Set in New York in the shadow of 911, Under the Manhattan Bridge follows the story of a social worker who discovers the body of a young Orthodox Jewish man in her husband's studio and becomes embroiled in the mystery surrounding his death. The story held my interest very well and really captured the feel of post 911 New York and how it affected its residents. Kept me guessing until the end, though I think I figured out part of the mystery before Anita did.
Interesting, well-written look at small NY neighborhood just after 9/11. Great characters and mystery across several parts of the community.
From Booklist
Another thoughtful and deeply New York mystery from Marcuse, this one taking place in the weeks just after September 11, 2001. Although the book's focus is not on what happened that day, it perfectly captures the uneasy tenderness, the outbreaks of inappropriate emotion, and the devastating sadness that gripped New Yorkers as the city managed to right itself and go on. Anita Servi's husband, Benno, has moved his woodworking shop to Brooklyn, and Anita, who lost her job as a social worker, has been functioning as his assistant. When she finds a body in the shop vacuum press, the horror is magnified when it turns out that the victim was an Orthodox Jewish teenager who had been using Ecstasy and crystal meth. The Orthodox and the Jehovah's Witness communities in Brooklyn, along with the artists of Manhattan's DUMBO neighborhood (under the Manhattan Bridge), all play roles in this carefully wrought tale. A steadily improving, multifaceted series
Another thoughtful and deeply New York mystery from Marcuse, this one taking place in the weeks just after September 11, 2001. Although the book's focus is not on what happened that day, it perfectly captures the uneasy tenderness, the outbreaks of inappropriate emotion, and the devastating sadness that gripped New Yorkers as the city managed to right itself and go on. Anita Servi's husband, Benno, has moved his woodworking shop to Brooklyn, and Anita, who lost her job as a social worker, has been functioning as his assistant. When she finds a body in the shop vacuum press, the horror is magnified when it turns out that the victim was an Orthodox Jewish teenager who had been using Ecstasy and crystal meth. The Orthodox and the Jehovah's Witness communities in Brooklyn, along with the artists of Manhattan's DUMBO neighborhood (under the Manhattan Bridge), all play roles in this carefully wrought tale. A steadily improving, multifaceted series
I'm not a mystery reader so I have no review. This is from the back of the book:
When social worker turned cabinetmaker Anita Servi uncovers the body of an unidentified teenager in the vacuum press of her husband's woodworking shop, her innate skills at deciphering human motivation are put to the test. Trying to identify the boy, she sifts for clues in the eclectic neighborhoods of lower Manhattan, an enclave of Russian baths, cafes, art galleries, colorful ethnic groups--and drugs.
Anita manages to identify the victim: an Orthodox Jewish family's troubled son, who had turned to using and dealing Ecstasy, a modern-day plague worming its way into the fabric of the community. A second murder claims the life of a brilliant artist, and puts Anita on the trail of deadly intent that proves that even the most idyllic places are not immune to the dark side of human nature.
When social worker turned cabinetmaker Anita Servi uncovers the body of an unidentified teenager in the vacuum press of her husband's woodworking shop, her innate skills at deciphering human motivation are put to the test. Trying to identify the boy, she sifts for clues in the eclectic neighborhoods of lower Manhattan, an enclave of Russian baths, cafes, art galleries, colorful ethnic groups--and drugs.
Anita manages to identify the victim: an Orthodox Jewish family's troubled son, who had turned to using and dealing Ecstasy, a modern-day plague worming its way into the fabric of the community. A second murder claims the life of a brilliant artist, and puts Anita on the trail of deadly intent that proves that even the most idyllic places are not immune to the dark side of human nature.
This story is about illigal dealings, smuggling of Ecstasy, and murder in the eclectic neighborhoods of lower Manhattan. It was a good story.
Very intriqueing and interesting story.
