South by South Bronx

February 25, 2008
Told from a variety of perspectives, including that of Detective Sanchez of the Bronx NYPD, this fevered noir from Rodriguez (Spidertown
) centers on law enforcement's search for a drug dealer known as Spook, who had agreed to launder huge sums of money for a terrorist group, but took off with the cash instead. Punctuating the main story line are chapters whose relevance is obscure; one, for example, contains short biographies of Leni Riefenstahl, Anne Sexton and Marlene Dietrich. The author eventually pulls the disparate strands together, including those to do with Ava Reynolds, a mysterious blonde with instant recall who proves her ability by memorizing a page of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho
. At its best, the novel carries the reader along by the force of its hypnotic prose, but the effort necessary to keep track of what's going on may turn off those more comfortable with a conventional linear narrative. Author tour.

May 15, 2008
In the months before 9/11, a plot involving Arab nationals funneling $10 million to a South Bronx, NY, drug dealer to launder draws in a variety of law enforcement officials and locals. Sanchez, a South Bronx cop on the outs with his fellow officers for reporting a rogue officer, is contacted by CIA operative Myers, who's searching for the aforementioned drug dealer (named Spook), Spook's brother David, and the money they have apparently taken for themselves. Myers's mysterious blond assistant (who may also have the money) soon finds herself tumbling off a fire escape into a stranger's apartment while escaping David's shooting. She quickly captivates the stranger, shoe salesman Alex, and his artist friends Mink and Monk. A convoluted chase ensues as Myers tries to locate the money; Alex, Mink, and Monk try to protect the woman; and Sanchez is caught in the middle with his own complicated motives. More than a crime tale, this is also a gritty exploration of love and art. Recommended for most public libraries.Lawrence Rungren, Merrimack Valley Lib. Consortium, Andover, MA

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