Shadow Ticket

The new novel from Thomas Pynchon Milwaukee 1932,the Great Depression going full blastrepeal of Prohibition just around the cornerAl Capone in the federal penthe private investigation business shifting from labor-management relations to the more domestic kind. Hicks McTaggarta onetime strikebreaker turned private eyethinks heΓÇÖs found job security until he gets sent out on what should be a routine caselocating and bringing back the heiress of a Wisconsin cheese fortune whoΓÇÖs taken a mind to go wandering. Before he knows itheΓÇÖs been shanghaied onto a transoceanic linerending up eventually in Hungary where thereΓÇÖs no shorelinea language from some other planetand enough pastry to see any cop well into retirementΓÇöand of course no sign of the runaway heiress heΓÇÖs supposed to be chasing. By the time Hicks catches up with her he will find himself also entangled with NazisSoviet agentsBritish counterspiesswing musicianspractitioners of the paranormaloutlaw motorcyclistsand the troubles that come with each of themnone of which Hicks is qualifiedforget about being paidto deal with. Surrounded by history he has no grasp on and canΓÇÖt see his way around in or out ofthe only bright side for Hicks is itΓÇÖs the dawn of the Big Band Era and as it happens heΓÇÖs a pretty good dancer. Whether this will be enough to allow him somehow to Lindy-hop his way back again to Milwaukee and the normal worldwhich may no longer existis another question.