Motherless Brooklyn (novel)

Motherless Brooklyn is a novel by American author Jonathan Lethem, published in 1999. The novel blends elements of crime fiction, mystery, and literary fiction, and is notable for its protagonist, Lionel Essrog, who suffers from Tourette's syndrome.

The story is set in 1990s Brooklyn and revolves around Lionel's efforts to solve the murder of his mentor and father figure, Frank Minna, a low-level private investigator. Lionel, orphaned and raised by Minna alongside other similarly displaced young men, uses his unique, often uncontrollable, tics and verbal outbursts to his advantage in the investigation. His condition, while presenting challenges, also grants him a different perspective and allows him to notice details others might miss.

As Lionel delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers layers of corruption, political intrigue, and secrets that reach far beyond the small-time criminal world he is accustomed to. His investigation leads him to powerful figures and forces him to confront uncomfortable truths about Minna and the circumstances of his own upbringing.

Motherless Brooklyn has been praised for its distinctive narrative voice, its sensitive and nuanced portrayal of Tourette's syndrome, and its exploration of themes such as identity, loyalty, and the search for belonging. The novel won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 1999 and the Gold Dagger award in 2000.

A film adaptation, also titled Motherless Brooklyn, directed by and starring Edward Norton, was released in 2019.