*STAR* Knopf, Chris. The
Last Refuge.
May 2005. 292p. Permanent Press, $26 (1-57962-118-X).
You might
say that Sam Acquillo lives life passively: he sits hours at
a time staring out at the bay on his late parents’ dilapidated
house in Southampton, endlessly sipping vodka and reading the classics;
he does odd jobs for his elderly neighbor, Regina, and occasionally
the takes walks to the local watering hole to “socialize.” But
when he finds the body of Regina facedown in her tub, his senses
awaken—and not just because of the stench that led him to
break into her house. So an old lady is dead? That’s the
attitude the local cops take, and when Sam volunteers to become
the executor of the estate (more out of curiosity and boredom than
anything else), the police department is happy to let him do it.
In his quest to find next-of-kin and help fulfill his duties as
executor, Sam uncovers suspicious facts, people, and circumstances
that lead him to think Regina’s death was not a case of just
another octogenarian meeting her maker naturally. Though the mystery
drives the plot, it’s Sam’s rediscovery of himself
in middle age that is the real focus in this accomplished debut
novel, which also boasts outstanding dialogue and a vividly rendered
setting. Expect to hear more from Knopf; he is definitely a writer
to watch.
