The Music of What Happens

Rating:
Summary: Alaskan Gumfoot: a solid pulp fiction novel
Review: Cecil Younger, the hero of this novel, is a private dick who has the child-custody case from hell. His client is the sister of his former girlfriend, whom he still is in love with. The child-custody case turns into a murder case, and our hero is right in the thick of it. The story takes place in Sitka in SE Alaska. I grew up in SE Alaska myself, Straley's descriptions of the islands and ocean brought me back. If you never have been to the 'panhandle' of Alaska, this tale has a very accurate description of what you would see. Also, Straley nailed the characteristics of the people who are laid back, yet are 'ready for a bit of the rough-and-tumble' that one will find in this rainy strip of islands along Canada's border.

Rating:
Summary: needlessly confusing
Review: I consider John Straley one of my favorite authors. I pick up one of his books when I can't think of what else to read, because I know I will not be disappointed, but this time he failed me. He's a fine writer and his descriptions of the down-and-out life in Alaska are right on the money, but I found the plot in this particular book to be needlessly confusing. Poor Cecil is confused enough the way it is without having to wade through the conspiracies in this one. But any book that starts with the line "It was early spring when I was released from the psychiatric ward" can't be all bad.