First edition as new

While V.I. Warshawski never appears in this book Paretsky isn't straying far from well traveled comfort zones. It's still, Chicago, it's still good guys vs. bad guys, there's still lots of Italian opera arias, there's still strong women, there's a dysfunctional family with a murky history, there are evil corporations, sometimes useful media types, bumbling police, good and bad lawyers, civil rights issues. sometimes helpful doctors, hospitals, University of Chicago professors, the Lake and the beaches, impressionable teenagers, and of course clueless men, etc. One missing element was food. Food does make minimal appearances but there's nothing like major chefs.

What makes this book different is it's focus on homeless women with associated mental health issues and a church congregation that has lost it's way. Homeless characters abound. They are all women of various backgrounds. While some of them have had kids no families seem to be mixed in with them, and no males other than pimps and others that prey upon the women. The least interesting part is the alcoholic, has been diva. Only the impressionable teenagers see past her alcoholism. The most interesting part is the appearance of an out of nowhere homeless woman who only grunts but the diva becomes her translator. The question becomes is she a goddess who can perform miracles for those who believe or is she a charlatan wreaking havoc. There's lots of illusions to Jesus which is heightened by her being murdered by the unbelieving congregation incensed when their grape juice used for communion is replaced with real wine offending their teetotaling traditions. Then her body disappears from the morgue. Sound familiar?

While I would have liked to see Paretsky get out of her comfort zones it is an interesting book. The weakest part is the use of characters as signifying groups. There is too much identity politics for me, characters were too one dimensional ( )

Awful.Wooden characters. I abandoned after a few chapters. ( )

We've waited a long time for a new Paretsky. But, I was really waiting for a new V.I.Warshawski. This new book is not only NOT a Warshawski, it's not a mystery either. I'm not even sure how to describe it. There's a fallen opera diva, and her homeless friends and a strange family that is so fractured that dysfunctional doesn't even start to do it justice. The book is an interesting book to read. I'm ready for another V.I. Warshawski. ( )

Awful. Would not recommend. ( )