What would it take to galvanize you to do what you had put off doing for most of your life? What would it take to make you think that now was the time to seek vengeance from those who inflicted untold damage on the lives closest to you? For Marder that came swiftly after getting some unexpected and shattering news. As an editor, Marder had lived a quiet, contained life with his wife and children in New York City. His wife’s Mexican heritage was something they celebrated and he embraced, but it also haunted them and for his wife, sometimes the tragedy she had endured was more than she could bear.  After her death, he had settled into the routines of life and work and had not thought much about Mexico, but now after getting this news, it was all he could think about-that and getting revenge.  So methodically he arranges his affairs, lets out his apartment, contacts his daughter, Carmel, to let her know he will be traveling and leaves a message for Patrick Skelly, a friend from  his days in Vietnam.  Of all the people in his life, Skelly would be the least surprised at what Marder was planning to do; after all he is one of the few people who knows what Marder is truly capable of.

Gruber is an extraordinary writer. He deftly draws us into Marder’s plans even while keeping us guessing at what exactly he is planning to do. Marder’s methodical tendencies are balanced by the wild and unpredictability that Skelly brings when he shows up creating an interesting dynamic between the two. Gruber brilliantly illuminates the sheer depravity that has become the new norm in this drug war torn area that Marder returns to, and helps us see how the daily compromises regular people begin to corrupt even those on the sidelines. As Marder slowly begins to implement his plan for revenge, we are forced to confront what constitutes a moral response in the face of such overwhelming evil.  Fascinating, suspenseful, and thoughtful, Gruber shows us once again that he is a gifted storyteller.

Brenda’s Rating: *****(5 out 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian and Ken

Books Study Worthy? Yes

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