I really enjoyed this multi faceted, multi layered book. Told over the four days of a trial, with flashbacks to a year previously, the story unfolds of a terrible fire in a submarine which left two people dead and several with life changing injuries. The primary viewpoint we see in the book is that of Young, wife of the owner of the submarine, who was left paralysed by the accident. But was it an accident? As the book unfolds, it turns out there was far more going on that evening at miracle creek than anyone could have guessed. Clandestine meetings, life changing decisions, fraud, bonbon eating, protesting... layers and layers of intrigue unfold as Young discovers more and more about the night that changed the lives of many,
While at the heart of this book is a mystery and a murder trial, trying to discover who set the fire, what surrounds it is a collection of very human stories. The Korean immigrant family trying to make a life for themselves in America take centre stage, but around them are a cast of others. Matt and Janine, a mixed marriage, and the difficulties they face together. The patients in the miracle submarine, and their children, the lives they lead, the special needs of those children, and the varying challenges that parenting a disabled child present, as well as how these can impact on your own life. The friendship between Elizabeth and Kitt, and how it changed over the time they were forced to spend together, and the impact of competitive parenting, visible in all spectrums of life. And Mary. Brought to the states as a child, now a teenager,, straddling the lines of the American dream and her Korean heritage, childhood and adulthood. Dealing with strained relationships with her parents and the aching need to be more grown up than the way they see you. All of these complex, nuanced relationships are so well drawn and so absolutely compelling. There is quite a large cast of characters in this book, but none of them feel under drawn. Although there are certainly some I would have liked to hear from, like Kitt, I can understand and respect the decisions of the author. Angie Kim is a Korean immigrant herself, and her understanding of the impact this can have on families shines clearly through the book. Mary's choice of language, disparaging reaction to her mother, and even changing of her name, all feel like there is real weight of experience and knowledge behind them. The narrative twists and turns, and I was constantly changing my mind about who had set the fire. Thoroughly enjoyable, and entirely compelling, Miracle Creek is a legal process, a forensic examination of family, friends, the bonds that tie us together, and the threads that weave the rich, complex tapestry of life.

Courtroom drama in optima forma, with lots of twists and turns and very well written. Contrary to other reviewers I had no trouble getting into the story - I had a bit of trouble with the last say 25%. By that time, I was getting a little tired of reading about the smallest details over and over, without really learning something new.
However, the story is an extraordinary one, with engaging characters and interesting viewpoints.

Thanks to NetGally for this digital review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Angie Kim and Hodder & Stoughton for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review!

In the small town of Miracle Creek, Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental medical treatment known as “Miracle Submarine”. It is a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter for therapy “dives” in hopes of curing autism or infertility. But when miracle submarine explodes, killing two people a dramatic murder upends the small community.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this novel with all the hype and I was worried that this wouldn’t be up my alley. But I was pleasantly surprised by how interested in this novel I actually was and how much I enjoyed how the courtroom drama was portrayed. I was shocked by the twists and behaviour of some of the characters in this novel and I enjoyed seeing the ending coming together. I really enjoyed all the little dramas that added up to causes this explosion! This one made me feel so many different emotions and I couldn’t help but keep reading to find out what mess was coming next. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending and am definitely recommending everyone give this one a try!

I admit that I'm drawn to heart-wrenching books and many that make me ugly cry, but I was sobbing at the end of this lovely debut. It got me thinking about the Autism Spectrum as the novel deals with several autistic kids whose parents seek "the miracle submarine" (which is in reality a hyperbaric chamber) in order to promote healing, as breathing in 100% oxygen is thought to repair damaged cells quickly. But in reality, aren't there actually many "spectrums" in life? Isn't there a Love Spectrum and at any given time you may find yourself at any end of it or somewhere in the middle? Or a Guilt Spectrum where you may experience mild guilt or the gut-wrenching kind that eats away at your conscience? Kim speaks to so many issues in this novel which is so beautifully written that you can't tear yourself away. Parenting and relationships are difficult no matter how competent we are and there will be missteps along the way where we misjudge and are misjudged.
So even though this book centers around a murder trial with many perspectives, the deeper issues beneath the surface are what make the novel so poignant and rich in its voice. It is truly a gem; just keep the tissues handy!

This book was definitely out of my.comfort zone and I enjoyed reading something new. The courtroom drama/murder mystery/immigration is not like anything else I've read.

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Truly excellent and thought provoking.

A well written courtroom drama that is far more than a mere legal thriller.

It deals with so many threads. Family, immigrants and how they assimilate, autism, new medical advances, women’s issues and so much more.

The prose is clear, spare and elegant.

Read it!

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book.
What a book for a new author. Brilliant writing and well held together. In depth view of parenting and life. Highly recommended.

Miracle Creek, by Angie Kim, is told from various points of view. Miracle Creek is a mystery in which Ms Kim does an excellent job of keeping the reader in suspense as to who did it. I was given a copy to review.

