Born on Monday

by Richard R. Becker

In Augusta, Maine, a historic nor’easter unearths sins buried deep in the town’s past. With time running out, three lives collide in a desperate fight for survival, where truth becomes a casualty and redemption comes at a cost.

Billy Stevens, a quarry worker haunted by loss, is drawn into a web of betrayal when a brutal crime pins him as a suspect. Jessica Michaud returns to care for her ailing mother, only to find herself hunted by a vengeful ex whose chilling threats awaken old wounds. And journalist Andrea Kearney digs into a local dynasty’s corruption as the storm’s fury mirrors the rising tide of violence.

Born On Monday is a gripping tale of resilience, moral ambiguity, and small-town sins — a literary thriller that will keep readers breathless until its haunting conclusion. Award-winning author Richard R. Becker delivers a gritty thriller that digs into identity, perception, and the human condition.

Genres: Suspense, Mystery, Mystery Thriller

355 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2025

About the author

Richard R. Becker is an award-winning American author whose gripping stories blend resilience and moral complexity. His upcoming novel, Born on Monday (2025), promises a thrilling tale of small-town sins that will leave readers breathless.

His debut novel, Third Wheel (August 2023), soared into Amazon’s top 100 thriller and suspense literary fiction novels, earned a Kirkus Reviews feature, and won seven awards, including Literary Thriller of the Year by the Artisan International Book Excellence Awards. His debut collection, 50 States (2021), born from a challenge to write one story a week for 50 weeks, topped Amazon’s literary short story charts for three months and secured multiple honors, including first place in the Spring 2022 BookFest Awards.

Raised in Milwaukee by his grandparents after his father’s tragic death, Richard overcame poverty, club feet, and his grandmother’s cancer. These challenges infuse his work with emotional depth. After relocating to Las Vegas, he worked diverse jobs (fast food, retail paint, muralist, stage foreman, and convenience store clerk among them) to fund his education at Whittier College and the University of Nevada, Reno, where he shifted from psychology to journalism, with an emphasis in advertising.

A seasoned writer, Richard founded Copywrite, Ink., a 35-year-old communications firm, and invested 20 years of teaching at UNLV. An active community volunteer, he serves on the Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. Richard enjoys acting, hiking, photography, and time with his wife and two adult children.

Reviews

[READER VIEWS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker takes readers into Augusta, Maine, where former local high school graduate Jessica returns from New York City in hopes of escaping an abusive ex. She is also there to help her mother, who is rapidly declining due to cancer. Billy, her former high school sweetheart, felt left behind when Jessica took off without him. What happened in the past, especially with Jessica, has impacted his relationships.

Mired in conflict and feelings of guilt about events that took place in high school, Billy is forced to face painful memories. Meanwhile, Jessica soon discovers that someone is out to get her. This person also targets Billy and those who are important to him. His close friend Andrea, who is an investigative reporter, is determined to use her skills to get to the bottom of what is happening. If this also involves being able to take out the town patriarch, she will be thrilled. An impending storm adds tension to the drama.

Becker has masterfully created a fast-paced drama that is full of twists and turns. Readers will find themselves on tenterhooks while waiting for secrets to be revealed. The suspense builds as old secrets are brought into the light. The supporting characters are well described as Becker takes us inside their minds to understand their motivations. The majority are simple town folk who’ve known each other for their whole lives. Then there are those who endanger others. They really have no redeeming qualities. I enjoyed despising them and watching their downfall.

The settings are well described and help give a small-town feel where everyone knows each other, yet several hold dark, deep secrets. It feels like the rest of the world is moving along while this place is still stuck in time. Having people come in from the outside really highlights this disparity. The impending nor’easter adds to the feeling of doom when it hits hardest as the story reaches its dramatic climax. This leads to big surprises as everyone struggles to survive, but for different reasons.

