Flashes of wit and humor leaven this bleak tale of a small nation riven by violence and corruption. Filomena Buscarsela, Wishnia's Ecuadorian-American PI (last seen in 2001's Red House), who inhabits a New York City that resembles a third-world country, goes home to Ecuador, teenage daughter in tow, for a visit with her far-flung family, friends and former revolutionary comrades. In Ecuador everything is extreme—politics, poverty, weather. Wishnia's brand of gritty surrealism jolts the reader with startling images and jarring contrasts. When the priest who saved the vulnerable and lonely Filomena years before is murdered, she knows she must punish those responsible, despite the terrible risks for both her and her daughter. Filomena undertakes a harrowing, arduous trip back to her high mountain home and her rebel roots to find the killers. One can find faults—Filomena's sudden shifts from visiting relative to doting mother to tourist to warrior; the plethora of parties and issues and the abrupt appearances or disappearances of characters—but one cannot quibble about the language. Wishnia evokes a country and a culture vividly and unforgettably. Fans will welcome this closer look at Filomena's past, while new converts will want to delve into her New York adventures. (Dec. 16)
