A Well-Known Secret

by Jim Fusilli

Book Overview

A simple missing persons case draws Terry Orr--troubled father, reluctant private investigator--into a world of death and deceit in this sequel to the critically acclaimed Closing Time. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399149317
• ISBN13: 9780399149313
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Putnam Adult
• Length: 274 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.8" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Amazing writing . . .

For someone only on his second novel, Fusilli certainly has it nailed. Terry Orr, historian turned private detective, lost his wife and infant son four years ago when a madman (whom he thinks of as The Madman) pushed them in front of a subway train. Now he obsesses on revenge, to the detriment of his career, his friends, and (sometimes) his precocious daughter, Bella. The plot this time revolves around a thirty-year-old mugging that became a murder, and the death of the newly-released woman who went to prison for it. Everybody in the case has secrets, not least of all the Mango brothers, who are a good deal more scary than in Fusilli's first book. Terry works things out in a wholly believable manner, partly by research, partly by instinct. The subplot, about Terry's buddy, rock critic Dennis Diddio, and his hopes for an industry award, is funny and compassionate. So is his struggle to deal with the attentions of Julie, a very nice ADA who believes in him. But arching over everything else is New York City in the aftermath of September 11th, when Terry's personal loss is overshadowed. Fusilli's work has great specificity of place -- you could walk through the city, book in hand, and see every detail he talks about -- and that's what makes this a standout piece of writing.

I've discovered a great new author!

New to me, at least. This is the first book by him that I've read. I loved it. Talk about atmosphere. This is a gritty NYPD kind of Manhattan book. Some of the police are just a tad better than the criminals and it's not clear who you can trust. The book is set in Manhattan just after 9-11, and the detective-protagonist lives not far from the site. From time to time, some memories of 9-11 are introduced. Everyone is still dealing emotionally with the impact of the attack. Terry Orr, our detective (he's an independently wealthy but living modestly author turned private investigator), is also recovering from a devastating loss: his wife and infant son had been killed in a random act of violence in the subway, and he is left grieving and raising his daughter by himself. His housekeeper approaches him about a woman who is trying to locate her daughter, who has just been released from prison after serving 30 years for a violent murder. She says she needs to talk to her about her grandchild, the daughter's son she has raised. Lo and behold, Orr learns that the daughter had no children, so he's left wondering what's going on. Before too long, he gets caught up in a murder investigation. The writing, plotting, and character development in this book are very good, and it was compelling enough to keep me up long after my bedtime. I only hope his other mysteries are as good. I look forward to reading them.

WOW! Compelling Mystery & Love Story!

If you want a mystery that does nothing but deliver suspense, this is not the book for you. This book opens with a quotation from Epictetus which speaks of the human soul and choice, and concludes: "For ruin and recovery alike are from within." A WELL-KNOWN SECRET offers both a literary mystery and a very engaging exploration of human ruin and recovery.I see that this is the second in a series. I had not read the first, and found that the book stood on its own. Terry Orr, our hero, is a writer turned amateur detective. He is engaged to solve mystery of Sonia Salgado, who has spent 30 years in prison for a murder she did not commit. What really happened? Why did she do it? Why was she murdered after being released from prison? Terry unravels this decades-old mystery in classic amateur PI fashion -- asking questions, getting less-than-straight answers, getting a bit battered in the process. That part of the novel is well executed, but not overwhelmingly new and different. What makes A WELL-KNOWN SECRET stand out -- and it does stand out -- is the other stories that Fusilli is telling. A WELL-KNOWN SECRET is set in post 9-11 New York City. That story of ruin and recovery runs throughout the book. The more personal ruin that we unravel is that of Terry Orr himself. We read in a newspaper story at the beginning of the book that Terry's wife and infant son were killed four years ago. In the course of his solving the mystery, we find out more about what happened and why, and watch to see if and how Terry and his daughter will recover. A WELL-KNOWN SECRET is a fine novel and an enjoyable mystery. Its somewhat leisurely pace will likely madden anyone after a strict suspense fix. However, if you are willing to slow down a bit, it is a very rewarding read. I found it a bit slow at first, but once hooked, I could not put it down. I read A WELL-KNOWN SECRET in one sitting. I will definitely pick up the next Terry Orr novel!

A New York Love Story

This book is a fantastic work of love. Love for New York, pre and post 9/11, love for music, food (especially Italian) and it's characters. The central character, Terry Orr, is mourning his wife's death and acts as a sort of detective. His slow progress back to the world of the living parallels his attempts to unravel a mystery from the 70's. It's a great piece of writing, filled with poetry and hard, tough words.There may be a few too many plot contrivances but the clear picture of modern NYC and the people who fill it more than make up for them. This is a great modern detective novel equal to anything by James Lee Burke, the other master of this type of novel.I'm psyched for the next book.

fascinating crime thriller

It has been almost four years since Terry Orr lost his wife and infant son to a madman's impulse. They died when a killer threw the baby on a track and his mother jumped down to try to get him before he was run over by an oncoming train. She failed. Terry left his career as a writer and a historian to become a private investigator, hoping that he will apprehend his family's killer.In the meantime his housekeeper asks him to find the daughter of a friend. Sonia Salgado just got out of prison after serving thirty years on a murder charge. A call to the assistant district attorney gets him an address, but when he goes to visit Sonia, he finds her dead. She is the victim of a homicide that Terry is unable to leave to the police to solve. He starts his own investigation, making enemies along the way and putting his own life in danger.Jim Fusilli captures the effects the events of September 11 has on one family living near Ground Zero so that the reader knows how New Yorkers felt about that infamous day. A WELL KNOWN SECRET is a well written and fascinating crime thriller starring a hero who has suffered tremendous losses yet still finds the strength to go on. The support cast adds plenty of color to the city that never quits even after 9/11.Harriet Klausner