California Bear by Duane Swierczynski
Serial killers are often portrayed as mythic monsters, unstoppable and enigmatic, eluding the law and capturing our rapt attention.
But in the capable hands of author Duane Swierczynski, the notorious California Bear, a retired serial killer, is simply a has-been, a henpecked diabetic secretly devouring Nutter Butters, desperate for the glory days of sating his blood lust.
However, his big return is not working out for him. Not at all.
Fresh out of the hoosegow, Jack Queen is desperate to reunite with his daughter, Matilda. Queen’s been exonerated by Cato Hightower, a former cop vying for a big break in the cold California Bear case. Hightower’s a delusional alcoholic, convinced Queen can help him score some real cash by nailing the Bear before a sensational mini-series reveals the Bear’s identity.
While the hunt for the Bear is the common thread between the characters, the real heart of the story is the relationship between Jack and Matilda, the Girl Detective, who is fighting leukemia. The two share a special bond — Matilda is the brains and Jack the brawn.
Throughout the novel, Jack finds himself battling formidable opponents — such as the actual California Bear. But it’s his invisible enemies — like his guilt for a drunken mishap that sent him away from Matilda and her illness—that cause him the greatest anguish.
One senses if cancer were a person — a serial killer — it would be a defeated, pulpy mess in Jack’s meaty hands.
Amid the dark themes, there’s plenty of humor to lighten the mood. The endearing buffoonery between Jack and Hightower calls to mind Hoke Mosely — the loveable cop from Charles Willeford’s superb detective series. And the father-daughter banter, along with their mutual admiration, is sincere and heartwarming.
Swierczynski also takes some righteous shots at the true crime industry, where criminals are often glamorized at the expense of victims and their families.
This is an ambitious book — but Swierczynski successfully tackles it with loads of heart and his trademark punchy dialogue. It’s not only a real page-turner but a lovely and fitting tribute to the Girl Detective.
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