Pochoda, Ivy

Pochoda’s evocation of the Old West with a couple of desperados on the run is flawlessly executed with each gritty page in this contemporary thriller, but she goes a step further in allowing the rage of her female protagonists to take center stage.

Pochoda (Wonder Valley) stuns with this disquieting literary thriller rife with descriptive street language and violence. It is complex, intense, and enthralling. Fans of Rachel Kushner’s The Mars Room will experience a similar sense of feeling both captivated and bereft. [See Prepub Alert, 10/28/19.]

Despite the initial confusion, Pochoda (Visitation Sheet) takes readers places they don't often see with authenticity and clarity. Her description of the daily lives of the urban homeless is particularly vivid and sympathetic. Each of the main characters does achieve some sort of peace or resolution by the dark and often violent book's end. [See Prepub Alert, 5/15/17.]

The prose is so lyrical and detailed that readers will easily imagine themselves in Red Hook. A great read for those who enjoy urban mysteries and thrillers with a literary flair. [See Prepub Alert, 1/14/13; see also an interview with Lehane about his new imprint in Kristi Chadwick's Mystery Genre Spotlight feature, LJ 4/15/13.—Ed.]