In This Rain

I loved the theme of gardening, both city and country gardening, that runs through the book, starting with the title; it poetically parallels the plot about New York City real estate development. In the end it seems a sort of hopeful symbol for the two main characters, but not for NYC. The city is the third main character of the novel -- maybe the first main character. Rozan's love for and knowledge about the city are enormous. This is a more serious and dark book than many of Rozan's. She is a wonderful writer and one can see her growth. The last one fifth of the book or so changes pace dramatically. It works, I think, as the building suspense explodes into action. The form is unusual and effective. The story is told in small (sometimes tiny) chapters from four different characters' points of view. I recommend this novel; I found all the characters, including secondary ones, convincing, moving, and memorable, and the writing is beautiful as always.

Every time I finish one of Rozan's books, I start to worry that she'll have set such high standards for herself, she won't be able to surpass it with the next one. But every time, she does. In this Rain is her best yet! How's she going to top it?

I so enjoyed all the Lydia & Bill books that I couldn't wait to get my hands on In This Rain. I was not disappointed. In fact, Rozan's writing has reached new heights. The characters are well-drawn and nteresting people and the details of the NYC back drop and real estate scene are engrossing. The book allows the thrill (and unexpected ending) of a detective book with lots of twists and turns and wonderful tales woven in. As one who does not live in NYC, it was a vacation trip all by itself. Don't miss it!

When I finished the book, I had two reactions. One was, my head is spinning. The second was, I want to read it again! "In This Rain" was a fairly quick read, and I didn't want it to end. The plot is pretty intricate, and it keeps you guessing. There are several unpredictable twists and shockers that come in pretty close succession beginning in the middle of the novel, and they ended up making me devour the rest of the book, just to satiate my curiosty as to what the heck was going on. I admit at the end it took me a few minutes of flipping back in the book to see if every important plot line was figured out and tied up. They were. I found the political intrigue fascinating, as well as the issues of urban communitites and big-city real estate. You don't need to have too much knowledge of those things; Rozan take you through it. The police-talk and jargon was fun to read too. I've read all of her books but one, and although this one is differnt in style from the Bill/Lydia mysteries, it was finely plotted and very entertaining. As long as Rozan continues to deliver novels that are smart, entertaining, and pleasures to read, then I will surely continue to be her fan.

S. J. Rozan has a mantle full of literary awards, most of them acquired as the result of her novels featuring Bill Smith and Lydia Chin. She has been taking a break from this series of late, and if her fans are understandably disappointed that this newest work is not a Smith/Chin title, they should not be downtrodden. IN THIS RAIN, while another stand-alone book for Rozan, interestingly introduces another couple who easily could form the basis for a second ongoing series. Joe Cole is a former New York City building department inspector who found himself at the center of a major scandal involving Manhattan's construction industry, which resulted in the death of a child. Ironically enough, Cole was innocent of the charge of which he was convicted and imprisoned for three years. His culpability in a related matter, more an error of omission than an actionable offense, continues to weigh on him. Cole, newly released from prison, is content to live out his days doing mindless roadwork by day and carefully gardening the area around his rural cottage by night. Cole's quiet, if not necessarily idyllic, existence is shattered by a series of apparent accidents, one of which is fatal (surrounding Mott Haven, a Manhattan building project). Ann Montgomery, Cole's former Building Department partner, suspects that the incidents are not accidents at all, but works of sabotage carried out by Walter Glybenhall, a major Manhattan developer for whom Mott Haven is but his latest project. Montgomery initially suspects that Glybenhall is using the occurrences as a catalyst for an insurance fraud scheme. He must tread carefully, as Glybenhall's influence extends right into the office of the mayor of New York. Montgomery quietly enlists Cole as an unofficial advisor, and his methodical if enigmatic investigation soon establishes --- at least to Montgomery's satisfaction --- that Mott Haven's difficulties are not the result of happenstance. It soon appears, however, that Glybenhall's interests go beyond Manhattan and into Harlem, where he apparently covets the last undeveloped piece of land in the neighborhood for a gentrified condominium and entertainment project that he feels will make him the premier developer of New York City. The land, incidentally, is also coveted by a group of local activists who see it as being better utilized as affordable community housing rather than as a theme entertainment center. When a series of apparently unrelated murders occur, one of which strikes close to Montgomery, it slowly becomes clear that the trail of deceit extends far beyond the parameters Montgomery originally suspected. Matters are complicated when the evidence, which initially seemed to lead directly to Glybenhall, unexpectedly exonerates him. Montgomery is certain of Glybenhall's complicity, yet her investigation appears to be biased due to her family's unfortunate history with the man. Undaunted, she takes a calculated risk that will either reveal the extent of the