October 30, 2007
A Fistful of Rain by Greg Rucka is an atmospheric suspense novel that has large elements of the rainy Portland, Oregon weather and the tumultuous life of rock star, Miriam “Mim” Bracca. At the beginning of the novel, she arrives home after being kicked off the band’s tour for a severe drinking problem. Before she can get in her house, she is kidnapped by a man with a gun and forced to remove all her clothes, and then crawl into the back of his pickup. Strangely, after being driven around for a lengthy period, Mim is deposited back on her own doorstep. When she reports the abduction, the police can only file a report. She is unharmed and there is no physical evidence. Mim feels the cops have turned her assault into a fan event.
Her need for the next drink is always a part of her inner dialogue. When you have been fired from a successful rock band for drinking, you have hit a real low. Mim had been the lead guitarist for Tailhook, which started local, but had recently gained national attention. Several mega hits launched them on a world tour. Vanessa, the lead singer, was an extremely motivated and disciplined leader who found Mim completely out of control. Although Mim has all the money she needs, her personal life is in shambles.
A childhood trauma gave her personal demons. Her father ran over their mother in front of Mim and her brother Mikel. Was it intentional or accidental? Whichever, her father has been serving a lengthy prison sentence for the crime, but has been recently released. As a further complication of Mim’s troubles, obscene pictures of her are showing up on the internet. Mikel tries to help her discover the source, even though Mim considers he or their father somehow could have been a source. Since Mim is already having blackouts, even though she insists the pictures were not posed for, she cannot remember any place they could have been shot.
This is a novel that gives a close up and personal portrayal of what it is like to be so tormented by your problems. Mim constantly wants another drink. Even when things go well, a drink is needed. She does still find the courage and endurance to discover who is threatening her privacy and destroying her family. The novel ends with a surprising plot twist which does reveal secrets that almost destroyed Mim.
by Helen Davis