Starlight and Moonshine

by Joseph O'Malley

In early 1980s Detroit, during the year following the drunk driving death of their alcoholic mother, a chorus of family voices grapple with haunting memories of the joys, regrets and the strains of love that will reverberate throughout all of their lives.

During a Detroit winter’s last snowfall in 1980, feeling fine after a few too many drinks, Hannah Fallon crashes her car through a cyclone fence and into an elm tree, leaving behind a messy wake of love and grief through which her family must wade in the year following her death. The story of the Fallon family, told in retrograde beginning a year out from Hannah’s death through the family members’ varying viewpoints, explores the humor, love, and rancor of a family grappling to keep their tight-knit bonds from unraveling. This elegy of family life under siege, written with Cheeveresque wit, clarity, and intensity, fulfills the promise of a long-awaited first novel.

Genres: Literary Fiction

214 pages, Hardcover

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel in linked stories is perfect for fans of Joan Silber.

[George Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Actually, 3.5/5 stars.) Imagine a small family in Detroit: a father with two daughters and a son in their late teens and twenties, and the father’s sister-in-law living elsewhere but always seems to be a presence in the home. Most events occur after the 1980 presidential election, with Carter still in office and Reagan newly elected. The mother of the household has recently died in a horrible automobile crash ruled as a DUI.

Each member of this extended family is trying to live out their life given the loss of the mother and the interplay among the family members. Almost each chapter is in a different first person. The reader gets immersed in very different personalities giving their own views and values to the circumstances. This immersion is often somewhat traumatic to the reader almost giving the impression that there is a separate author for each character.

The plot was occasionally weak and repetitive, yet consistently surprising. Looking forward to more.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nailed it! This is exactly how we think! This is a 5-star book, and not only will I be recommending it to my friends, but I am already thinking about purchasing it for gifts. I also recommended to my book club. I loved it! ps Joseph your off to a GREAT literary career!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small debut novel. Telling the story of a family in mourning. Each chapter from a different family member’s perspective. A good first effort.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1980, Starlight and Moonshine is a portrait of a family’s grief by Jospeh O’Malley.

In the aftermath of Hannah Fallon’s death from driving while intoxicated, her children, husband, and sister-in-law navigate their life without her. Husband James retreats from his kids and sister Addy. Youngest son Jack drops out of school for a cleaning job at a local hospital. Daughter Colleen is an aspiring chef and she copes with the loss in an unhealthy way. Daughter Mary spends less time at home and more time in bars and with men. Addy never particularly cared for Hannah, and she does not understand how her death has affected everyone so much.

Starlight and Moonshine is a quick read that unfolds from each of family member’s perspectives. The most poignant chapter is from Hannah’s point of view and it explains a lot about different times in her marriage and the day she dies. Readers each get a brief view of what the various family members’ lives in the years after their loss. Jospeh O’Malley’s debut is a poignant novel that is well-written and engaging.

[Arianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up