Pacific
In his acclaimed debut, The End of Vandalism (1994), Drury introduced readers to an offbeat cast of lovers, cheaters, and criminals from Grouse County, Iowa. Set partly in the same town, his fifth and latest book reinstates some of his inaugural characters, including former sheriff Dan Norman, now an undercover detective investigating an ex-con’s scam selling forged Celtic relics; Tiny Darling, a small-time crook and unsuccessful plumber; Tiny’s ex-wife, Joan, who lives in L.A. and stars in a forensic TV show; and her stepdaughter, Lyris, a former foster child, who has recently moved to town. The fragmented, multiperspective story line begins when Joan returns to Grouse County to reclaim her 14-year-old son, Micah, whose new West Coast lifestyle finds him dabbling in drugs and sex. All the jumping around and the lack of a lead role result in a spotty overall plotline, which is at times dizzying. But as in his previous masterful novels, Drury weaves carefully metered sentences, deeply felt scenes, and struggling characters into an endlessly entertaining tapestry of human comedy and small-town living. --Jonathan Fullmer--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.