
Introverted academic swears to get even when an alcoholic neighbor runs over his beloved cat. Psychological crime novel with complex characters (these are recognizable people with real problems), a genre defying plot (the mystery here isn't in the crime but in the way it will all play out), and loads of perceptive humor (most of which goes unappreciated by the melancholy main character). Regrettably, the ending isn't as inventive as the rest of the novel, but the rest -- full of intelligence, wit, and charm -- is a pure delight. Vin Packer is one of several pen names used by Marijane Meaker. Public Service Note: If you have the Prologue Books paperback edition, do not read the grabber on the opening page: it gives away a major plot point.