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As I read the dust jacket copy for Mike Nicholıs (no relation to the famous film and stage director) debut novel, THE WAKING, I found myself quite intrigued. Something about the description of the novel was reminiscent of another first novel, the remarkable PRESUMED INNOCENT by Scott Turow, in that it was the story of a town in the Midwest, a troubled marriage, infidelity, and finally, murder. Add to that the fact that the author was a working journalist and it suggests a book striving to be more than a garden-variety mystery. But, evoking memories of Turowıs novel can be both a blessing and a curse and, in the case of THE WAKING I must report it is both. It is the story of Will and Sandy Dunby, a seemingly happy and successful couple living and working in a small midwestern town. That apparent happiness is shattered by a car crash that leaves Sandy in a coma and the subsequent investigation into Sandyıs car crash ultimately leads to murder. Yet, the breathtakingly believable ordinariness of life that Nichols depicts with great care and affection are betrayed by the paradoxical ordinariness of the murder mystery. While the authorıs depiction of the details of the troubled marriage of Will and Sandy rings achingly true, and are, in fact, a believable bridge to the murder mystery, his handling of the murder and ensuing court case are something of a failure, because the crime and its motives fail to reveal any profound truths about either the nature of relationships in a small town or the ability of ordinary people to commit extraordinary crimes. When I finally finished THE WAKING I found myself vaguely dissatisfied. On the level of surface entertainment it succeeded because the story of these people kept me engaged throughout. Mike Nichols, like Scott Turow before him, had created for himself an opportunity to transcend the genre. But unlike Turow, when it was Nicholsı first turn at bat, he hit a single and not a home run. Still, a single is by no means a failure, just something less than I believe Mike Nichols capable of. He is clearly a skillful writer and I eagerly await his next appearance at the plate.
Reviewed by Michael Grollman, December 2002
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