Celine

I really liked this novel by Peter Heller, although the review sources are not as infatuated. I recognize its faults and yet still thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The characters, gradually revealed through both their own actions and reflections, and those of the people around them, are complex and intriguing. The settings are so richly drawn that you feel like you are there. Celine has been dubbed "The Prada PI" in an article in her alumni magazine because she comes from "old money" and that is how her new client, Gabriela, finds her. Celine specializes in finding lost family members, not just a professional job for her but one that carries deep personal meaning. At the age of 68, and struggling with emphysema from years of smoking, she nevertheless feels compelled to take on the case of this young woman who lost her mother to a freak accident when very young and then lost her father to grief over his wife's death. He supposedly died in a bear attack almost 2 decades ago, but Gabriela remains unconvinced. And as Celine and her husband Pete begin to investigate, it quickly becomes apparent that somebody very much does not want them to find the missing/ dead father. Set initially in New York City and then in the beautiful country of Wyoming and Colorado during the fall, you will feel the crisp air and immerse yourself in the brilliant foliage and dark forests. Celine will continually surprise you and, in fact, you will not come to know her full story in this book. If you can suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself, NPR suggests, you will "understand that Celine is also such a joy to be with...like stumbling across the sweetest, most dazzling grandma EVER at the corner bar, and then finding out three hours later that she was also a shooter for Mickey Cohen's mob." But the outcome is very satisfying and the clever plot will keep you engrossed to the very end.
Reviews provide more detail: NPR, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, NYT.