Stuntwoman Darcy Lott returns to her native San Francisco as an assistant to Zen teacher Leo Garston. A family friend, who bears an uncanny resemblance to her missing brother Michael, has donated a teaching space to the new school. Darcy encounters her childhood friend, Tia Dru, at the zendo's opening reception, but the next day, Tia's body is found in Leo's room and Darcy must investigate to save her teacher.
Darcy is not thrilled to be home. After more than 20 years, she is still obsessed with Michael's disappearance, and resents her older siblings for their apparent indifference. Slowly however, Darcy gains insight into how her family sees her, and begins to view her brothers and sisters as adults. Through learning some of her family's hidden secrets, she learns much about herself.
The entire novel and each of the characters are multi-layered. Each individual embodying contradictions that make him or her realistic--and his or her reactions unpredictable. This leads to some surprising twists and turns.
Dunlap does not waste words and the very succinct quality of her writing is such that any detail can become important. The action is fast-paced, and the sometimes almost abrupt style adds to the emotional intensity of the story. Initially, I wasn't sure whether I liked this, but soon found it very gripping as Hungry Ghost's multiple plot lines are eventually brought together into a seamless, stunning conclusion.
"For me, the books I read were the call—the call to adventure, to thinking, to acknowledging other points of view. But to complete the ritual, I needed to respond."
I am surrounded by books. Every room, every space in my large, sprawling 1750s house is full of books...
Our history and experiences can define us, inspire our actions, and as writers impact our words and stories. Mine most definitely has: my father was a small-time gangster. Really.
"My ah-ha moment came when I read The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.... That was it for me – I was off to the races."
Nietzsche once wrote, “There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.”
"Mystery books were daring and exciting, firing up my imagination and making me yearn to become a girl detective or even a secret agent. They also empowered me to make up impromptu ghost stories around the campfire for my Girl Scout troop and sneak into the cemetery at night on a dare."
Fire and Ashes, the latest Angela Richman Death Investigator mystery, is an exploration of a fatal fire. To research this novel, Viets delved into the devastating consequences of junk science and arson investigations.
