Death and the Language of Happiness [Mass Market Paperback]

John Straley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1998

A private investigator working out of Sitka, in the Alaskan coastal archipelago, Cecil Younger walks a narrow line between the truth and what his clients pay him to find....

Cecil Younger is a man who takes comfort in the absurdity of the universe.  And the universe is obliging him, with a joint phone call from his lawyer and his shrink, to convey a job offer from another client: all Cecil has to do is kill a man.

Though common sense tells him murder just isn't a good career move, his finances tell him it can't hurt to meet his potential client.  The decision will lead Cecil from a pathetic small-time murder to a decades-old slaughter that is still reaching into the present--and its dark and chilly grasp may extend to Cecil Younger himself....

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

What makes this latest Alaskan mystery a must is--as always--the sheer beauty and energy of John Straley's writing. "His right hand engulfed mine in a leathery grip and I held onto it for longer than might have been called for," says detective Cecil Younger of a meeting with an ancient bearer of secrets about old and new murders. "It wasn't until after my grip tightened on his that I felt the quaver of his body his left hand betrayed. I saw in his blue eyes the distant haze of ice, the toehold of confusion and uncertainty. William Flynn was a very old man in a durable body. His soul was a weary traveler. Looking at him I began to feel uncomfortable, as if I were walking over a canyon on a narrow railroad bridge hearing a train whistle far down the line." Available in paperback are Straley's other wonderful books about Younger, The Curious Eat Themselves, The Music of What Happens, and The Woman Who Married a Bear. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA. Cecil Younger, a private investigator, makes his fourth appearance in this mystery set in Alaska and Washington state. The latter was the site of a 1919 tragedy in which four American Legionnaires, marching in an Armistice Day Parade, were killed by Wobblies defending an IWW Hall. One Wobbly was lynched, several others were convicted of murder, and two were never found. Younger searches for links between that event and the modern-day murder of Angela Rameriez, a young woman who often visited 97-year-old William Flynn at a Sitka, AK, retirement home. The old man is quite confused about many things, but lucidly pleads his innocence even though the murder weapon was found in his room. He asks Younger to find and kill Simon Delaney, Angela's husband, whom Flynn believes is the murderer. Younger's therapist and Flynn's lawyer urge the investigator to find Delaney and thus the search is on, taking Younger to the Aleutian Islands and down to Washington, where he locates his man and solves both the murder and the missing pieces of the 1919 puzzle. Straley creates particularly vivid settings. This novel helps clarify the historical role of Wobblies in America by focusing on one event and creating a "what if" scenario. YAs wanting a short, fast-moving mystery will be satisfied by this tale by an award-winning author.?Dottie Kraft, formerly at Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553572504
• ISBN-13: 978-0553572506
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wacky, Wild ,Inept,and sensitive P.I., June 20, 2000

By 

loraine magee - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death and the Language of Happiness (Mass Market Paperback)

Cecil Younger is a alcoholic P.I. in Sitka,Alaska.He tries not to drink. He is under the care of a psychiatrist and lives with a roommate who is mentally challenged. His girlfriend has moved in and together they care for Todd, the roommate and Bob the young nephew with a missing hand. A 97 yr. old man is accused of murder and ask Cecil for help. Cecil frequently seeks guidance from the ravens and gets inspiration from the eagles;he loves the wilderness of Alaska. His investigation takes him from Sitka to Dutch Harbor and then to Washington state. He has to take Todd with him to Seattle which presents a set of unique circumstances. Eventually the mystery gets solved and a historical event from 1919 in Centralia,Wa plays a major role in the present day events. The wilderness of Alaska, the wildlife, the rain, the sea and the mountains all are vividly described. This is an outstanding novel of emotions and confusion, of desires and despair.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite In The Series, October 20, 2001

By 

Susan R. Cakars "sanpablos" (San Pablo, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Death and the Language of Happiness (Mass Market Paperback)

In this book Cecil Younger is hired by a 97-year old man to kill someone. He takes the case, intending to discover who was responsible for the killing of a single mother, Angela Ramirez. Along the way he travels from southeast Alaska to Centralia, Washington and learns about a massacre there in 1919 involving the American Legion and the Wobblies.

I've enjoyed the Cecil Younger series, but cringe at some of the violence. In this book I liked the problem of him taking his mentally challenged roommate with him to Centralia while investigating Angela Ramirez's murder. I especially liked learning the story of the Veteran's Day violence back in 1919. It was very interesting. Because of this story from history this book is my favorite in the series.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He Describes Southeast Alaska well!, October 14, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Death and the Language of Happiness (Hardcover)

John describes the lifestyle of SE Alaska very well. I live near John and his books are easy for me to relate to. His writing is full of humor and humility. The main character "Cecil," is a modern day, somewhat incompetent, gumshoe detective. He as real as life and he takes the lumps and dissapointments with stride. The people who know Cecil personally respect him for his character and forgive his flaws, sometimes. If you want to get an idea of what its like to live in this part of Alaska, read all of John Straleys' books - a fine mix of fiction and reality.