know or think you know. It is a thought provoking book which has similarities of the times we are living in today. Thrown into the mix is a missing person mystery which adds another layer of intrigue to an already multi layered story.
Reddick is a struggling white artist living in Brooklyn who has a memorable encounter with a beautiful affluent blonde girl named Hannah. Reddick’s primary job is working for a company which moves artwork. He ironically overhears a conversation between their latest client and her son about the son’s fiancé going missing. Riddick sees her picture and realizes this is Hannah.
He tells them he has seen her and is suddenly hired to look into what happened to her. Hence begins a story of race, money, greed and class status. It also shows what some will do in order to survive both emotionally as well as financially.
Reddick, who for his own personal reasons, begins a crusade to find the missing girl. During his journey he begins to see the complexities of race and its unfairness in inner city life and what it takes to survive in a neighborhood where new people are moving in and trying to change the lifestyle many who have lived there all their lives are use to.
Restoration Heights is a thought-provoking mystery which makes you think and feel until the last page.
Thank you netgalley.com and Harlequin for the advanced copy. The book will be out in January, 2019.
Lisa's Cubby 