Embedded within Ron Currie's brilliant crime novel is a history of Franco-Americans as poignant and profound as the scattered reminiscences of childhood in the writings of Jack Kerouac, or in The Band's song "Acadian Driftwood". So come for the complex plot about two generations of the Dionne women, but stay for the history.
Babs is a small-time crime boss who controls the drug trade in Waterville, Maine. We learn in flashbacks how an early trauma both toughened Babs and reinforced her (already strong) identification with her French heritage in the face of a dominant Anglo-American culture. The plot has two central threads: a coming conflict with a much larger drug dealer and the assassin who's on a mission to enforce the takeover from Babs, and the quest for Babs' missing younger daughter. Much of the novel is told through the eyes of Babs' other daughter, Lori, a PTSD-plagued veteran who is unstoppable in her search for her sister.
I found myself alternately hating Babs and rooting for her, as she struggles to maintain her mini-empire in the face of the onslaught. There's an interesting side plot involving Colby College's Babs-prompted efforts to foster and preserve the heritage of "Little Canada". I consistently loved the chapters with Lori, whether they were about her search for her sister or her phantom induced flashbacks to her war years.
The epilogue is amazing.

A strong and unusual crime novel, a sociological examination of a dying city, and a pretty damned good yarn. The villain is a little too liberally borrowed from No Country For Old Man, and Currie might not stick the landing of the central mystery (the death of the heroes' sister is kind of a hedge, and not terribly satisfying), but he keeps the story moving with pitch perfect prose, strong dialogue, and surprising humor.

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron Currie is a highly recommended, brutal, character-driven crime saga.

In the Little Canada area of Waterville, Maine, Babs Dionne, proud Franco-American, doting grandmother, and vicious crime matriarch, rules. She controls local politicians and law enforcement while overseeing the sale of illegal drugs in her small town with the help of her loyal lieutenants, girlfriends since they were teenagers, and her eldest daughter, Lori, a Marine vet struggling with addiction. When her youngest daughter, Sis, is missing and later found dead, Babs is out for revenge. Adding to the complications is the arrival in town of a mysterious malevolent enforcer known as The Man.

This is a gritty, riveting, harsh, gripping, darkly humorous, tension-packed, and violent family crime drama and mystery, which is also, ultimately, a tragedy. It is very much character-driven as it follows the life of one tough woman, the matriarch Babs Dionne, her family, and her criminal empire. The plot is cinematic in the presentation and includes a supernatural element. You can see this becoming a movie.

The characters are fully realized individuals with all their strengths, struggles, and numerous flaws clearly presented. Their are backstories from their lives included which helps flesh them out even more, creating some empathy with individuals who are clearly damaged.

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne will be appreciated by readers who enjoy brutal family crime sagas. Thanks to Penguin/Putnam for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Ron Currie is a very unique kind of literary author, in that his literary books make you think, they have the depth and theme you expect, and yet they don't bog you down in the language like some authors are prone to do. The depths and themes are just as well developed as the plot and character. This particular book is telling about a place many don't think of, the inland portions of Maine. This is not vacationland. There are no lobsters or boats or lighthouses. There is life, and death, and drugs, and struggle, and joy. It is reality, with a dash of hope.

This book was a madcap roller coaster, and I could not stop reading until the last juicy page. Now all I can do is cry 'encore' and wait for the sequel and read this again while I wait. There was so much to love - the story, the characters, the setting (Waterville is impeccably captured in all its glory and gentrification), but most of all, I appreciated the humor twined with grief. I knew all the people in this book and the descriptions of place were impeccable. A gripping plot and characters that were simultaneously wild and interesting, yet totally believable, this book reminded me of Carl Hiaasen, Tom Robbins, Douglas Adams, and Carolyn Chute, in all the best ways. However, there is nothing borrowed here, the cast is as original as it is recognizable, and will please those who (like me) love Ron Currie's work and unique way of writing about the world. I can't wait to read the next one.

Ron Currie's The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne masterfully immerses readers in the gritty realism of Waterville, Maine, particularly its Little Canada neighborhood. The vivid portrayal of this Franco-American enclave captures the essence of a community shaped by economic hardship and resilience. From the intricate dynamics of local politics to the palpable sense of place, Currie's attention to detail renders the setting both authentic and immersive.

At the heart of this narrative is Babs Dionne, a formidable matriarch who commands respect and fear in equal measure. Her character is a study in complexity; she is both a doting grandmother and a ruthless crime leader. Currie delves deep into Babs's psyche, exploring the motivations and experiences that have forged her indomitable will. This depth transforms Babs from a mere character into a living, breathing embodiment of strength, vulnerability, and unyielding resolve.

Interwoven throughout the novel is a thread of dark humor that adds a distinctive flavor to the storytelling. Currie's sharp wit and incisive observations provide moments of levity amidst the novel's more intense themes. This balance not only enriches the narrative but also offers readers a nuanced perspective on the absurdities inherent in human nature and societal constructs.

In summary, The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne is a compelling blend of realism, character depth, and dark humor. Currie's portrayal of a matriarchal crime family in a vividly rendered setting makes for an engaging and thought-provoking read.

