Once again, as in the first in the series, it is not so much a mystery as a philosophy book, examining life, how it shapes us and how we respond to it. Claire’s substance abuse is a bit difficult to take, but the ending will reward you for sticking with it.... or will it? ( )

So. I came by Gran's brilliant Claire DeWitt trilogy in an inverted way, beginning with the last book, [b:The Infinite Blacktop|38532150|The Infinite Blacktop (Claire DeWitt Mysteries, #3)|Sara Gran|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523631136l/38532150._SY75_.jpg|58137013], when it was published to much acclaim in late 2018. Although that is definitely not the ideal way to read this series, something - maybe Claire's own preference for approaching things indirectly permeated the pages - and I connected with her even without knowing what happened in New Orleans or San Francisco.

Claire's struggles to come to terms with love and commitment and loss and the unreliable quality of so many relationships form the core of the book. Indiscriminate self-medication with drugs is her coping mechanism. As in the other books, she selects the cases she investigates based on her personal feelings toward the victims or the suspects or both, and her methods of investigation based on the teachings of French detective/author Jacques Silette and her own mentor Constance Darling.

Readers' reactions to this series vary widely even among those who rate it highly. I can be counted among those who are disinclined to find fault. In fact, Gran's creation of Claire, along with her imaginative side plots and characters, are quite extraordinary. Something about Claire touches me. Her efforts to understand and adapt to the arc of her life remind me of extended periods of confusion in my own life. Not on the level of parallel experiences, but in terms of emotional vulnerability and lack of answers.

The books are eminently quotable. Here's one of my favorites: "There are never any sides, only things we understand, and things we have chosen to pretend we don't understand. Only those we admit we love, and those we pretend we don't recognize."

I'm so glad I decided to read this during the Week of The Endless Vote Counts. It was an ideal alternate focus for my attention. I will probably re-read [b:The Infinite Blacktop|38532150|The Infinite Blacktop (Claire DeWitt Mysteries, #3)|Sara Gran|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1523631136l/38532150._SY75_.jpg|58137013] before long, since it would probably make more sense read in sequence. ( )

I quit, not going to try it again someday ( )

I could not finish this book. The story was ok, but the main character doing drugs was distracting and annoying so I did not finish. ( )

I loved the 1st half of the first book but didn't like its resolution. This one was sweet all the way down. The author brings us along on her film noir story with style and humor and plenty of existential dread. The myth of the peacock/vulture made me cry (but I'm easy that way). As an expat I enjoyed the Bay Area's cameo appearances. Totally recommended for those half in love with mystery novels and half in love with life. ( )