Penny Micklebury Two Graves Dug

Two Graves Dug

Penny Micklebury

Five Star, Jul 2005, $25.95, 216 pp.

ISBN: 1594143013

Lower East Side private sleuth Phil Rodriguez is shocked by who wants to hire him, punk Carmen Aiello, who has announced to the entire lower Manhattan that he wants to see the PI. Carmen wants Phil to learn who is harassing black psychiatrist Jill Mason, who helped his daughter. Once Phil identifies the bum, Carmen plans to take care of business feeling he owes a debt to Dr. Mason.

Phil begins his inquiries in the hood, but soon finds his case involves a serial rapist. At the same that Phil walks the mean streets, his partner Yolanda Aguierre uses the computer for evidence, but relies more on her psychic skills for clues. Together they plan to stop prevent further harm to Jill and to the young females.

Though Phil seems the hard boiled type and the storyline reads like an urban noir, what makes the novel New Yorkese is the consolidating, blending and assimilating of several languages especially Yiddish, Spanish, and English into one common vernacular. Readers will like the courageous lead protagonist who sees the wealthy doctor and the poor street person as people worth keeping safe; in other words his bias is towards punks and wannabe Mafiosi. Fans of Manhattan mayhem will want to walk the Village and other streets below 14th as Penny Micklebury writes a strong inner city mystery.

Harriet Klausner