In one of those crime stories that you hope isn’t based on real-life events, but expect it could be, A Molotkov’s new novel explores what might happen when a person whose mental faculties are teetering at the edge of chaos is exposed to an unrelenting stream of vitriol. Especially fear and loathing aimed at people who are perceived to be enemies. Right now, not only in the United States, it seems that the conditions for the kinds of crimes Molotkov has envisioned in fiction simmer barely below the surface in reality.
In this novel, set in Portland, Oregon, in 2019, a volatile mix of identity politics has created an environment where one man feels morally bound to take corrective action. He even refers to himself as The Corrector. He’s a weak vessel to effect social change, however, and on a steeply downward spiral. He drinks too much bourbon. He lives with his mother, who is dying in a hospital bed in their living room, and he’s haunted by the insults his dead father directed at him. He has no friends. His antagonisms cost him his job. What he has been successful at is murder.
As the story opens, police detectives Brenda Smith and Dmitry Volkov are investigating the death of an elderly Yemeni engineer. A plain red business-sized card found on the body indicates that his death may be linked to the murder of a South Asian woman a year earlier. Within days, a third victim—this time an American nurse who is Muslim—is found, bearing the same red calling card. Conditions are ripe for citywide panic.
The detectives are not without complicated, distracting lives themselves. Volkov is deep in gambling debt; Smith is starting a new relationship, which may be doomed when her partner learns she’s a cop. Each character’s story is told in short snippets, sometimes only a page or two, which for me became rather disjointed. Yet, it’s a practical way to handle such a large cast of characters—the two cops, the Corrector, and the victims, living and dead. Yes, in this story, the dead withdraw only gradually from the world of the living and continue for a time to have thoughts and observations. The thoughts of the murdered Yemeni engineer and the nurse focus on bringing their murderer to justice. When Detective Smith has a flash of intuition about the case, now and again, perhaps the dead’s messages are reaching their target. How often must real-life detectives wish the victims in their investigations could talk to them!
Anti-immigrant sentiment, uncontrolled gambling, complicated relationships—that’s a lot to tackle, but Molotkov isn’t through. The mixed emotions and difficulties the Corrector faces in caring for his dying mother are a commentary on a further dysfunctional aspect of American life: the health care system. To the good, the mother is enrolled in hospice, and a nurse comes to check on her every few days, equipment has been brought in, and her pain appears to be managed. At the same time, the deteriorating home environment and the instability of her sole caregiver (her drunken son) should be obvious to any health professional. In one of the most moving scenes in the story, the Corrector tells his mother about his murders, expecting her to be proud of him. Instead, she is clearly horrified, yet helpless to do anything about it. She never speaks to him again.
The depth of character development in this crime story make it a stand-out. Termed a “literary crime story,” A Bag Full of Stones and its unvarnished appraisal of the tragedies latent in the current political moment provide a great deal to think about.