Born on Monday stands out as an excellent contemporary suspense novel. Readers who enjoy fast-paced thrillers that still have emotional depth will really enjoy this novel. I look forward to reading other works by this talented author, especially if he develops more stories related to the setting in this novel.

[Kristy Kloster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday is one of those books that quietly gets under your skin and stays there.

I loved how grounded this story feels. The small-town setting in Augusta, Maine, with that massive storm rolling in, isn’t just background weather—it seeps into everything. The power outages, the isolation, the sense that everyone is stuck with their choices and their past mistakes… it all matches the emotional storm each character is carrying.

Billy absolutely broke my heart. He’s not painted as a perfect hero; he’s messy, damaged, and trying to make sense of things that never got a proper ending. Jessica coming back home to care for her mother while running from an abusive relationship felt painfully real. The push and pull between wanting safety and wanting independence is written in a very human way. And Andrea, digging into the rot underneath a respectable family, gives the story that investigative tension without losing the emotional core.

What I appreciated most is how the book doesn’t spoon-feed easy answers. People make bad choices for understandable reasons. Good intentions don’t always lead to good outcomes. There’s a strong sense of consequence here—what happens when secrets are buried for too long, when grief is never addressed, when power in a small town goes unchecked. The nor’easter almost feels like a judgment day, forcing everything that’s been hidden to surface.

The pacing worked really well for me. It’s not rushed, but there’s always this low, steady tension building as the storm approaches and the characters’ paths close in on each other. By the time things come together, you feel like you’ve really lived with these people: their losses, their regrets, their tiny hopes that maybe things can still turn out differently.

The writing is clear and emotional without being overwrought, and there are little moments—quiet conversations, small acts of kindness, flashes of anger—that feel very true to life. Even when I didn’t agree with a character’s decisions, I understood why they did what they did.

For me, this was a five-star read: thoughtful, emotionally heavy in the right ways, and beautifully anchored in place and atmosphere. If you like morally complex stories set in small towns where the past is never really past, Born on Monday is absolutely worth your time.

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born On Monday by Richard R Becker

Thank you @booktoktours for the ebook for review.

I was totally sucked into the small town of Augusta, Maine, and involved with the lives of the characters.
An incredibly compelling thriller that became an absolute page turner. I just couldn't stop reading and sped through this book.

Billy is a quarry worker. An ex- football star at high school. His life is turned upside down when ex-girlfriend Jessica turns up in town. She's back to visit her sick mother after leaving the small town and Billy behind for the bright lights of New York City.

Billy's ex-schoolfriend Dustin is also coincidentally back as Jessica finds out when she comes across him in a car accident.

With Jessica and Dustin back in the neighborhood it brings back a lot of memories for Billy as well as bringing out the secrets of the past.
And talking of secrets, Jessica has more reasons than she initially lets on for being back. And unfortunately, her secret is about to put a lot of people in danger.

Meanwhile, local journalist Andrea is working on a story to shine a light on small town corruption and her investigations start to link into the secrets the old school friends are keeping.

It's brewing up to a perfect storm of violence, revelations, abuse and death. And the storm of lies is mirrored by the approaching natural storm that threatens to destroy a good portion of the town.

It's a tense, realistically portrayed story with a few twists and some morally ambiguous decisions to make you wonder what you would choose to do.

Solomon Grundy was Born on Monday. But things got bad for Solomon very quickly. Everything is going to get bad for Billy, Jessica and Dustin just as quickly.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

BORN ON MONDAY absolutely wrecked me—in the best, storm-tossed, spine-tingling way.

A nor’easter ripping through Augusta, Maine is one thing…
But a nor’easter that digs up the town’s dirty little secrets like it’s got a personal vendetta?
Yeah. Buckle up.

Billy? My sweet haunted rock-quarry cinnamon roll of chaos.
Jessica? A whole walking “I’ve survived worse” anthem.
Andrea? Journalism Barbie with a death wish and receipts.

