Down City: A Daughter's Story of Love, Memory, and Murder

by Leah Carroll
Down City: A Daughter's Story of Love, Memory, and Murder cover
Good Books rating 3.83
Biography and Memoir
Buy online
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 10733
  • Added: 2026-02-03
  • Updated: 2026-02-16
  • ISBN: 9781455563302
  • Publisher: Hachette+ORM
  • Published: 2025-04-08
  • Reviews: 3

Down City is a poignant and heart-wrenching memoir by Leah Carroll, who delves into the mystery of her parents' lives after her mother was murdered by drug dealers with Mafia connections when Leah was just four years old. Through interviews, photos, and police records, Leah pieces together the fragmented history of her family, revealing the complexities of her father's struggles with alcoholism and mental health. /n/n Set against the backdrop of Rhode Island, a state teeming with both gritty reality and vibrant spirit, Down City is not just a personal narrative but also a vivid portrait of a community where the ghosts of the past coexist with the everyday lives of its resilient inhabitants. Leah's journey is one of determination and resilience, as she seeks to understand the truth about her mother and the deeply troubled father who raised her.

Reviews
The Storygraph · 2026-02-16
heartbreaking 3.50

The memoir is incredibly well-written and offers a poignant exploration of the author's parents' lives and her own journey. It is a heartbreaking yet uplifting story of love and resilience.

The reviewer highly recommends this memoir, praising its well-crafted narrative and the author's ability to convey deep emotions. They find the story to be both heartbreaking and uplifting, highlighting the author's resilience and the love she has for her parents. The reviewer appreciates the memoir's exploration of complex family dynamics and the author's journey to understand her past. The story is described as incredibly well-written and deeply moving.

Quick quotes

    It was an incredibly well written memoir about Leah Carroll's parents, both who died young and left her with a lot of questions.

    This book is excellent!!! I couldn't put it down. Heartbreaking story about a sweet woman, that can't catch a break.

    The memoir is a raw, wrenching account of a broken family and an indelible portrait of Rhode Island.

The New York Times · 2017-03-31
heartbreaking 4.00

The writing is most evocative when describing moments of intimate tenderness and disappointment. The memoir captures the complexity of a troubled family dynamic with heartbreaking honesty.

The reviewer highlights the author's ability to convey deep emotions through her writing, particularly in moments that blend tenderness with disappointment. They appreciate the raw and honest portrayal of a family grappling with loss and dysfunction. The memoir is praised for its evocative language and the way it captures the intricate dynamics of a troubled family, making it a compelling and moving read.

Quick quotes

    Carroll's writing is most evocative when she describes, with a heartbreaking mixture of tenderness and disappointment, the moments of intimate connection.

    The memoir captures the complexity of a troubled family dynamic with heartbreaking honesty.

    Carroll's prose is both tender and unflinching, offering a poignant exploration of love, loss, and memory.

Goodreads · 2017-03-07
excellent 4.00

The memoir is an excellent and often gut-punching exploration of a Rhode Island childhood marked by loss and resilience. The author's love for her parents shines through the disturbing subject matter.

The reviewer finds the memoir to be an excellent and deeply moving account of a childhood filled with both love and tragedy. They appreciate the author's resilience and the way she navigates the complexities of her family's history. The reviewer also notes that despite the disturbing subject matter, the author's love for her parents is a central and uplifting theme. The memoir is praised for its raw honesty and emotional depth.

Quick quotes

    An excellent, often gut-punching and moving memoir of a Rhode Island childhood/teenagehood spent in, not chaos exactly (it's not quite Glass Castle).

    While the memoir deals with disturbing subject matter, in the end, the love of the author toward her parents is uplifting and moving.

    Heartbreaking and mesmerizing, it's the story of a resilient young woman's determination to discover the truth about a mother she never knew.

Appears in Lists