This book was such a journey. I had no idea what to expect, because I clicked that "request" button on Netgalley the second I saw Ron Currie had a new book out. I had a moment with one of Currie's early books, Everything Matters! when I was in my early 20's, and thought this book was one of the most deeply profound things I had ever read, and obsessively recommended it to everyone, including one of my best friends, and have been following him as an author ever since. (side note, the author is a very cool dude, i once contacted him about a signed copy about one of his books i was wanting to purchase as a gift, and he was not selling them at the time. instead, i bought a book, mailed it to him, and he signed it and mailed it back. we might even still be facebook friends. he also went to the same college as I did - very cool dude indeed.)

anyway, that has no bearing on my review. which is primarily that the description of this book absolutely does not do it justice. This book is listed as a mystery - thriller, and it does have a mystery, and there are definitely thrilling parts. But truly, this book is more than that. It's a deep and often dark look at a French-Canadian family living in small-town Waterville, Maine - where the author is actually from. But this book is at its heart, a character driven story about a group of people who are doing the best they can while dealing with a fascinating and tragic blend of racism, classism, xenophobia, mental health issues and addiction.

The plot revolves around the titular character Babs Dionne, but her story, from start to finish, is mostly told through the eyes of her family, particularly her daughter Lori, as well as her grandson and a few others. All of the characters are, quite frankly, fucked up, and many of them are well developed to the point that any of them could carry their own books.

The history of the area is quite frankly, horrifying, and well researched, and even though I spent 6 years of my childhood in a city not too far from Waterville, I was completely ignorant of the historical treatment of the French Canadians in New England. Babs is from Little Canada, a presumably real area of Waterville that was home to French-Canadian immigrants who primarily worked in the Hathaway Shirt factory. Though I haven't been back to the Northeast in years, I have driven through enough of these run down backwater, half-abandoned mill towns that although there are some mild supernatural elements, the rest of the story requires almost no suspension of belief. It's almost like there are people like this in every Smalltown USA. Which is... sad, and thought provoking.

"So, Abigail - if I may call you Abigail- I am here to tell you that life, as it's actually lived, does not fit into your neat little black-and-white categories. And I ask you, please, to stop being so certain of what I am and am not, what I have and have not endured. If you look at me and see a white woman, that's your mistake. Whatever sins go along with being white, don't pin them on me- I've been running from white people my whole life, like most everyone else on the planet."

I’m a native Mainer, grew up in a mill town (not Waterville) that attracted ethnic Catholic immigrants to work there and largely live separate lives from the Yankees who’d been there for generations. I was even born the same year as the titular Babs Dionne, who grows up in Waterville’s Little Canada, an enclave of French Canadian immigrants attracted to Waterville to work at the paper mill and the Hathaway Shirt company. While nothing as extreme happened in my home town as happens in this book, I don’t have to suspend my disbelief reading it. It’s sad and depressing and sometimes over the top, but it’s also got plenty of black humor to keep you going. And at some point you realize that the book is really about women with indomitable spirits, women who keep going through everything life throws at them.

It’s an extra treat for Mainers that there are so many real places included in the story. But even if that’s not a consideration, I think anyone who enjoys regional thrillers will like this one.

this was definitely a murder mystery but it wasn't just that. i loved the backstory, the family story, the growth.... 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This very fast paced novel unfolds over the days surrounding Forth of July and within the family and neighborhood of Babs Dionne. In a former mill town in Maine, the residents of Little Canada, who grew up speaking French and being put upon by their more middle class neighbors, are now a tight knit group of women who control what goes on around them, including the drug trade. Babs' own two daughters are assisting, but also struggling with their own addictions as a wildfire threatens the town and a foreign kingpin wants to take over their turf. Sad, dark and somewhat violent, this read is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane's Small Mercies or Liz Moore's Long Bright River.

I love the title. I wanted to love the story but couldn't connect to this book. Not for me but as other reviews show many love it. .

There is much to savor in this mystery. For one thing, Babs, of the title, is a strong female protagonist with the complex personality of a mob boss trying to do what she sees as the right thing. The book opens with the death of her daughter Lori from an overdose, but after Lori is revived by EMTs she becomes the novel's central figure as she tries to find her younger sister Sis. We know early on that Sis has died, so the suspense comes from the unraveling of this powerful family that rules its community. Outside influences threaten to upset the balance of power in this mill town, and we see the tension of the younger generation wanting to escape their past while still feeling loyal to it. It was a personal pleasure for me to read about a Waterville I knew very well when I lived there in the 70's, complete with landmarks like You Know Whose Pub and the Chez.

In “The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne” (March 25, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $29), award-winning author Ron Currie crafts a gritty, genre-blending crime saga starring Babs Dionne, a sharp-witted Franco-American widow who reigns over her family’s drug empire in Waterville, Maine. When her youngest daughter is found dead, Babs ignites a relentless quest for answers, confronting a shadowy enforcer and unraveling secrets that threaten her family and legacy. Darkly funny, this literary thriller delves into loyalty, identity and intergenerational resilience, delivering an unforgettable tale of power, love and survival in the heart of Maine.

