Listened: "Last Kind Words" by Tom Piccirilli

Listened: Last Kind Words by Tom Piccirilli, 2012, OverDrive download.


The only thing I dislike about Piccirilli's work is that is name is very difficult for me to spell.  I am very glad to hear his cancer treatments have been successful so far.  His initial diagnosis was dire.

This was another good one by Piccirilllllli.  Another Piccicrillili exploration of themes like family, anger, and guilt.

For the last five years Terrier (Terry) Rand has been hiding out under an assumed name as a hand on a CO ranch.  Terry split from Long Island after his girlfriend had a miscarriage and his brother Collie went nuts and murdered several people during a one night kill spree.  Terry gets a call that Collie wants to talk to him before Collie is executed.  Terry hates Collie.  Terry drops everything and drives back home anyway.

The Rand family is made up of thieves, burglars, con men, and gamblers.  The extended family lives in a big house on a couple acres in Long Island.  The house is half living space and half hidey holes of decades worth of stolen loot.  The family is tight - two uncles, grandad, and Terry's nuclear family all together - but don't talk about some things.  They don't discuss emotional issues.  They don't talk about Collie and his bloody murder spree.

Terry meets Collie in prison.  Collie says, "I beat the old lady to death, I stabbed the clerk, and shot the whole family - even the 9-year-old - but I didn't murder the teenager."  Terry wonders if Collie is just running a scam.  Is Collie just tormenting Terry for a last time?  Is Collie telling the truth and a serial killer is on the loose killing young brunettes?

Terry is conflicted.  Terry is guilty.  Terry is fearful of hereditary mental illness, Alzheimer's,  that has struck his grandfather and is showing symptoms in his two uncles.  Terry's obsessive love the girlfriend he left who has since married Terry's old best friend and had a daughter. Terry's 15-year-old sister has a loser boyfriend.

Picccirrirlirrli gives a tour of Long Island and the bent life of crooks.  Picriilii gives us tough guy talk by guys who want to be tough.  Terry points out foolishness and lies - he can read people like a skilled gambler and con man.  People die.  Terry resolves Collie's cry of innocence.  Much family sadness by Terry.  Terry loves Collie but can never figure him for the murders and hopes Collie goes to hell.  Terry looks to be pulling his own life together.


Comments:
1.  More muscle car love.
2.  Driving to drive.
3.  Brothers and death.
4.  Gunfights don't happen much in Piccirliliri books.  Differences are usually up close and personal with fists and knives.
5.  A smart and nice dog.
6.  Terry refers to "doing the funky stuff".