Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

July 19, 2025

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

Mary Pat Fennessy spent all her life living in a housing project in South Boston. She raised her children there the same way that she was raised, with the belief that the Irish of her South Boston neighborhood were better than other people. The residents of South Boston have always lived a certain way and they want things to stay that way, and they want those they consider to be outsiders to stay out. But it's 1974 and change is coming whether they want it or not, and they can't stop it, beginning with the integration of the local high school that they all attended and that their children now attend. Mary Pat's daughter Jules is one of the students affected by the plan to bus white students to a Black neighborhood, but when Jules disappears just days before busing is supposed to begin, Mary Pat's focus switches to finding her daughter, whatever it takes. 

Gritty, violent, compelling. Dennis Lehane a great writer, no question. Mary Pat is not always a likeable character - she has a lot of hateful beliefs. But she is a bad ass who will fight for her child, even though you know she is on a collision course with disaster. Filled with morally ambiguous characters, class struggle, hypocrisy and broken dreams, it's a story of bigoted violent adults raising bigoted violent children. Sensitive readers should take note that there are scenes of violence, and brutality, child abuse, racism, drugs, crimes against women. Will appeal to fans to Don Winslow and Jeffery Deaver.

Busing protest in South Boston in the 1970s

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

December 11, 2024

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

In the not too distant future, musician Rainy lives with his wife Lark in a remote town in the upper peninsula of Michigan on the shore of Lake Superior. Lark owns a bookstore in an age where people no longer read - for many people, it's a struggle to survive. Rainy and Lark rent out a room in their house to travelers, offering them a bed and meals and whatever else they may need, until they are ready to move on. When one of these travelers brings trouble with him, Rainy flees in his boat on Lake Superior, running from a mysterious man who believes that Rainy knows where to find a cache of stolen drugs.

Dystopian fiction set in the near future. Confusing at first, it was hard to know what direction the story was going. Rainy may be searching for his dead wife or he may be searching for an elusive poet. There are a number of references to Don Quixote, a dreamer on a quest. Wonderful characters, even the evil ones, and poetic language as well as poetic justice. Fans of the novels of Peter Heller will enjoy Enger's dystopian story.

Lake Superior of the Michigan coast on a calm day

I Will Ruin You by Lincoln Barclay

October 29, 2024

I Will Ruin You by Lincoln Barclay

A teacher's act of bravery puts him in the crosshairs of a former student intent on blackmail, plus exposes him to unexpected fallout from a number of sources.

Another solid psychological thriller from Lincoln Barclay, told through several POVs. After a fast beginning, the story slows down but the author winds in all the threads at the end. It gives a different look at the fallout that those involved in thwarting violence can experience. Sensitive readers should be aware of some difficult subjects, including drugs, school violence, and sexual abuse. Fans of Harlan Coben or Lisa Jewell will enjoy Barclay's latest book.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Men Can't Be Saved by Ben Purkert

July 24, 2023

The Men Can't Be Saved by Ben Purkert

Seth is a junior copywriter at a large firm that specializes in branding - not logos or marketing campaigns, but brand identification (think "I'm lovin' it" or "The San Francisco Treat"). After writing a successful tag line for an obscure product, he considers himself to be a creative genius. But then an account executive that he disparaged leaves the firm, taking the company's most profitable account (that Seth also disparaged) with him. With over half of the firm' revenue gone, most of the staff is let go, including Seth. The only job he can find is as a barista, which he considers to be beneath him. With time on his hand, he is left to ponder his life: what does work do to us? who is he without his job? what does it mean to be a Jew? does he have a substance abuse problem or just an addictive personality?

What does work do to us, particularly to men? Seth is an anti-hero whose identity is tied to his job, and when he is let go from his job, he can't quite let go of it. Seth is also obsessed with other things: sex, drugs, his self-perceived brilliance. But he does become more self-aware by the end of the book, also more aware of those around him, able to see others' needs as well as his own. He is assisted in his growth journey by his friendship with an Orthodox rabbi as well as a co-worker. Humorous and a fast read. Reminded me somewhat of American Psycho, but without the violence and killing.

(I seem to be on a roll with books featuring Jewish characters - this is the third book in a row.)

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

 December 15, 2022

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

A history and expose of the pharmaceutical company that was largely responsible for the opioid epidemic, Purdue Pharma, and the Sackler family, the family that owned the company. Although the Sacklers didn't discover or invent oxycodone, they were responsible for marketing OxyContin, their own brand of oxycodone, as a safe, non-addictive pain reliever. The company's sales force continued to push doctors to over-prescribe oxy through sales incentives and marketing campaigns for everything from back pain to menstrual cramps to toothache.  The drug decimated rural and low-income areas in particular, and when the government began limiting the drug's availability, many users resorted to hard drugs like heroin.

First, let me say that oxycodone is a wonderful drug. I was prescribed oxy following surgery (which is how it is intended to be used) and it helped tremendously with post-operative pain. At that point, in 2021, oxy's addictive properties were well known, and even though I was prescribed enough oxy for seven days, I was encouraged to use it only when I really needed it (I stopped taking it after three days). It was criminal the way the Sacklers continued to push drug sales, long after they knew that people were dying from overdoses or moving on to stronger street drugs. It was unconscionable and indicative of a family that was morally deficit.

OxyContin, Purdue Pharma's trademarked brand of oxycodone

Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich

February 12, 2020

Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich

Clayton Burroughs has spent his whole life trying to be different from the rest of his family.  His father and brothers ran the biggest moonshine operation on Bull Mountain, and when prohibition was overturned, they moved on to marijuana, crystal meth, and guns.  To prove that he is not like his family, Clayton runs for and is elected county sheriff, which doesn’t sit well with his closest relatives.  His brother Halford has run his illegal businesses like a mafia don and depends on personal loyalty from those who live on the mountain, but various agencies of the federal government are closing in.  For good measure, throw in an ATF agent with a serious drug addiction and his own agenda.

The Godfather meets Winter’s Bone.  This is a quick suspenseful read with well-developed characters that kept me turning the pages, with good concise writing that doesn’t wander into a lot of unnecessary detail.  The story moves back and forth from the 1940’s to the present day with various stops in between, so if you don’t care for a nonlinear story, this may not be for you.  Be warned:  there is also a pretty high violence level.  Panowich has written two sequels set in the same area (Like Lions and Hard Cash Valley).