Customer Reviews

Death Will Get You Sober

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Twelve-step wisdom keeps amateur sleuths on track as they investigate a string of murders. Recovering alcoholic Bruce and his best friends, computer geek Jimmy and his therapist wife Barbara, have a complex relationship in which love is thicker than blood and in which you may well recognize somebody you know. This page-turner is fun to read, spot-on in its portrayal of New York neurotics, and garnished with a twist. An auspicious debut for Elizabeth Zelvin.

This book has a beginning that will pull you in. The premise, a story being told by an alcholic who may or may not want to get sober, is a good one. The murder of the first couple homeless men almost go unnoticed. It isn't until Bruce's friend gets murdered that he gets interested, and then only because he believes that investigating a murder will keep him from getting bored, and thus, keep him sober.

The author has first hand knowledge regarding alcholism and enablers from her work and lectures. However, she needs to do a little more research on places other than New York. My mouth fell open when Bruce tried to get one of "two hundred" flights a day from New York to Dayton, Oh. And when he walks down a street that reminds him of cornfields. And, especially, when he said Dayton was a place with no water. A little research could have told the true story. Dayton has slightly more than 500 flights per WEEK, our streets are not at all flat and open. The no water was especially good, when we have 5 rivers that come together in the center of town. There is so much water that the city formed a special district and built 5 dams in the early 1900's in order not to get flooded again.

I realize that many people will not notice these glaring errors (and I can't pass them off as literary freedom), but we also have many, many readers in Dayton and we will know that the author didn't take a little bit of time to research a city that is clearly beyond her comfort zone. She lost a lot of credibility with me because of this.

Other than that, I thought the book went downhill towards the end. The 3 friends had good interaction, but the murder, and the solving of the murder, just fizzled out.

Bruce Kohler has been in and out of detox centers most of his adult life. On Christmas day, he isn't too surprised to find himself in another center, this one on the Bowery in New York City. Bruce quickly befriends fellow patient Godfrey Kettleworth, III, a man on the outs with his rich family and not too popular with the staff. While in detox, an alcoholic with terminal cancer is found dead in the laundry room and Godfrey dies right before Bruce's eyes. With the help of his lifetime friend Jimmy and Jimmy's girlfriend Barbara, a counselor who has worked at the Bowery before, Bruce begins his own investigation into these two mysterious deaths, which unravels a murderous pattern among detox centers in New York and places his own life in jeopardy.

Zelvin's debut novel provides the reader with an insightful peek into the mind and life of an alcoholic trying to stay sober, as well as AA's 12-step program. The characters are intriguing and well-developed, especially alcoholic Bruce who faces a continual battle to refrain from drinking, and Barbara, a codependent counselor with a witty sense of humor. The plot moves at a fast pace with plenty of twists and turns and suspicious characters lurking about, all set within the glorious backdrop of New York City. This entertaining mystery is sure to draw fans anxious to read future books by this talented author.

It's so rare to find a new series with a compelling plot, believable hero and as a bonus, an introduction to a new world.


Author Zelvin has been a rehab counselor herself. She gives us the perspective of AA and Al-Anon that's real, not party line. I like the way Bruce finds some of the AA experiences corny (I've always wondered how some participants felt). AA members aren't heroes or derelicts but very ordinary people just trying to get sober, one day at a time. This perspective is surprisingly rare. Think of Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder, whose path seems a lot smoother.

The book maintained by interest in a cozy sort of way. At times the plot sagged when the investigating "team" met to discuss what was happening. The author focuses a little too tightly on the author's friend and the friend's wife. They're a comfortable trio, but for a mystery I'd like to see a few more characters and some more colorful characters.

The ending was good though not as satisfying as some. I feel somewhat cheated at this particular motive for murder. Surprisingly, I had a hunch about the ending. The author subtly telegraphed the villain's identity and I was suspicious of the person or persons who ultimately were identified by the likeable amateur sleuth.

Hopefully Ms. Zelvin is hard at work on the next volume featuring this hero.

In the literature of private eyes, alcohol plays a prominent role. With the introduction of a potential new investigating team, we meet for the first time two "recovering alcoholics," Bruce and Jimmy, and the latter's girlfriend, Barbara, a counselor who works in a detox center. The author, a psychotherapist, has directed alcohol treatment programs and has written and lectured on addictions, codependency and online therapy. So it isn't surprising the novel in laced (no pun intended) with the jargon and principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The plot begins on Christmas Day, with Bruce in a Bowery detox center after having a blackout brought on by excessive drinking. There he befriends the man on the adjacent cot whose name is Godfrey--he introduces himself as "God." After a period, they receive a pass, and both return sober (or they would not be re-admitted). About 2 a.m., Bruce trips over a body in the laundry room. The dead man had suffered from cancer, ad it is presumed to be a natural death. Later that night, God suffers stomach cramps and then dies. Are the deaths related?

