Review of Leah Devlin’s The Bottom Dwellers…
The Bottom Dwellers. Leah Devlin, author (Penmore Press, 2015). Dr. Lindsey Nolan is an unstable genius with her original designs of new medical apparatuses, and she has a drinking problem. A competitor has a jealousy problem. And a homeless, teenage prostitute named Maggie has a drug problem. These are the bottom dwellers in this story.
Everything starts in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (beautiful spot, by the way, along with the whole Cape), where Lindsey works, drinks, and plays. But there are three parallel stories here., sometimes abutting, other times not. The story moves quickly on to a rehab facility. Will Lindsey pull her promiscuous life together and remain sober? Will Maggie overcome her substance abuse? And will Lindsey’s competitor take advantage of Lindsey’s absence from Woods Hole?
Almost every chapter is divided into sections corresponding to the three main characters—nothing new about dividing chapters, of course. Each section is in that character’s point of view—unusual, but not new either. But each section could be a chapter in itself, which makes the chapters a bit lengthy sometimes. That’s a different organization for a novel, but it works here. And be assured that the relationship between the individuals is finally defined.
I’ve been wanting to read this first book in the “Woods Hole Mysteries” after I read and reviewed #2, Aegir’s Curse. The Bottom Dwellers is grittier and deals with the underbelly of what goes on in our society a lot more. The story reads like a therapist’s chronicle of three personality disorders. There isn’t much of a plot, but readers who like character-driven stories will surely find many interesting characters here. In fact, this novel is probably more current today than when it was written, a true “evergreen” book that offers more evidence, if readers need it, that authors’ backlists contain many interesting stories.
For those readers who like more plot-driven stories, consider this book a prequel to Aegir’s Curse, which is a mystery/thriller novel with a terrific plot involving two of the main characters from The Bottom Dwellers. Both books are well written but completely different. I wonder what #3 in the series, The Bends, will be like. Stay tuned.
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Comments are always welcome.
Rembrandt’s Angel. “You’re an elitist.” “And you’re a killer. I prefer to be an elitist.” Ex-MI6 agent and current Scotland Yard Inspector Esther Brookstone becomes obsessed with recovering a Rembrandt painting stolen by the Nazis in World War II. Interpol agent and paramour Bastiann van Coevorden tries to control her obsession and keep her safe. Their quest to recover the painting leads them to an international conspiracy that threatens Europe. Published by Penmore Press, this mystery/thriller is available in ebook and print format from Amazon and as an ebook version from Smashwords and its affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.) Also available from the publisher or your local bookstore (if they don’t have it, ask for it). A sequel is coming.
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