As the storm closes in, these three lives smash together like lightning on wet pavement—messy, dangerous, and impossible to look away from. Every chapter hits like a gust of wind that steals your breath, and every twist is a reminder that this town’s moral compass is spinning like a drunk weathervane.

Richard R. Becker didn’t just write a thriller—he dropped a whole existential grenade into a small town and walked away like, “Good luck, babes.”

If you love:
🌧️ unhinged weather
⚡ corruption with a side of chaos
💥 characters who are morally gray but extremely huggable
🔥 and thrillers that feel like the storm is knocking on your door

…then this one? This one is going straight on your “ruined my night in the best way” shelf.

Run. Read it. Let it destroy you.

[Jenna B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Born on Monday unfolds like a nor'easter — slow-building, relentless, and ultimately devastating. It blends the raw realism of small-town decay with pulse-pounding modern day suspense, all culminating in a twist that I never saw coming.

This is the kind of novel that redefines what a thriller can be because it dares to probe the fragile, flawed core of humanity. The novel is mostly told from the point of view of three characters, but there are so many more who make a complete cast with a shared history. But what begins as an uneasy reunion spirals into a desperate bid for survival as old sins are uncovered and new threat upends their lives.

His work is reminiscent of the taut isolation in Tana French's rural mysteries, the interpersonal minefields of Gillian Flynn, a bit of Dennis Lehane's New England underbelly. The characters are real, rooted in blue collar lives. The prose is lean and honest, prioritizing emotional depth over flash kind of like Hemingway's iceberg theory and Russel Banks's moral reckonings. Sure, he's not canonized at that level yet, but some already see him as a emerging peer to many top post-2010 writers.

[Amanda Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh! So many plot paths this could have taken! Each character brought curiosity and a dark past. Who did what to whom? Which one is the hero? Is there even a hero? They just all might be guilty of something from their high school days. A very good read with a suspenseful plot and relatable cast!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this book, it was loosely based near my home town which made this even more of a fascinating read.writing style, plot very well put together.

[Coffee Book Couch by Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday is one of those books that creeps up on you quietly and then refuses to leave your head once you’re done. As a blogger who reads a lot of crime and dark fiction, I’m used to small towns with ugly secrets, but Richard R. Becker’s Augusta, Maine feels particularly raw and lived-in, like a place you could trace on a map and still miss everything that matters if you only looked at the roads.

The story orbits three main characters whose lives gradually tangle together: Billy Stevens, Jessica Michaud, and Andrea Kearney. Becker doesn’t throw them all at you in a rush; instead, he lets them arrive on the page with the weight of their own histories, griefs, and mistakes.

Billy is the first one who really hooked me. He’s a quarry worker, carrying a heavy load of loss that doesn’t turn him into the usual brooding caricature. Instead, he feels like an ordinary man who’s been hit too many times by life and is still trying to keep moving, even when he’s not sure why. When a brutal crime pushes him into the spotlight as a convenient suspect, we see how quickly people will accept a neat answer if it frees them from looking too closely at the rot underneath.

Jessica comes home to Augusta to care for her increasingly fragile mother, and you can feel the weight of that decision in every scene she’s in. There’s guilt, resentment, duty, and love all mashed together, and Becker captures that messy emotional cocktail with painful accuracy. On top of that, she has a vengeful ex who doesn’t stay in the past where he belongs. The way her storyline is handled feels grounded: this isn’t a sensationalized stalker subplot, but a slow-burning, escalating threat that mirrors how real-life abuse and control often play out. Her chapters are full of tension not because of jump scares, but because you’re constantly bracing for how much worse things might get.

Andrea Kearney, the journalist, adds another crucial layer. She’s digging into a powerful local family and the corruption that radiates from them like a slow poison through the town. What I appreciated most about Andrea is that she’s not written as some fearless, glossy investigative superhero. She’s sharp, persistent, and stubborn, but she’s also aware of the risks, the politics, and the way people can close ranks when you question the wrong dynasty. Her sections pull you into the underbelly of Augusta—the backroom deals, the favors owed, the “this is just how things are done here” attitude that keeps ugly systems in place.

