The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne
By Ron Currie. This noir thriller is set in a post-industrial town in Maine where the French-Canadian residents have little left but their pride. The titular anti-heroine is a doting grandmother, fierce defender of her heritage, and local drug kingpin who justifies her extra-legal activities as a way to offset decades of discrimination against her community. When organized crime lords in Canada try to take over her business, at the same time as her daughter is found dead, Babs and her crew of chainsmoking grannies will stop at nothing to retain their autonomy and avenge her family. These characters are beyond messy but their love for each other and their community lifts the book out of bleakness.
Source: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D6V5MSFM/winningwriter-20
