Fan Casting Mick Riva in Malibu Rising (book)

Mick Riva, the absent father of the Riva siblings, is introduced as the arsonist who sets fire to Nina’s home. Mick’s presence looms over the novel, casting a shadow on his children’s lives. He is driven by a desire for attention and wealth, which leads him to abandon his family. Despite acknowledging his father’s flaws, Mick falls into the same pattern of womanizing as he gains fame through his singing career. He deludes himself into thinking he can be a good man and finds solace in the belief that leaving his children alone is a redemptive act. Mick’s actions haunt his children and shape their lives, despite his physical absence.