The looming nor’easter is almost a character on its own. It’s not just background weather; it’s a constant pressure on the story. As the storm builds, so does the sense that everything the town has tried to bury—its crimes, its loyalties, its moral shortcuts—is going to get dragged up and exposed. The physical storm and the human storm are tightly bound: power flickers, roads close, and people are trapped with each other, forced into confrontations that would’ve been avoided under sunny skies. The pacing shifts as the storm intensifies: chapters tighten, confrontations sharpen, and the consequences of earlier choices land harder because escape routes—literal and metaphorical—are vanishing.

The structure works particularly well. Becker moves between the three perspectives in a way that keeps the tension humming but doesn’t feel choppy. You get just enough time with each character to settle into their mindset before shifting away, and those switches often come at moments that make you mutter “no, not yet” while also realizing it’s smart storytelling. You see different pieces of the same events, rumors, and histories from these varied vantage points, and gradually the bigger picture forms. There’s a sense of inevitability that creeps in: not in a predictable way, but in the feeling that once this many lies and compromises start colliding, something devastating is bound to happen.

What really sets Born on Monday apart is the moral shading. There aren’t many people here who are purely good or purely bad. Instead, the book is populated by flawed, sometimes selfish, sometimes frightened people who have learned to survive in a place built on unspoken rules. Even the “villains” aren’t cartoonish—they’re often people who’ve been allowed to believe that power entitles them to anything, or that money and name recognition will always wash away consequences. Watching those certainties crack is incredibly satisfying.

The writing itself is clear and deliberate. Becker doesn’t rely on flashy tricks; he builds atmosphere through details and emotionally grounded moments: the sound of machinery at the quarry, the way old family homes hold both comfort and dread, the awkwardness of adult children trying to parent their own parents, the heaviness in the air as the storm approaches. Dialogue feels real—nothing too polished, plenty of regional flavor without overdoing it. There’s also a convincing sense of working-class pressure: jobs that wear down the body, medical bills, small-town gossip functioning as both social glue and a weapon.

The crime elements are strong, but the book is just as interested in the people around those crimes as it is in the “what happened.” The central mystery and its aftermath are gripping, but you’re just as invested in whether Billy can reclaim any kind of future, whether Jessica will find a way out of her situation without losing herself, and whether Andrea will be able to tell the truth without being swallowed by the very forces she’s exposing. The stakes feel personal and collective at the same time: it’s about these three, but it’s also about what kind of town Augusta is going to be when the storm clears.

By the time everything comes together, the emotional impact hits hard. The ending doesn’t go for a neat, tidy bow. There is resolution, but it comes with scars, costs, and the sense that justice in real life is rarely clean. That choice fits perfectly with the tone of the book. Born on Monday is less interested in reassuring you and more interested in making you sit with the consequences of fear, greed, apathy, and courage—both individual and shared.

As a blogger, this is exactly the kind of crime/literary hybrid I love to recommend: character-driven, atmospheric, and unafraid to look at uncomfortable truths without losing heart for its cast. It’s a story about survival, about who gets believed and who doesn’t, about the pressure of small-town expectations, and about what happens when long-standing power structures finally get challenged.

For me, Born on Monday is a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

[Karolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is my review for Born On Monday by Richard R Becker

This was a totally gripping thriller that I found very hard to put down as it was such a compelling read and intense storyline. It was set around Augusta, Maine and featured four old high school friends: Billy, Jessica, Dustin and Stacey. Jessica and Dustin had left about five years ago but just returned. Jessica had to get away from her controlling ex, Kyle, and blocked his number on her mobile. She thought she was safe. Then she found out her mum was ill so arranged to look after her. Dustin was running from problems in Texas and needed his dad’s help. Billy was working in the quarry and Stacey had changed her name to Sarah but neither of them had left town. Andrea, is a reporter and a long-term friend of Billy’s. She digs around for stories and she ferrets around, digging until the answers and puzzles pull together. What they didn’t realise was, their worlds were on a collision course and it wasn’t going to end well! I thought this story was brilliantly, superbly plotted and extremely well thought out. The characters seem so real and blend well together with good descriptions of how they look. The story is full of descriptive writing which describes everything really well. As I was reading the story, I could see it playing out visually in my mind, it would make a good film. It was full of tension and suspense. It was an intriguing read and held my attention throughout. I would like to read more books by this author and can’t wait to read the next one.

