Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2007
288 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Jono Riley is an aging part-time actor and bartender trying to make ends meet in Manhattan when he receives a letter from a childhood friend telling him that Marie, the first girl Jono ever loved, had just died in her sleep. As Jono makes the trip back home to the working-class neighborhood of East Providence, Rhode Island, McLarty deftly travels between Jono’s adolescence in the early 1960s and the present story of his return. Woven throughout are Jono’s endearing and funny memories of his coming of age with his three best friends—including a series of mysterious shootings that occurred back then, one of which lodged a bullet in Marie’s back when she was twelve.
"Frequent flashbacks add color to Jono's adult insecurities, and McLarty's prose remains convincing without crossing into treacly turf." - PW.
"Contains too many echoes of films .... including particularly significant debts to Dennis Lehane's Mystic River and the Clint Eastwood adaptation thereof. Still, a lively, big-hearted tale, drenched in gritty working-class ambience." - Kirkus Reviews.
"Jono's bighearted firefighter girlfriend and the many colorful figures from the old neighborhood serve to further enrich this atmospheric tale." - Booklist.
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
A native of East Providence, Rhode Island, Ron McLarty was a veteran actor, accomplished playwright, prolific audiobook narrator and acclaimed novelist. He came to New York to become a writer. While pursuing this goal, he became one of television's and film's most recognized faces for his character actor roles. He was a regular on the popular series Spenser: For Hire and appeared on Person of Interest, Rescue Me, The Practice, Law & Order, and Sex and the City.
He also appeared in many films and on the stage, where he directed many of his own plays. He lived in New York City with his actress wife, Kate Skinner.
It was his collaboration with Stephen King that led to his emergence as a published novelist of national repute. Beginning with the early years of his career, McLarty's passion for...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Ron McLarty's Website
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