The Blind Devotion of Imogene is particularly intriguing given the uniqueness of the characters. Imogene is a 75yo ex-con, recently released after spending time in the big house after accidentally (we think) killing her husband. Her sadistic parole officer predicts Imogene will never survive on the outside, is doomed to violate her parole and be back on the cell block. After 10 years inside, Imogene is determined to stay out. But she has to find a job. Not an easy job for a 75yo female con. She manages to find a job as a cashier at a variety store (something between a "Dollar Store" and a K-Mart) that serves the most desperate and down. Her days are spent watching the store, going home, then getting soundly drunk trying to forget about the circumstances of that night when she pulled the trigger. She never denied pulling the trigger, but she thought her mistake should have prosecuted as manslaughter, not murder.
Imogene Taylor is an ex-con you might like to know or has as a neighbor. Her store manager (of a few other local branches) is a world class prick and uses the stores to launder money on a small-time scale. There are a few ne'er do wells that frequent the store and make Imogene's life interesting. Putnam populates Imogene's life with a co-worker trying to better her lot, a neighbor who thinks her husband in cheating, some local thugs trying to move in on the low-rent retail outlet.
Such is the life of Imogene.
Putnam develops his characters with a world-worn lower class ambiance and clever dialogue. Not often that a book told from the vantage point of a 75 yo ex-con woman can be wonderfully addicting. Terrific dialogue, realistic plotting given the age and social class of the players makes for novel worthy of your time. West Coast Don liked it. So do I. Recommended. You'll thank us.
ECD
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