Home / Arts and Entertainment / Affair and Murder: A Tragicomic San Diego Mystery
Affair and Murder: A Tragicomic San Diego Mystery
18 Jun
Summary
- A social worker's affair with a young roofer escalates into a murder investigation.
- The novel blends dark humor with societal critique and a gripping mystery.
- A surreal owl with a woman's face offers cryptic advice to the protagonist.
In 2009 San Diego, Perdita, a burnt-out social worker turned stay-at-home mother, finds unexpected connection with Nando, a charismatic 25-year-old Chicano roofer.
Their affair, born from shared vulnerability and a dark sense of humor, occurs against the backdrop of Perdita's unhappy marriage and Nando's struggles in the post-crash economy.
One year later, in 2010, the narrative shifts as Nando is murdered. Perdita, heartbroken and an avid true-crime follower, becomes determined to uncover the truth behind his death.
The novel, "A Little Bit Bad," contrasts the mundane realities of motherhood with surreal elements, like an owl with a woman's face offering guidance.
It critiques societal injustices, including the military-industrial complex and the carceral system, questioning the violence inherent in privileging the nuclear family structure.
Despite moments of profound sadness, the story is infused with sharp humor and a compulsively readable plot, blending the affair's cooling embers with the escalating murder mystery.