Blurb :

Born On Monday is a gripping tale of resilience, moral ambiguity, and small-town sins — a literary thriller that will keep readers breathless until its haunting conclusion.
In Augusta, Maine, a historic nor’easter unearths sins and secrets buried deep in the town’s past. Billy Stevens, a quarry worker haunted by loss, is drawn into a web of betrayal when a brutal crime pins him as a suspect. Jessica Michaud returns to care for her ailing mother, only to find herself hunted by a vengeful ex whose chilling threats awaken old wounds. And journalist Andrea Kearney digs into a local dynasty’s corruption as the storm’s fury mirrors the rising tide of violence.
With time running out, three lives collide in a desperate fight for survival, where truth becomes a casualty and redemption comes at a cost. Eleven-time award-winning author Richard R. Becker delivers a gritty literary thriller that digs into identity, perception, and the human condition.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born on Monday tells the story of Billy Stevens and Jessica Michaud, two people tethered by shared history and unfinished feelings in the small town of Augusta, Maine. It’s a story about trauma, redemption, and how the past has a way of catching up even when we think we’ve buried it. The novel opens with a reunion that feels innocent at first, a meeting in a bar between ex-lovers, but it quickly widens into something much darker. Their lives, already scarred by heartbreak and regret, begin to tangle again through loss, addiction, and violence. Becker’s writing threads together memory and immediacy with quiet dread, pulling the reader through a story that feels both intimate and cinematic.

I couldn’t help but feel pulled under by Becker’s prose. It’s sharp but unpretentious. The way he writes about small towns feels dead-on, that claustrophobic mix of nostalgia and rot. His characters are flawed, all cracked open in ways that feel real, not performative. Billy’s grief feels worn and honest, and Jessica’s shame and self-doubt are haunting. I liked how Becker avoids grand speeches or easy answers. Every conversation carries an undercurrent, like everyone is speaking through layers of history. The pacing is deliberate, but it gives space for emotion to breathe. I found myself pausing often, not because the plot slowed, but because I needed to sit with the weight of what had just happened.

There’s something raw about the ideas Becker plays with, survival, masculinity, and cycles of trauma. Some scenes hit harder than I expected. The quiet domestic pain, the strange kindness between people who are barely holding on, the way memories echo through time. Becker writes people who keep trying, even when they shouldn’t. The story feels true in a way that most “redemption arcs” don’t.

By the end, I wasn’t sure if I felt heartbroken or hopeful. Maybe both. Born on Monday isn’t for readers who want neat resolutions or tidy morals. It’s for those who don’t mind sitting in the mess, who understand that healing isn’t about closure, it’s about survival. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes character-driven fiction that deals with real scars, not storybook wounds. Fans of small-town dramas like Sharp Objects or Winter’s Bone will find something familiar here, but Becker’s voice is his own.

[Elina Vaysbeyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday is a gripping and atmospheric literary thriller that skillfully weaves together multiple storylines into a tense and emotionally charged narrative. Set against the backdrop of a powerful storm the novel creates a sense of urgency that mirrors the internal struggles of its characters.

One of the most compelling aspects of the book is its character driven approach. Billy Stevens stands out as a deeply human figure burdened by loss and circumstance. His journey through suspicion and survival adds emotional weight to the unfolding events. Jessica Michaud brings another layer of intensity as her return home forces her to confront both past trauma and present danger. Andrea Kearney’s investigative thread adds a broader perspective tying personal stories to larger systemic issues.

