Book Review: Red House

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Red House     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
K. J. A. Wishnia
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character
Series: Fil Buscarsela # 4
St. Martin’s, Nov 2001, $23.95, 288 pp.

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

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