cover image The Nutting Girl

The Nutting Girl

Fred DeVecca. Coffeetown, $16.95 ISBN 978-1-60381-575-8

Frank Raven, the likable, eccentric narrator of DeVecca’s intriguing if flawed first novel, used to be a cop, a PI, and a monk. He currently lives in Shelburne Falls, Mass., where he runs the local movie theater and does Morris dancing. Then film director Nick Mooney arrives in town and persuades Raven to go looking for missing actress Juliana Velvet Norcross (aka VelCro), “the biggest star in the world,” whom Raven has barely heard of. After easily finding VelCro, Raven returns to his usual pursuits, until Mooney hires him to watch VelCro. The action slows as Raven and VelCro engage in thoughtful, philosophical conversations, but it picks up again when VelCro falls into the raging Deerfield River and disappears. In his search for VelCro, Raven follows a tortuous trail of clues to New Orleans, where his past catches up with him in a surprising way. Readers will enjoy the wild ride, but they should be prepared for unconvincing coincidences and a host of plot contrivances. Agent: Janice Pieroni, Story Arts Management. (Aug.)