Rag and Bone

Rating:
Summary: Taking chances on youth, family, love, right, and justice
Review: "Rag and Bone" brings to an end this popular series of seven mysteries by San Francisco lawyer/writer Michael Nava. Five of the preceding books have won Lambda awards for best gay mystery of the year. Nava's final Henry Rios novel is a likely contender for this year's best mystery. Fans will look forward to new works by Nava, co-author of "Created Equal: Why Gay Rights Matter in America." Admirers of his fiction hope his decision to end the Henry Rios series will free him from the constraints he might have felt in genre writing and will inspire him to deliver the big novel of psychological realism that we believe him fully capable of writing.

In "Rag and Bone" we see Henry at his most reflective. A heart attack during court in the first chapter makes him face his own mortality, and the continuing grief over the AIDS death of Josh, his young lover introduced in the series' second novel, "Golden Boy," causes Henry-always a sensitive character-to turn more philosophical. But the turning inward does not mean withdrawal.

In this novel Henry discovers whole new dimensions of family as he draws closer to an estranged sister whose long-lost daughter and grandson are caught in a gang homicide case. Henry must defend his niece, whom he dislikes and who is the confessed killer. In his late forties, Henry must not only heal a diseased heart, he must also mend a broken one that never healed from his father's abuse. When he becomes responsible for his ten year old nephew, the image of himself at ten, Henry's independence yields to surrogate fatherhood.

Family takes on additional dimensions as Henry finds himself falling in love with John, a washed up minor leaguer now a contractor in Rios' neighborhood. From their first meeting when John helps Henry home from an overly-ambitious walk, the men are attracted to each other. Both are Mexican American; both are in their forties; both love baseball; and, most importantly, both are disarmingly honest about themselves. John, a divorced bisexual, misses his own children and is only too eager to help "father" young Angel. But John has asked Deanna to marry him, and it is unclear just where the new romance with Henry is going.

Most of the novel concerns the murder case, but the crime, family, and love are intricately entwined. Typical to the genre, things work out as they should, and Henry's career takes a leap: the governor will name him to a judgeship. Enjoy this novel for its surprise twists and turns of plot and its sleuth-like intelligence at mystery solving. But most of all, enjoy it for the character of its characters-the hard decisions, the earnest decency of wounded men and women willing to risk themselves again for youth, for family, for love, for right and justice.

Rating:
Summary: Mas Por Favor....
Review: After waiting for weeks to read the book, I was very happy to get my hands on it. What a shock to read that this was to be the last of the Herny Rios series. I have to admit that it took me a while to warm up to Henry as a character but I am certainly glad that I did. There are not many gay latino characters around and it is a shame to see Henry disappear. Especially when it seemed that things were going well for him. Can't we have a minority character who isn't downtrodden and all messed up? Can't one be successful, even for a little while? I join the rest when I say that I hope Mr Nava changes his mind and decided to let us see what the future holds for Henry. Oh yeah, and I enjoyed the book as well. Mr Nava is a good writer and I hope we decided to keep writing, even if it isn't the Henry Rios series.

Rating:
Summary: Mas Por Favor....
Review: After waiting for weeks to read the book, I was very happy to get my hands on it. What a shock to read that this was to be the last of the Herny Rios series. I have to admit that it took me a while to warm up to Henry as a character but I am certainly glad that I did. There are not many gay latino characters around and it is a shame to see Henry disappear. Especially when it seemed that things were going well for him. Can't we have a minority character who isn't downtrodden and all messed up? Can't one be successful, even for a little while? I join the rest when I say that I hope Mr Nava changes his mind and decided to let us see what the future holds for Henry. Oh yeah, and I enjoyed the book as well. Mr Nava is a good writer and I hope we decided to keep writing, even if it isn't the Henry Rios series.

Rating:
Summary: great mystery from a good story teller
Review: As one of the most highly praised writers in mystery fiction, he is part of a breed of writers who have broken through customary limits of the mystery genre. His work is erudite and literary but he is not out to impress and dazzle the reader with his cleverness. His writing is straight forward and he weaves an absorbing story. His humor is restrained yet enjoyable:

"An old bullet? And what test did you perform that determined the age of that bullet?" "The victim was killed with a thirty-eight semiautomatic." "That doesn't answer my question. How did you decide the twenty-two was an old bullet?" "Your Honor," Pearsall said, "this is, like, way beyond my direct." She grinned at him. "Is that, like, an objection?" If so it's over-ruled. Answer the question, detective. How did you determine the age of the twenty-two-calliber bullet?" "It was an assumption," he said, with heavy sarcasm. "Based on the fact that the holes in the victim were made by a thirty-eight." "But detective," I said reasonably, "for all you know, the victim could've fired that twenty-two-caliber bulet at my client that very night and then she fired back at him in self-defense." "We didn't find a tewnty-two-caliber weapon," he said. "You didn't find a thirty-eight either," I reminded him. But I'm a sport. I'll spot you the thirty-eight if you'll give me my twenty-two." He lolled his head toward the D.A. with a look of disgust. This time the kid responded. "Objection. Argumentative." "Yes, Mr. Rios," the judge said. "That one I would save for the jury."

