Book Review: Grievance

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Grievance     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
K. C. Constantine
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Rugs Carlucci Mysteries
Mysterious, Jun 2000, $23.95, 288 pp.

In Rocksburg, Pennsylvania police Detective Sergeant Ruggiero "Rugs" Carlucci is awakened in the middle of the night to go to a crime scene. Someone killed J. Deford Lyon, the steel-manufacturing mogul who is infamous for the ruthless and vicious downsizing of his company. The victim's enemy list could fill Three Rivers to capacity and still need an overflow arena.

Even before he arrives at the scene that he does not want to go to, he has a hard time. His lunatic of mother, who lives with poor Rugs, has tortured him for leaving. At the scene, the victim's wife refuses to cooperate. This is only the beginning of a case that seems to become more difficult to solve with every new clue. Perhaps the problems lie with cooperation worsening with each step Rugs takes and considering that he has none to start with that is quite a chore for the law enforcement official.

GRIEVANCE is a fine police procedural that sub-genre fans will enjoy. However, like in GOOD SONS and BRUSHBACK, this novel's strength lies with its incredible cast of characters including the township. Rugs remains likable, frustrated, yet patient. The secondary cast augments the tale with blue-collar depth and his mother adds the elder care issue confronting baby boomers. K. C. Constantine has written another great hard-core crime fiction novel.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner