The Murder Next Door: A Graphic Memoir by Hugh D’Andrade was given a rating of five because it is an interesting story. However, it is actually more of a 4.5 as there were a few places I was not “feeling it.” With that said, the focus of a murder that happened 40 years prior, but is still affecting our narrator, is powerful, interesting and oddly relatable. The ending felt a bit rushed to me, but overall a darn (only didn’t say darn) good read.
Of course there are mature themes and even images. Yet I felt that D’Andrade created something that was as tastefully presented as one could and still kept the edge to the story. As we split our reading between Hugh’s past and present, the bigger picture comes to light. In some ways this is less a murder mystery than a look at grief, trauma and healing, or the lack thereof. It is about how we see things as a young kid vs as an adult. We see how D’Andrade sees why people did or did not do things at the time. And yet, there are still questions.
Occasionally I was not completely in the moment with the characters, but I think that was more me than any real issues with the writing and/or story itself. Still I have a few questions about some events. Of course, I am assuming that maybe D’Andrade does not have answers themselves as he does mention things are done to the best of his memories.