I really like it when women kill violent men as retribution. It's just a kink I have.

From a grizzly origin story to a giant matriarchal crime ring, following this family try to adapt to the trauma that altered their entire lives is incredibly fascinating. The voice and poetic nature of the writing elevates the gritty crime genre.

<i>Thanks NetGalley for the ARC</i>

This is the first novel by Ron Currie that I’ve read. It is at once the story of the Dionne family, and simultaneously an examination of the long tail of violence that can change individuals and communities. Currie’s prose quickly hooked me, and the story kept me reading well into the night. This is a really, really good novel.

At the heart of the novel are two women, both of whom find themselves at the centre of what could well be the savage, violent end to their way of life: Babs and Lori Dionne. The majority of the novel is told from their perspective, with a handful of others thrown in to add depth, and also to provide additional perspectives on the protagonists.

Babs is the matriarch of the Dionne family, who has effectively ruled Waterville with an iron fist for a few decades. Unlike some king-/queenpins, though, that iron fist is encased in a velvet glove. She is fiercely protective of the community, her heritage, and her extended family. Under her leadership, much of the city has been corrupted, but in that almost-altruistic way that keeps the more violent crime, and dangerous drugs to a minimum. Nobody wants to cross Babs Dionne. Nobody in Waterville, that is… Because Babs’s business has caught the attention of a powerful criminal up north, who has decided that he has the right to take Waterville for his own.

Lori Dionne, Babs’s eldest daughter, is barely keeping it together. Haunted by what she experienced in the army in Afghanistan, she has fallen into addiction — a hole that swallows up so many suffering from PTSD in under-served neighbourhoods and regions. She works for her mother (as do many of the other women in the community), and at the start of the novel we meet her… well, a little worse for wear. Babs tasks Lori with finding the youngest Dionne daughter, Sis, who has gone missing.

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne is an excellent examination of heritage, identity, family, and the different types of violence that can upend people’s lives. It’s viscerally told, in tight prose. Every word is well chosen, and the story never flagged. The characters are always compelling, and sometimes sympathetic. The two primary protagonists are especially strong characters, with Lori a real stand-out.

I have a feeling this might appeal to any fans of crime (family) sagas. I was reminded of Don Winslow’s latest trilogy, in some ways, despite them being quite different in details — …Babs Dionne is also, in my humble opinion, a much stronger book. This is a great cross-over novel, I think, which should appeal equally to crime fans and contemporary/literary fiction fans.

As I said at the top, this was the first of Currie’s novels that I’ve read. It will certainly not be the last. (His others all sound quite different in tone, but I nevertheless am really looking forward to reading them all.)

Very highly recommended. I think a lot of people are going to dig this.

Wow, Babs had a fascinating life.
I got a murder mystery and a complete background of every character and Waterville.
I love that there is a female drug boss. girl power. A heartbreaking tale the entire way through, but a great story.

Babs Dionne is a criminal, a crime MATRIARCH, ruling her small Maine town with a punitive lens. This heartbreaking story is a criminal tale that could lend to modern folklore. Babs goes up against a drug kingpin and the townspeople can do nothing but hide in fear. This is a gritty, bloodthirsty story
Great for all crimelovers of gang stories, intrepid pirates and criminals and all of us that want to escape the lives we were born too. #penguin #thesavaenobledeathofbabsdionne

This was not at all what I was expecting...not in the best way. It was a lot heavier than I was anticipating, and overall felt disconnected. I don't love writing for the sake of writing, so the full history of Babs Dionne really slowed the book down for me. Not my favorite.

Ron Currie's brutal depiction of the small town of Waterville Maine, as told from the perspective of a drug dealing family was jarring. It kept me interested however. Babs has suffered a rape in her teenage years and extracts revenge immediately. She continues to hold the anger throughout her life and the repercussions of her actions and her lifestyle and career resound through her two children. They hold their Canadian heritage close and create a shield against outsiders. Yet this is a family story as well, one that reveals all the flaws that all families hold and the friends who are considered family members too. The story is also told through Babs' daughter Lori who is a veteran, having served in Afghanistan and who has witnessed horrific crimes during wartime and has turned to drugs herself. She is a terrifically damaged character whose frequent hallucinations direct some of her actions, yet she does her best to save her family, what's left of it. It is remarkable how much these characters accomplish when drunk and high but that also leaves me with disbelief. When a major drug lord tries to interfere with their business, Babs is not having it and the war is on and Currie introduces the creepiest character ever as the enforcer. It's hard to say I enjoyed this book but I did appreciate the prose (exquisite at times) and the pacing. I flew through the pages and though I think it leaves an unrealistic portrayal of Waterville, there are elements that strike true as well. Thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second time I've said this recently, but I feel like I read a different book than everyone else... Readers seem to universally love this book, but from the opening pages I was lost. I felt like I stepped into the middle of a story and could never catch the threads to connect them into anything coherent. I must just be the massively wrong reader for this book, because I could not engage with this story at all.