The Kim family run a chamber that can be sealed shut and delivers pure oxygen to users such as children with disabilities and their parents.
But someone sets a fire that burns down the chamber and kills two of its occupants.
This novel - Kim’s first - is about the tangled web of people implicated in the fire and the subsequent trial.
Other reviewers have said they found it difficult to engage with the characters, but I found it easy and found them rounded and likeable.
I enjoyed this and found it well-written and engrossing.
The plot is quite complicated but this doesn’t detract from the story. I really wanted to know exactly what happened.
I’d thoroughly recommend this novel and hope Kim writes more of this calibre.

⭐️⭐️ sorry this was just 2 stars for me.

I found the story to be slow and couldn’t engage with any of the characters.

The premise was interesting with the HBOT but the court room drama lacked, erm, drama and Pak, Young & Mary I had limited interest in.

I actually felt more interested in the protestors who had a valid point.

Struggled to get through this.

It's so hard to believe that this is a debut novel! Dark and hard to read, it's good, well written and full of realistic characters with deep motivations. Some parts felt like getting punched in the stomach and, yet, it was hard to stop. None of the characters are likable and I found myself taken over by the narrative and wanting some of them to pay for actions that may not necessarily have anything to do with the explosion that sets off the story. Then again, every single character is hiding something and all of the secrets combine into a deadly mixture that will inexorably take the book to its conclusion. This is not an easy, fast read, but a challenging novel that is worth the effort.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Hodder & Stoughton!

An addictive and compelling courtroom story following a terrible accident; or was there more to it than that. Multiple twists in the search for the truth with multiple possible guilty parties.

I think I requested to read this based solely on the 'courtroom drama' without reading further into the book's purpose and content. I absolutely love courtroom based books but I have to admit I struggled with this book but this is down to me and in no way detracts from what appears to be a superb book.
I decided to stop reading it as I just could not get involved with characters or content but please take this as a non-critical review of the book more a critical review of the reader!!

Under the guise of a courtroom drama, Miracle Creek is a complex, character-driven novel about life's randomness - luck and bad fortune, unfairness and the human’s complexities.

Angie Kim has devised an incredible story that covers relationships, disability and autism, the many facets of motherhood and female friendships, immigration, some aspects of Korean culture and many other things.

The author did an incredible job showing us the many aspects of caring for someone with a disability and for kids on the spectrum. The guilt, the exhaustion, the driving to this or that doctor and/or therapy, the advocating, researching, implementing strategies, administering treatments, the damned if you do, damned if you don’t and the constant questioning. Of course, you've got those with fewer needs than others. Autism is a spectrum, where some could be put in the "just quirky" category, while at the other end, you have those who will never be able to live independent lives.
Elizabeth's son was in the "just a quirky boy category". Her story broke my heart in a million pieces.

Each character's story, their motivations are gradually revealed to keep us fully engaged to the bitter-sweet end.

A wonderful debut novel, highly recommended.

An amazing story. How one action - not one that is meant to do harm - leads to actions that cause harm. Then another, and another - all of which wouldn't hurt anyone. What we think, and how we share those thoughts with others also cause harm - especially when overheard by a third person. It's like the ripples when a leaf hits water. The leaf is so light that it shouldn't have an effect - but it does.

Parents want the best for their children. Yet at times they resent them and wish they''d never been born - as do the children. Does that mean that they don't love one another?

This is the story of a murder trial and there are some courtroom scenes, but the story is told away from the court from the points of view of the varying characters. It was amusing hearing about the tangled lies, half-lies and half-truths which all of the characters entwined themselves in. It was not a clever lawyer that untangled them, but it was the final confession that solved it. The HBOT treatment I had never heard of - I thought it sounded ridiculous, but it turns out to be true. I did read until the end but I found it to be confusing and repetitive, and none of the characters were likeable or memorable so I really did not care what happened.

I read and reviewed this book previously. I enjoyed it very much and thought the format of using the trial to tell the story was clever.

Miracle Creek is such a beautifully written courtroom drama that really is so much more than just a courtroom drama. It has the whodunnit aspect, while also going deeper and exploring parenthood, disability, cultural identity, immigration, and caregiving. When an experimental medical facility in Virginia explodes, two people die and a murder trial ensues. This is definitely a novel that will make readers think. Highly recommended to readers who enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere and to those who enjoy a strong literary mystery.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this heart stopping book.....

i cant put into words what happened with this book apart from it grips you from the very first page and doesnt let you go until the end....

a courtroom drama but its so much more than that...and its one of the best books i have read so far this year...
i have to admit to feeling quite drained after reading this one...it hits several nerves and at times you have to put the book down walk away and then after a little while go back to it

another author for me to add to my ever growing list of authors to keep an eye out for...this one is going places...