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Rating: 
Summary: Intriquing, if somewhat confusing, off-beat mystery
Review: Equadorian-born Filomnena Buscarsela, a former NYPD cop, is apprenticing at a New York PI firm to meet the requirements for a PI license. As this story unfolds, she becomes involved with a multiple series of wrong-doings involving Latino immigrants who are struggling to make a living in the City and who are often at the mercy of landlords and the city bureacracy. Buscarsela, a very tough-talking dame--a little bit too much for my taste--takes on cases that involve time but little reward to her and her employer except satisaction in seeing justice, in a sense, served. The book was highly recommended several months ago in the Washington Post's Book Review Sunday supplement, hence my interest. Despite a good, move-it-along pace with terse and often acerbic dialogue, the intertwining of several different stories makes it a book that should be read in two or three sittings; otherwise, you'll have to do considerable rereading to keep the plot line clear. Sharp observations if sometimes a too obvious slant of glorifying the oppressed immigrants characterizes the writing. Also, the number of amusing, sometimes penetrating put-downs and zingers in the dialogue will hold interest, even if the plot line leaves you befuddled. Not for everyone, but an interesting diversion--particularly the fine writing--from the usual detective/ police procedural novel.
Rating:
Summary: Intriquing, if somewhat confusing, off-beat mystery
Review: Equadorian-born Filomnena Buscarsela, a former NYPD cop, is apprenticing at a New York PI firm to meet the requirements for a PI license. As this story unfolds, she becomes involved with a multiple series of wrong-doings involving Latino immigrants who are struggling to make a living in the City and who are often at the mercy of landlords and the city bureacracy. Buscarsela, a very tough-talking dame--a little bit too much for my taste--takes on cases that involve time but little reward to her and her employer except satisaction in seeing justice, in a sense, served. The book was highly recommended several months ago in the Washington Post's Book Review Sunday supplement, hence my interest. Despite a good, move-it-along pace with terse and often acerbic dialogue, the intertwining of several different stories makes it a book that should be read in two or three sittings; otherwise, you'll have to do considerable rereading to keep the plot line clear. Sharp observations if sometimes a too obvious slant of glorifying the oppressed immigrants characterizes the writing. Also, the number of amusing, sometimes penetrating put-downs and zingers in the dialogue will hold interest, even if the plot line leaves you befuddled. Not for everyone, but an interesting diversion--particularly the fine writing--from the usual detective/ police procedural novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Teriffic heroine and plot
Review: She honestly tries to stay out of trouble and obey the rules while working at a salary that keep her bosses at the Davis and Bacon Company happy. However, former Ecuadorian freedom fighter turned apprentice private detective Filomenia Buscarsella believes her adopted country should do more for the poor that barely speaks English. This leads her to take on cases that are pro bono, as many of her clients cannot pay the fee.
When Mrs. Munoz comes to the office begging for help in finding her missing son of three days, Filomena agrees to search for the lad. Filomena spends a lot of work time on the investigation only to find her client's son is dead. The police believe the victim accidentally drowned in an icy puddle of water. Later Sonny Tescaro goes berserk and draws a gun on six cops. Filomena needs to find out why he did such a stupid thing, not yet aware that her trials are just beginning.
RED HOUSE is a realistic depiction of the illegal immigrant story in New York City. K.j.a. Wishna shows how these desperate souls are exploited and their civil rights trampled. The heroine is a champion of fairness who tries to insure the right thing happens for those individuals trapped beneath the safety net of the American justice system. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Teriffic heroine and plot
Review: She honestly tries to stay out of trouble and obey the rules while working at a salary that keep her bosses at the Davis and Bacon Company happy. However, former Ecuadorian freedom fighter turned apprentice private detective Filomenia Buscarsella believes her adopted country should do more for the poor that barely speaks English. This leads her to take on cases that are pro bono, as many of her clients cannot pay the fee.
When Mrs. Munoz comes to the office begging for help in finding her missing son of three days, Filomena agrees to search for the lad. Filomena spends a lot of work time on the investigation only to find her client's son is dead. The police believe the victim accidentally drowned in an icy puddle of water. Later Sonny Tescaro goes berserk and draws a gun on six cops. Filomena needs to find out why he did such a stupid thing, not yet aware that her trials are just beginning.
RED HOUSE is a realistic depiction of the illegal immigrant story in New York City. K.j.a. Wishna shows how these desperate souls are exploited and their civil rights trampled. The heroine is a champion of fairness who tries to insure the right thing happens for those individuals trapped beneath the safety net of the American justice system. Harriet Klausner
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