The interplay between these characters is handled with care allowing each storyline to develop while gradually converging. This structure keeps the reader engaged and invested in how their paths will intersect.

The setting plays a crucial role in shaping the tone of the novel. The storm is more than just a backdrop it becomes a force that amplifies tension and reflects the chaos within the town. The small town atmosphere is portrayed with depth revealing hidden secrets and long buried conflicts.

Themes of identity truth and moral ambiguity are explored throughout the narrative. The story does not offer simple answers instead presenting complex situations that challenge both the characters and the reader.

The pacing is steady and deliberate building suspense through both action and emotional development. Each revelation adds to the overall intensity leading to a conclusion that feels both impactful and fitting.

Overall Born on Monday is a powerful and well crafted thriller that combines strong character work with a compelling sense of place. It is a memorable read for those who appreciate layered storytelling and emotionally driven suspense.

[Brenda Grimmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker is a gripping literary thriller that explores the darker side of small town life, where buried secrets and personal struggles collide during a devastating storm.

Set in Augusta, Maine, the story begins as a powerful nor’easter tears through the region, uncovering more than just physical damage. The storm becomes a powerful backdrop for a narrative about long hidden sins and the complicated lives of people caught in their wake.

The novel follows three characters whose lives gradually intertwine under mounting pressure. Billy Stevens, a quarry worker haunted by past loss, finds himself suspected of a brutal crime. Jessica Michaud returns to town to care for her ailing mother but soon faces danger from a threatening figure from her past. Meanwhile, journalist Andrea Kearney begins investigating a powerful local family, uncovering corruption that has shaped the town for years.

As the storm intensifies, so do the stakes for each character. Becker skillfully builds tension through shifting perspectives and moral complexity, creating a narrative where truth, loyalty, and survival are constantly in conflict. The setting and atmosphere add depth to the story, emphasizing the isolation and vulnerability of a small town under pressure.

Overall, Born on Monday delivers a compelling blend of mystery, suspense, and character-driven drama. It’s a thoughtful thriller that explores how past choices and hidden truths can resurface when people are pushed to their limits.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! Born on Monday is a suspenseful, fast-paced thriller set in Augusta, Maine, during a historic nor’easter that shakes the town to its core.

Three lives collide in the storm: Billy Stevens, a quarry worker haunted by loss and betrayal; Jessica Michaud, returning home to escape a vengeful ex; and Andrea Kearney, a journalist uncovering corruption in a powerful local family. Each perspective adds intensity, leading to twists I didn’t see coming and an ending that completely delivered.

I loved how this book balanced heart-pounding suspense with emotional depth. The antagonist is chillingly unforgettable, the kind of abuser you’ll despise from the start, while the protagonists feel real and easy to root for.

It’s also worth noting that the story doesn’t lean on heavy profanity or graphic content. Instead, it builds tension through atmosphere, character conflict, and sharp plotting, which makes the suspense all the more gripping.

If you enjoy thrillers that move quickly but still make you feel for the characters, this one is a must-read. One of my favorite reads of 2025 so far, and I’ll definitely be picking up more of Becker’s work.

ARC provided through Black Tide Book Tours. No compensation received; opinions are my own.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born On Monday is a briskly paced tale of a former HS football player, Billy, who returns to his home town of Augusta, Maine at the same time as his high school sweetheart, Jessica, who is home from NYC to care for her cancer-ridden mother. A narcissistic, abusive boyfriend she recently broke up with follows Jessica home to Augusta. As Billy tries to make amends for his own bad high school behavior with Jessica and help a reporter investigate his former high school friend's, who was also abusive in high school but seems to have turned over a new leaf. As all these elements come together with mounting tension, a huge nor-easter is bearing down on the seaside Maine town. Author Becker hits all the right notes in his story, which is tightly plotted and features suspense which builds steadily until a satisfying conclusion, while taking the time to portray the devastating effect of toxic male behavior. Where Becker really excels, though is in character development. The lead characters, Billy and Jessica, and the supporting characters, from Jessica's mom to the reporter to the bad guys, are fully formed characters, many of which are trying to come to terms wiith their own bad choices.

