Book Review: A Fistful of Rain

Reviewed By: Ruth Jordan - RAM

A Fistful of Rain     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Greg Rucka
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
2003, Bantam, 320 pages

Wow!! I saw the sun come up this morning. Note to self never start a Greg Rucka novel at one in the morning.

A FISTFUL OF RAIN is a one stop ride. Treat yourself to a one sitting read.

Rucka’s latest novel tells the story of Mim Bracca, just a girl from Portland who’s become a Superstar while touring with her band Tailhook.

Mim’s family has a terrible incident in their past and it’s never gone away. From age twelve Mim has been hiding from the truth of her life, in her music and in the bottle. Sent home by the band after one drunk too many Mim’s past and celebrity are about to make the next two weeks of her life a living hell.

Rucka tells a rock and roll story in the pages of FISTFUL OF RAIN to rival any written before. He does this with a deftness and skill that are hard for me to explain with words. The imagery begins in the prologue and pounds away like the chords of a Warren Zevon tune. Every character is written with depth and an understanding of the human condition that few authors can match. The plot escalates as a story of fear and murder unfold.

At the core of the story is a young woman who has been hiding from truths in her life for so long she’s created a fantasy world in which lies sometimes are more real than the facts. Her alcohol problem is incapacitating. Somehow she must plant herself in reality long enough to save what’s left of her family. The problem with that and what makes the book so compelling is that like the supportive characters in this book as we read Rucka’s words we’re just not sure she can.

Ruth Jordan - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ruth Jordan - RAM