A Crime in the Neighborhood (1999)
Who wrote it?
Suzanne Berne (1961- ; active 1997- ), born Washington, D.C. She studied at Wesleyan University and later attended the well-regarded Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa. She currently lives in Boston, where she is a professor at Boston College and editor of the Harvard Review.
A Crime in the Neighborhood was her debut novel, winning the Women's Prize at first attempt. It wasn't the first novel she had written though, having previously spent five years on an unpublished novel. A Crime itself was apparently rejected 14 times before being picked up. She has subsequently published three more novels, most recently The Dogs of Littlefield, which was longlisted for the 2014 Women's Prize. The suburban focus of her debut is a recurring presence in her work, with most of them set in suburban Massachussetts.
What's it about?
A Crime in the Neighbourhood is set in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Its events are narrated from retrospective distance by Marsha, who as a ten year old saw her life impacted by a trio of events in the early part of 1972: the departure of her father (who elopes with her aunt), the unfolding Watergate scandal (which preoccupies her mother) and most importantly, the rape and murder of a young boy in her local area.
With her mother distracted, and somewhat inspired by newspaper coverage of Watergate, Marsha begins to keep a diary of "evidence" of the behaviour of her neighbours, in an attempt to solve the mystery of the boy's murder. This leads her down a path which ends in the implication of a single male neighbour in the crime, and the tarring of his reputation.
What I liked
Marsha’s voice was brilliantly conveyed. You really get the sense of the ten-year-old in there, without the irritating vibe that sometimes comes from an in-the-moment first-person narrative. You occasionally forget that it’s older Marsha doing the narrating, though it obviously comes through at crucial moments.
Super atmospheric evocation of an American suburbia that’s losing confidence in itself. A really interesting mood throughout the novel.
Part of that is the nice juxtaposition of the primary events - of local importance, but still devastating to those wrapped up in them - against the ever-present breaking international news of the Watergate scandal in the background. It’s an interesting setup that feels intriguing without being over-engineered and dominating the storytelling.
It’s well-stocked with memorable characters.
I loved that it didn’t feel any need to resolve loose ends - most notably the central murder mystery. A decent twist on the crime formula (albeit I’m sure one that isn’t unique) - and one that flips the focus onto older Marsha and the way her behaviour in the novel’s main thread has coloured her entire life since.
It’s another short novel with a perfect unity of form - there’s definitely a sense of an extended short story here, a moment in time that has had lasting resonance on a single character’s life. Despite that, there’s more than enough going on to sustain interest over the short novel length.
What I didn’t like
Relatively little to dislike here for me. Perhaps some of the neighbours blurred into each other (to the point where I couldn’t quite be bothered to remember who was who) but I suppose that’s all part of the point and serves to highlight the difference of the interloper Mr. Green and keep focus on the central characters.
Food & drink pairings
A hamburg or a hotdog?
Or perhaps a pineapple: the ultimate party gift at the world’s saddest barbecue.
Fun facts
Berne was one of five North American authors in the shortlist of six for the 1999 Prize. Julia Blackburn was the sole British representative.
That year, the chair of the judging panel, Professor Lola Young of Middlesex University, caused controversy for allegedly criticising British women novelists for their “insular”, “parochial” and (ahem) "piddling" subject-matter. She claimed to have been misquoted.
Vanquished Foes
Julia Blackburn (The Leper's Companions)
Marilyn Bowering (Visible Worlds)
Jane Hamilton (The Short History of a Prince)
Barbara Kingsolver (The Poisonwood Bible)
Toni Morrison (Paradise)
Some classic titles on here… none of which I’ve read, typically. Any tips?
The 1999 Booker Prize was won by J. M. Coetzee, for the second time, for the incredible Disgrace.
Context
In 1999:
Boris Yeltsin resigns as Russian President on Dec 31st, leaving PM Vladimir Putin as acting President
Columbine High School massacre
Establishment of the Euro currency on 1st Jan
Bill Clinton acquitted in impeachment proceedings
Official opening of Scottish Parliament
Nail bombings by neo-Nazi David Copeland target minorities in London
TV presenter Jill Dando shot dead in London
East Timor votes for independence from Indonesia in a referendum
Australians vote against replacement of the Queen with a President to make the country a republic
Sovereignty of Macau transferred from Portugal to China after 442 years
Far right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones creates InfoWars
Debut of peer-to-peer music download service Napster
Tracy Chevalier, Girl With a Pearl Earring
Joanne Harris, Chocolat
Tony Parsons, Man and Boy
Julia Donaldson, The Gruffalo
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
The Matrix
The Sixth Sense
Notting Hill
Eminem, The Slim Shady LP
Dr Dre, 2001
Moby, Play
Destiny's Child, The Writing's on the Wall
The Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs
Life Lessons
Suburbia: leaving interlopers feeling unwelcome since the dawn of time (or at least of suburbia)
You may be a ten year old suffering from multiple traumas, but remember that your meddling will haunt you for the rest of your life, yeah?
Score
8.5
Another great, understated read.
Ranking to date:
Larry’s Party (1998) - Carol Shields - 8.5
A Crime in the Neighbourhood (1999) - Suzanne Berne - 8.5
A Spell of Winter (1996) - Helen Dunmore - 8
Fugitive Pieces (1997) - Anne Michaels - 6.5
Next up
Dipping back into Booker Prize history with Penelope Fitzgerald’s 1978-shortlisted The Bookshop. When I return to the Women’s Prize it’ll be with 2000’s winner When I Lived in Modern Times, by Linda Grant.
