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Book Review of Necessary Evil

Necessary Evil
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Billy McIlvain's most memorable childhood times were spent with his Philadelphia Main Line family, and he was happiest when celebrating his birthday with his beloved banker grandfather. Then on Billy's tenth birthday fishing trip, his grandfather is murdered. This nightmarish episode and the departure of his tennis pro father (when a sizable inheritance does not materialize) end forever any appearance of a "normal" life for him. Lacking emotional support from his alcoholic mother, the teenaged Billy becomes increasingly alienated-an alienation fueled by the need to avenge his grandfather's death. After doing time in prison, Billy seeks his father to make him pay for the early years of neglect. This wrenching first-person account intersperses Billy's pre-prison memories and letters to the dead grandfather with present-day events and fantasies. A powerful and compelling novel; for popular collections.