[Roberts Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker is a tense, atmospheric literary thriller that unearths the dark undercurrents of a small Maine town on the brink of collapse. Set against the backdrop of a devastating nor’easter, Becker crafts a haunting exploration of guilt, redemption, and the fragile line between truth and survival.

Three lives converge in the storm’s shadow: Billy Stevens, a quarry worker burdened by grief and suspicion; Jessica Michaud, a woman forced to confront the ghosts of her past; and Andrea Kearney, a journalist unraveling a web of corruption that runs through the town’s very roots. As the storm intensifies, so does the tension revealing that the most dangerous tempests are often the ones raging within.

Becker’s prose is precise, cinematic, and unflinching, painting both the beauty and brutality of human nature. The novel’s pacing is deliberate yet relentless, layering emotional resonance with noir grit. Readers who admire the moral depth of Dennis Lehane or the storm-lit suspense of Tana French will find Born on Monday impossible to forget. It’s a story of survival, identity, and the high cost of truth one that lingers long after the final page.

[Nicole.B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker is a gripping and atmospheric literary thriller that weaves together suspense, emotional depth, and moral complexity against the backdrop of a storm battered small town. Set in Augusta, Maine, the novel brings together three intersecting lives, each shaped by past trauma and present danger, as buried secrets begin to surface.

Becker skillfully builds tension through multiple perspectives, following Billy Stevens, Jessica Michaud, and Andrea Kearney as their paths converge in a narrative driven by suspicion, corruption, and survival. The looming nor’easter mirrors the internal and external chaos, amplifying the stakes and creating a sense of urgency throughout the story.

With its exploration of identity, perception, and the cost of truth, Born on Monday delivers more than suspense. It offers a thoughtful examination of human vulnerability and resilience. Readers who enjoy mystery, literary thrillers, small town drama, and character driven suspense will find this novel both compelling and haunting.

[Elina Vaysbeyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday is a tense, emotionally layered literary thriller that captures the weight of small town secrets and the moral ambiguity of survival. Richard R. Becker skillfully uses the backdrop of a historic nor’easter in Augusta, Maine, to mirror the chaos, fear, and buried truths that surface as the story unfolds.

The novel’s strength lies in its intersecting character arcs. Billy Stevens’ quiet grief, Jessica Michaud’s confrontation with past trauma, and Andrea Kearney’s pursuit of truth create a powerful narrative collision driven by urgency and consequence. Becker’s prose is gritty yet controlled, allowing the violence and emotional stakes to resonate without excess. Born on Monday is not just a thriller it is a sharp examination of identity, perception, and the cost of redemption, leaving a lasting impression long after the final page.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday is a masterfully crafted literary thriller that immerses readers in the turbulent lives of Augusta, Maine’s residents during a historic nor’easter. Richard R. Becker expertly interweaves suspense, character depth, and moral complexity, making each chapter both tense and emotionally resonant.

The novel’s three intersecting storylines Billy Stevens’ fight to clear his name, Jessica Michaud confronting a vengeful past, and Andrea Kearney exposing corruption create a narrative rich in suspense and human vulnerability. Becker’s attention to detail, atmospheric setting, and nuanced characters elevate the book, offering not just a thriller, but a meditation on resilience, justice, and the cost of redemption. Fans of literary thrillers and character-driven suspense will find themselves fully absorbed from the first page to the haunting conclusion.

[Liora Ellington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday is a haunting literary thriller set in storm-swept Augusta, Maine, where past sins resurface as a deadly nor’easter closes in. Three lives a grieving quarry worker, a woman pursued by her vengeful ex, and a journalist unearthing corruption intertwine in a struggle for truth and survival.