Michael Nava is a five-time winner of the Lambda Award for best mystery.

Rating:
Summary: The Last Of Rios
Review: Can this really be it? Has Michael Nava really brought to an end the Henry Rios mystery series? Has he broken my heart the way Armistead Maupin did when he quit writing THE TALES OF THE CITY(although at least he is still writing other novels). According the the book jacket this will be the last and it does not say he will continue writing fiction(or non-fiction or anything at all). These mysteries have been a great comfort to me over the years and RAG AND BONE, though disappointing compared to the other entries(or is it just because I know it's the last?) is no exception. The character is like a comfortable easy chair and even though he is older and a little weary I would follow him anywhere. The plot concerns the defense of his estranged niece who is accused of shooting her abusive husband and Rios' bonding with his 10 year old nephew. There is also a tentative romance with a middle aged construction foreman that is realistic and believable. Rios is also recovering from a heart attack which adds the element of his mortality to this finale that has not really been present in the other novels. All-in-all a fittingly melancholy end to a series that I think peaked with THE DEATH OF FRIENDS. Still, I wish there were other Rios novels to look forward to.

Rating:
Summary: A fitting finale to a great series
Review: Gay attorney Henry Rio is working a case at the California Court of Appeals when he suffers a massive heart attack. Though not close, Henry asks for his sister Elena. She visits him in the hospital and tries to mend their breech even informing him that as a teen she gave up the child she birthed for adoption. Henry acts indifferent towards his niece Vicky because he feels that he has nothing left to live for and death seems welcoming.

That nothingness changes when Henry meets John De Leon. They become friends and potentially a deeper relationship seems imminent. Another friend encourages Henry to apply for a judgeship that is vacant. Vicky and her son Angel reenter Henry's life when she is arrested for the murder of her husband. The lad moves in with his great-uncle. Vicky pleads battered spouse syndrome, but Henry believes there is more to this situation than that. He begins investigating the case, but needs to gain Vicky's trust if he is to uncover the truth.

In a postscript Michael Nava informs the reader that this is not only his last Rios novel, but his final mystery. What a way to end a sparkling career with a fabulous tale. The characters make the tale, as they seem so genuine. For instance, a depressed Henry seeks a place in the world while Vicky's story comes from headlines. RAG AND BONE is a fitting end to a great series starring a very humanistic but flawed individual. Kudos to the author for a supernava finale.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A nice ending for the series
Review: Having read the entire series of Henry Rios novels over the years I found this to be a moving ending to the series. This may not be the best in the series as far as the "mystery", but I feel strongly empathetic with Henry. The beautifully drawn character has been through so many milestones that parallel many gay men's lives that you can't help but be drawn in. I found myself deeply saddened that this will be the last of Michael Nava's Rios series. I only hope that in the future he comes out with something as good

Rating:
Summary: It's over? NO! It can't be!
Review: Henry Rios has his doubts (and hands full) when a young woman shows up claiming to be his niece. When the girl is arrested for murder, Henry does all he can to fight against a conflict of interest-and to protect his ten-year-old great-nephew.

The mystery aspect of this story seems cut-and-dry, but Michael Nava manages to throw a few twists into the kettle while it is still boiling. And as usual, he leaves some doubt in the reader's mind.

The true story here is about family. Henry and his sister remember their hardships, but they now know it is time to learn from them. Henry's niece might ruin that-the only hope is Rios' great-nephew and new love interest.

It is the character of Henry's new boyfriend that leaves me somewhat unconvinced. He is a strong, important character. He helps Henry find the truth-but just feels a little too good to be true. (The problem might be that we are introduced to so many new characters we love, but this is the last novel in the series. Let us hope that Michael Nava changes his mind.)

Please ignore the reviewer who gave this novel "1 star because there is no 0" rating. This person only "wasted" his money for two Henry Rios books--the first and last. Meaning he never had the chance to read 'HOW TOWN'--which introduced us to Elena, a hard but fair woman...who happens to be Henry's older sister--this series cannot be read out of order. And even I notice how Henry is softer than the first book, but he became softer with every story. I think this is because he began learning that he can only do so much. Read the seven books in order:

The Little Death, Golden Boy, How Town, The Hidden Law, The Death of Friends, The Burning Plain, Rag and Bone

Rating:
Summary: Compelling and absorbing!
Review: I am very disappointed that this is the last of a captivating series. Rag and Bone is a wonderful book. It is powerful, emotionally charged, riveting and deeply touching. I am glad that there is a silver lining for Rios. However why must Mr Nava ends there. I hope he will change his mind and continue to develop his amazing protagonist's life.

Rating:
Summary: Worth the wait
Review: I had been waiting for another adventure with Henry Rios and was beginning to think that Mr. Nava wasn't going to give us another. This latest was well worth the wait! The characters in all of Nava's Henry Rios series are so well drawn: three-dimensional, flawed, lovable. The life experiences they encounter as human beings enveloped in crime solving always show them to be people you would want to know personally. Nava's writing makes you believe you have.

I'm very sorry to hear that this is the last of the Rios series and must join in with those who are hoping that we might still have more in the future. If not, however, congratulations to Michael Nava for a job very well done. Enhorabuena, amigo y mucha suerte!