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Killing Maria by Hal Taxel Bluewater Press
book review by Cheri Clay
"Max was a man of secrets, with guilt, and pain and he paid the price. He couldn't just walk away. He needed more, not sure what that was, but more was demanded."
This is two stories in one. First is a glimpse into the short life of Maria—a young Puerto Rican woman, mother of two, married to a much older man. She struggles to be loved and is left with unfulfilled sexual desire. Tragically after a vicious encounter with her husband, she awakens in a subconscious state and falls to her death.
The second part of the story lies with the Weber family—German Jewish immigrants who had escaped the Nazis. Max—father, landlord, and homeowner—withholds family secrets from Jacob's childhood and most recently with Maria. Bess is a mother, who struggles to understand the pain in Max's heart and the hatred in her sons' hearts. She questions why her family is falling apart even more since Maria's death. Jake, the oldest son, runs off to the Marines only to die in a shooting accident. This leaves more questions about his motivations and the hatred between him and Max.
At the heart of this novel is David's coming of age. He is the youngest son, and his connections with Maria, his parents, Jacob and his best friends are central to the story. As he comes to terms with himself and the lives around him, he discovers who he can trust and understands his brother's death and his relationship with his father.
Taxel does an excellent job of keeping the story afloat, laying bare the history, culture, and the lives of the characters. The conflicts and their aftermaths are wrought with detail, so much so that this reads more as a life story than fiction. It has the gritty street feel that energizes so many true crime novels, but beware as some readers may find that bareness offensive in sexual content and racisms. Still, in this debut novel, he receives marks of excellence for researching facets of multi-cultures and character development leaving the reader looking for more from this author.