Customer Reviews

Howtown

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Every once in a while I like to pick up a mystery novel for a change of pace. I remembered the author, Michael Nava, from an anthology I read a few years back about gay writers' childhood experiences and how they shaped the adult writers. I remembered Mr. Nava's recollections as being very well written and inspiring. This is why I picked up How Town.

I was not at all disappointed by this book. Mr. Nava is very articulate about place and time. His portrait of the multiple worlds within the nation of California, from the glitz of LA to the trendiness of SF to the decrepitness of Nueces, is very true to life. But even better is his description of the multiple worlds within one small city, Los Robles. In addition, the characters are very well portrayed. I really did care about Henry Rios and worried about the same issues that confronted him. I even felt compassion for Paul, the child molester, although his actions can not be excused.

This book is well worth reading. Along with being well written, the book reads quickly. You won't want it to end.

Michael Nava is simply the best mystery writer I've ever read. His characters arise above stock characters to become people we care about, and his stories reach an emotional depth that many writers who consider them "serious" writers should envy. All the elements for failure are in this novel: incest, child pornography, child molestation, AIDS, national origin discrimination, the stigma of being gay, bigotted police officers. And yet from these diverse topics that would become cliches for a lesser talent, Mr. Nava produces a fine, believable story that rings true both psychogically and from a legal standpoint.

As always, Mr. Nava doesn't waste words. A detective who drinks too much is described as "Gimlet-eyed." Enough said. And Mr. Nava's observations are too true: in the words of our old friend, Henry Rios, the gay Hispanic lawyer in this series of mysteries: "Society is a conspiracy and everyone who's different is its target."

I read that this writer has written his last Henry Rios novel. Let's hope he is working on more good fiction.

Just finished How Town. I enjoyed it and recommend it. The only criticism of the book is that I never felt satisfied about two things: 1) Why on earth did he take this case? At every turn the defendant, defendants wife, sister, police, DA,etc were on his back. Nava should have better articulated what was motivating Rios to take this case because I never got why he felt obliged to. Giving Rios a stronger motivation would have at least left me feeling content with the characterization. 2)I think Nava could have challenged the 'pedophilia is a harmless sexual orientation' rationalization shown by the defendant a little more than he did. In particular, with his dramatic ending there was a golden opportunity for a showdown with Mr. Windsor saying - look at what pedophilia has done to all these lives. It ain't pretty.

Someone has murdered homophobic State Senator Gus Pena. Could it be Henry Rios' client, a troubled Hispanic youth? A political opponent? A member of the radical gay organization which Josh, Henry's HIV-positive lover now belongs to? A loving family member? Gee...it's a tough one. As usual the mystery in incidental in Michael Nava's fourth Henry Rios mystery. The real story here, the emotional meat of the novel, is Henry's breakup with Josh. And don't get me wrong, this breakup is rending. If you don't have a lump in your throat by the time Henry queues up Suor Angelica you must have a heart of stone. In fact the whole laying asunder bit is so very poignant that it feels calculated. And one thing I resent as a reader is having my emotions manipulated. Having established Henry and Josh as intelligent, sensitive, "exemplary" men who truly love each other, Nava needs to supply them with better motivation than (it boils down to) "I'm dying and you're not." A lot of people are dying these days. They don't all cheat on their spouses and run off with Aids-infected lovers. For me the breakup of Henry and Josh felt like a literary contrivance. Or convenience. Or both. But that's not what really dismays me about this novel. In HOW TOWN Josh says to Henry, "I want to marry you." Henry answers, "Them or us, it's all the same." In THE HIDDEN LAW Henry refers to his "marital discord." he buys How-to Save-Your-Marriage books. Nava has established a gay marriage between two "exemplary" lovers. Nava is a writer who has crossed into mainstream acceptance. So why does he play right into Middle America's worst stereotypes, especially concerning gay marriage? For crying out loud (because all gay men do), what is the message here if not gay men are emotionally fragile, unstable and incapable of monogamy? Shouldn't Henry and Josh work to save their marriage at least as hard as their typical straight counterparts would? Whatever happened to for better or worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part? Reading Michael Nava I always feel like the little kid in THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES. I've read all the panegyric reviews, and I can see for myself the man is an excellent writer/stylist, but I keep wanting to point my finger and cry, "But he isn't SAYING anything..."

This is my first book by Michael Nava and it certainly won't be my last. 'Howtown' is a rather straightforward story about a gay attorney who comes to the rescue of a known pedophile from his home town. The characterizations are very well drawn, the story intriguing (yet short of compelling), and Michael Nava clearly knows the ins and outs of courtroom proceedings. Although the lead character is gay this isn't really a gay themed novel. What I like best about the book is its simplicity (no screwy plot twists) and how well it was written.


Bottom line: although far short of a dazzling mystery novel, this book is a fine read. Recommended.

How Town, the third in Michael Nava's series about the gay Chicano lawyer Henry Rios, has him reluctantly taking on the case of a known child molester Paul Windsor, the brother of Henry's best friend from his school days, now accused of murder. The evidence against Paul is weak at best, suspicious at the worst.

Taking the case means returning to his home town, leaving Josh, his HIV-positive lover, to fend for himself, but on Josh's insistence Henry takes the case. As Henry's investigations proceed he unearths a probable and potential volatile scenario on the face of it seems even more unlikely than the tenuous case against his client. As Henry gradually makes known the findings of his investigations he finds someone is one step ahead of him, and soon his own life is in danger.

In Henry Rios Michael Nava has created a captivating and most appealing character, a man of integrity and a man with heart and a champion of minority groups. How Town is a gripping story with an intriguing and well drawn plot. the court room scenes are especially good, and the legal intricacies of the case along with the necessary procedures are adroitly handled and make fascinating reading.

This was a good mystery that took a look at dysfunctional families--both for Henry Rios and his client. He also looks at the economic disparity between Anglos and Hispanics in small town California in the 1980's from the perspective of a gay man who has escaped the barrio.

I picked this up immediately after I finished Goldenboy and was extremely happy with that decision.

I'm generally not a fan of mystery novels, but the great thing about this book is that Rios' life/troubles/struggles play such a large part which helps to establish an immediate connection with him. His story is given the same amount of importance and depth as the overall mystery. We even get more information on his background as people from his past (including his sister) play a large role.

As far as the actual who-done-it is concerned, the story is interesting and I was genuinely intrigued from start to finish. Nava explores much more taboo topics here (such as pedophilia) but manages to not drift into a tone that becomes uncomfortable.

I have absolutely no reservations about recommending this book to anyone.