Bruce is released, but can't let go of his suspicions about God's death. He enlists the help of Jimmy, a computer genius, and Barbara, in looking into his friend's demise. But soon, other dead bodies turn up, in other detox centers, as well as that of God's brother-in-law, a plastic surgeon; his secretary; and God's sister. Are all these murders related as well?

For a debut effort, this novel is very well-constructed, with snappy dialogue between interesting characters. The author plans to develop a series, with Bruce continuing to grow as he remains a thoughtful but sober character, assisted by his two friends. A good read, and recommended.

Waking up in detox is not a new thing for Bruce Kohler. This time around it is Christmas Day and this time it is on the Bowery in New York City. Bruce knows what to do to stay sober. The real trick is making it last and up until now he hasn't been able to despite his friends Jimmy and Barbara. After so many attempts, they know have adopted a hands off approach and are waiting for Bruce to get serious about staying sober.

He quickly befriends another inmate Godfrey Brandon Kettleworth the Third who goes by the nicknamed of "God" to the annoyance of some and amusement of others. But, with Bruce he shares that he would prefer to be called Guff. He shares a few other interesting tidbits about his family and his past but not a lot as Guff is a cynical and private person. Bruce and Guff are kindred souls and recognize pieces of themselves in each other and as a result a friendship born of location and circumstances is growing into the real deal. Both are well into their thirty day stretch when, during the middle of the night, Godfrey has some sort of seizure before dying in front of Bruce.

His death along with other recent events makes Bruce suspicious that something sinister is going on and it could involve the Bowrey staff. With support and assistance from Jimmy and Barbara, Bruce begins to investigate the issue while battling to change his ways and remain sober. After all, they reason, if he has something to occupy his mind other than contemplating his own life, Bruce might actual make it this time sobriety wise. His sobriety, along with his own life, could easily be considerably shortened if certain people have their way.

This debut novel by psychotherapist Elizabeth Zelvin is based in large part on her experiences directing alcohol treatment programs. With an extensive background dealing with issues of alcoholism, addiction, and codependency among others, one could expect a novel full of jargon and information dumping on the subject. One could be very wrong.

Instead, what is here is a novel full of rich and complicated characters in a different setting than most novels dealing with the age old problem of murder in their midst. The backdrop is alcoholism and treatment but the main thrust of the novel is murder. Like any novel of any depth at all, the characters have to deal with real life issues at the same time and such is the case here. Instead of jargon filled informational dumping, author Elizabeth Zelvin releases the information piecemeal when warranted.

The result is an engrossing and complex tale at a mere 259 pages that provides a glimpse of the real world of detox and chronic addiction. Along with that glimpse, the author skillfully weaves in the primary tale of family, friendship, deceit, murder and the basic idea that craving for something can come in many forms with just a few of them being socially acceptable.


Kevin R. Tipple (copyright)2008

Liz Zelvin transports the reader into a world of drugs, murder, intrique and co-dependency with verve, intelligence and wit. She clearly knows of what she speaks, and she has the talent to shape and people her story with characters and relationships that keep the reader fully engaged.

Zelvin manages to create one of those worlds you don't want to leave. Jimmy, Barbara, and Bruce are fun to come home to, so I'm looking forward to the next in the series. But what really impressed me is Zelvin's ability to mix street smarts with therapeutic insights, all with quick and funny dialogue, rich prose, and clever plot twists.

I just finished Death Will Get You Sober. I live in south Louisiana and enjoyed learning so much about New Yorkers from this book. I, like most people, know people who have a problem with alcohol and/or recovering alcoholics. Zelvin's job as a counselor helping those with the problem gives us an accurate inner look at what alcoholics go through.
We care about the people in the story. I look forward to being with them
again. Great story.

June Shaw

"Death Will Get You Sober" had me laughing out loud while I was also holding my breath to find out what would happen to the hero trying to stay sober. The Russian icon sub-plot, the devoted friends of the hero, and the dysfunctional family two members of which are murdered in the course of this gripping debut mystery all had me on the edge of my seat. The "perp" is completely unpredictable, and the details of the NYC setting are vivid. Will this first book become a series? I closed the book wanting more!