Steven Brady, alcoholic detective, was not a character I could feel sympathy with. Nor were any of the others. His struggles and lusts were just pauses in the story while he wallowed about. I have little patience after the first few so found skimming the book for where the plot returned the way to finish this book. Edited down it would be better.This part I liked was to shifting through the evidence and analyzing it with a good balance between intuition and basic procedure. While Brady was doing his job, interviewing, collecting and collating the data the story was good. it gave a great picture of the conflicts between the summer people of wealth who come out from New York in contrast to the locals, some wealthy some not, who live there. The failure was in a strong capable character who wallowed in periods of angst that seemed unrelated to the rest of the story. Yes he had trouble and was capable of rising above it with the aid of AA. Those sections were well told. While he interacted the story moved and the character worked. It was the overly long introspections that failed.
Isaacs is a word-painter. Her writing is vivid and lush, and once in awhile, a slice of wry humor comes around a corner and strikes you hard and fast, and you didn't expect to laugh, yet there you are.I read everything Isaacs writes. This was one of the first. I am usually unwilling to read about the upper-middle-class and wealthy characters, but because she is so very, very good, I read them anyway.I don't want to wreck the plot with specifics. One thing I will say: the women are always the heroes...and I guess I like that part. And yes, if you are particular about off-color language, avoid everything she has written, as you are sure to be offended. As for me? I found out that she has published one I haven't read yet, and I can hardly wait!