Richard R. Becker writes with cinematic precision and emotional depth, weaving tension, atmosphere, and moral ambiguity into every page. The storm mirrors the turmoil within his characters, revealing both the cost of redemption and the fragility of conscience.

A gripping, beautifully written tale of identity and consequence, Born on Monday is a powerful exploration of the human spirit under pressure

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was mostly about 2 young adults who were high school sweethearts. It is now a few years later and they are back in their small hometown in Maine. They each have some drama in their new lives, but their shared history holds some secrets. We slowly begin to learn what really happened as things turn pretty dark with a new bad apple involved in the mix to further stir things up. Overall, an ok read. There were a few instances in which the actions of the characters were convenient for the story but unrealistic. Potential triggers include motor vehicle accident, cancer, date-rape, physical and emotional abuse. This is my honest review, and I am posting it voluntarily. Thanks to the author & publisher for the giveaway opportunity that enabled me to win this book.

[Steven Finkelstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is literary fiction done well. The story focuses on Augusta, Maine, a small town with plenty of big secrets. Billy Stevens is a blue-collar worker with unimaginable pain in his past. He is suspected of committing a vicious crime. Meanwhile, journalist Andrea Kearney is trying to get dirt on a powerful family. In a third storyline, Jessica Michaud is back in town to administer to her sick mother, but there is a demented former lover who has targeted her.

When these three plot strings converge, the consequences are explosive. The author writes in a slow-burn style that Stephen King fans will appreciate, as there are echoes of King’s works set in his fictional small town of Castle Rock. There’s suspense, surprises, and plenty of intrigue for those who care to visit Augusta.

[Charlie R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small towns and bad weather and people who can't get away from their pasts. That's what this book is made of. A snowstorm rolls into Augusta, Maine. This type of story where 3 people, each carrying different kinds of damage, collide in ways none of them were expecting. What hooked me is how the tension builds slowly, the kind that feels like pressure building behind your ears.
What the author does really well is make you care about characters who aren't easy to love. Billy is haunted. Jessica is scared. The journalist, Andrea, is chasing something that might get her hurt. None of them are doing everything right, and that's exactly what keeps you reading till the end. It doesn't let up. And those ending lands.

[Elizabeth Szumski · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can I express how great this book was?!
Born on Monday kept me in angsty suspense the whole way through!
There were times I wanted to dive into the pages and scream at the characters, times I wanted to throw the book because I couldn’t take another moment of suspense or injustice, and times I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down until I knew MORE.
I was drawn in so quickly by the characters. Billy, in particular, and his struggles were so well written that you can’t help but put yourself in his place and mindset.
Richard Becker created a masterpiece that I will read again and again.
500 stars!

[Marianne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billy’s sections hit hard because they’re rooted in grief and bad luck, and the suspense around him builds naturally. Jessica’s storyline brings a sharp, personal sense of threat that feels all too real, and Andrea’s investigative thread adds a wider lens—power, corruption, and the way small places can hide big rot. The pacing stays tight, the stakes keep rising, and the author does a nice job making the plot feel busy without becoming confusing.

If you like thrillers where the setting matters, where consequences land, and where multiple perspectives click together at the right moment, this one is satisfying.

[Kathy Maresca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becker's tightly wrapped plot kept me engaged from the moment I began reading. It's one of those rare novels that have a haunting quality from the beginning of the story. Most of us have known small towns and their good, bad, and ugly secrets. As an author, Becker hides those secrets well. An explosive end wraps up this excellent mystery.

[Diana Roberts]

Slow start, gets interesting, then somewhat predictable.

[Carola Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on Monday is one of those books that feel uncomfortably close to real life in the best way. It’s dark and heavy at times, but it never feels gratuitous. Instead, it sits with the fallout of abuse, silence and small-town power. A very honest book about the cost of staying silent and the price of finally speaking. Five stars.