cover image Our Lady of Greenwich Village

Our Lady of Greenwich Village

Dermot McEvoy, . . Skyhorse, $22.95 (326pp) ISBN 978-1-60239-351-6

PW senior editor McEvoy takes on hypocritical politicians and a disappearing New York City in his gimlet-eyed second novel.

Our Lady of Greenwich Village Dermot McEvoy . Skyhorse (Norton, dist.), $22.95 (384p) ISBN 978-1-60239-351-6

A guilt-ridden political consultant gets a boost from the Virgin Mary in McEvoy's raucous novel of New York. Staunch Catholic Irish-American Wolfe Tone O'Rourke, a likable enough but flawed 53-year-old campaign adviser, is saddled with shame over having failed RFK on the day of his assassination. Now, in 2000, the world-weary, hard-drinking O'Rourke is disgusted by family values congressman Jackie Swift, so after the Virgin Mary appears to O'Rourke in his dreams, he kicks off a campaign for Swift's seat under the banner of “No More Bullshit.” He's helped along by a sexy young black campaign manager who becomes his lover, and an infectious indignation. The race is knock-down vicious, and it gives McEvoy the chance to take some choice shots at politicians, religious leaders and the wussification of the city he clearly loves. It's about as New York as it gets. (Oct.)