Red House - Hardcover

Wishnia, K. J. A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 031228182X ISBN 13: 9780312281823

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2001

Synopsis

Trying to support herself and her daughter, Filomena Buscarsela begins working for a private investigations firm, and must learn how to balance tricky pro bono cases, big money clients, and single motherhood.

About this title

Reviews

Ex-cop Filomena Buscarsela, recovered from the troubles that dogged her in The Glass Factory (2000), brings her sharp tongue and sharper mind back to New York City in this slightly confusing tale. Here she's serving an apprenticeship at an established PI firm, but her cases tend to cost the firm nearly as much as she brings in. Always fighting for the underdog, Buscarsela finds herself helping an elderly Hispanic woman whose son is missing, and another woman whose husband, in a moment of insanity, drew a gun on five police officers in a crowd. Breaking a bootlegging ring gets Buscarsela money, but it gets her shot at as well. Her biggest case involves the apparent mugging of Manny Morales, a guy who worked with developmentally disabled children, but was better known as an agitator for tenants' rights. The somewhat tangled thread that ties together Buscarsela's cases is an old factory building that's been occupied by squatters for the past 10 years. This motley if basically responsible group of tenants provides Buscarsela with useful information, sometimes inadvertently, but it's the building itself that holds the most important key. An engaging character with an intimidating determination and at times an over-the-top exuberance, Buscarsela balances a fierce personality with an appealing manner toward her 12-year-old daughter, Antonia, and a wry sense of humor. The jam-packed plot makes for an exciting story, but the disparate sideshows are difficult to keep straight, and Wishnia plays the ethnicity card a little too often. (Nov. 12)for an Edgar.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Sharp-tongued Ecuadorian Filomena Buscarsela is back for her fourth appearance, keeping the peace on the mean streets of New York City. Former cab driver Fil is now working as an underpaid underling at a PI firm while studying to receive her own PI license. Setting out to show her bosses that she can pull in high-paying cases, too, she succeeds in spades with a mysterious murder linked to all kinds of wrongdoing. Why would a man on probation pull a gun on police officers while smoking a joint in broad daylight? Why would someone kill her neighbor, a good-hearted community activist? What is the story behind the walls of a dilapidated city building full of illegal tenants? With the sleuthing help of a friend from the EPA and the moral support of her boyfriend, Stan, and 12-year-old daughter, Antonia, Fil cracks the case with her usual aplomb. Smart dialogue, a realistic and gritty depiction of New York, and the sensitive exploration of environmental, racial, and economic issues make this another great read in an energetic series. Carrie Bissey
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Edition details

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 031228182X
• ISBN 13: 9780312281823
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 261