The only thing standard about "Reservoir 13," by Jon McGregor, is its starting point. In an English village, while walking in the hills with her parents, a visiting 13-year-old girl named Rebecca Shaw (or Becky, or Becca or Bex) goes missing.
The entire thirteen chapters--remember, it is called "Reservoir 13"--goes on to examine the mystery, not so much by tearing it apart, bit by bit, but by presenting an almost pastoral--I don't want to call it "Middlemarch," but not unlike that--of the community, and its citizenry, flaws and all.
There is no answer to the mystery that starts the book. McGregor allows the reader to play Lily Rush from "Cold Case," and, yes, I have my theories. For those who are interested in reading this book, stop here, because I am going to examine some theories.
Here we go--
1. Rebecca Ran Off To Get Away From Her Parents--I mean, she could
have. They were in a place unknown to them, as they were all visitors
for two weeks, and, on their walk, Rebecca was lagging behind. She
could have been waiting for a chance to sneak off, vanish and reinvent
herself. As the book progresses, and the parents are referenced, they
emerge as mysterious characters.
2. The Group Of Teens, Who Stay In The Village As Adults Killed Her
As A Group--Several of the boys admit to having been with Becky,
prior to her disappearance. And when the girls found this out, they
did not like this visitor upstart hanging out with one of theirs. So
either they lured Becky to their hangout, or Becky sneaked off to
them from the parents, with the consequence that she was bullied,
then killed. With the now grownups forever keeping the secret
of this kid deed between them.
3. Her Own Parents Killed Her--This makes some kind of sense. All
three were out on those hills alone. Who would have seen them? The
parents are definitely some kind of nutso. The mother overly plays
the role of the grieving martyr, to the point where the reader begins
to wonder is she for real, or faking it? The father is obsessive, and
has pyromaniacal tendencies. Neither was wrapped tight. And for
disturbed controllers like these, with a teen daughter already champing
at the bit for independence, either this was planned, or an argument
ensued, but, one way or another, the parents killed their own
daughter.
So those are my theories. Maybe other readers can come up with more. The one I favor the most is the parents. It does not look like Rebecca was given time on her own; those moments with the boys was on the sly, and, if the parents found out, that would have enraged them, further favoring the credence of the theory I favor.
Not only is there no answer to the mystery, but no body is ever found. Some
hope the girl is still alive, but I think not. She has died, and, when the novel ends, thirteen years after the disappearance, what ever is left would have decomposed, beyond all recognition.
But I know where the body was put, darlings. No matter who did it. You know where?
It is not for nought this novel is called "Reservoir 13."
Happy Reading, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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