Death of an Amiable Child

by Irene Marcuse

Book Overview

Gone, but not Forgotten When Manhattan social worker Anita Servi stumbles over the body of an elderly female outside her apartment, she recognizes her as Lillian, the homeless person who spent... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802733468
• ISBN13: 9780802733467
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Walker Books
• Length: 227 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Captures the West Side with heart and soul

This book is about relationships and the ingenuity of a curious social worker to put pieces of a puzzle together. Social Worker Anita Servi doesn't take no for an answer -- she questions authority and goes to the heart of what matters. Author Irene Marcuse is to be congratulated for capturing the West Side of Manhattan -- and not just the varied geography which she does so very well. She shares with us the lives of her characters: the quirkiness of Elizabeth and Catherine, the toughness of the female building Super, the gentleness of the policeman and others who form the wonderful tapestry of personalities and styles. I read this book when I was called to Jury Duty and the clues in the Amiable Child case had me rooting for Anita all the way. Good work by this new author; I look forward to another mystery of relationships to untangle.

A good New York City mystery

I really enjoyed how the author wove her characters and the diversity of the Upper West Side into the mystery. The neighborhood gave the story a lot of color and feeling, especially since the buildings were old and the main character (as well as many others in the story) was elderly. I regret her derogative characterization of one man as an "albino praying mantis," however, as people with albinism are also part of the fabric of the city.

A hauntiing tale not easily forgotten

Social worker Anita Servi works for Senior Services. Her job description includes keeping the elderly out of nursing homes by providing them with home healthcare, medical transportation, cleaning, and shopping. Anita lives with her husband Bennie and their foster child Clea in a Manhattan Upper West Side co-op filled with many senior citizens she tries to assist even if it is outside the job.One morning Clea and Anita discover the dead body of Lillian Raines, who had occasionally taken shelter inside the building. Later that week, two of her clients also die and two others were seriously injured in a house accident. The social worker cannot believe all this coincidence, but the police shrug it off as the elderly being elderly. Unsatisfied with the official response, Julia begins her own investigation, which may lead to her being the next victim.Irene Marcuse's debut novel works because the characters seem so real even as they turn the city into a cement jungle. The cast enables the story line to capture the essence of predators and their victims, lonely senior citizens. The heroine is a strong caring person who serves as a role model for community service. The subplot centering on a manicurist preying on senior citizens not only propels the main story line forward, but adds complexity to a deep tale. THE DEATH OF AN AMIABLE CHILD is a haunting work that leaves a lasting impression on its audience.Harriet Klausner