Gringo

I ask Netgalley to share this novel with me because Cass J. McMain's profile shows her as a New Mexico resident. New Mexico has produced some fine authors. Tony Hillerman, Cormac McCarthy, Edward Abbey, Eleanor B. Adams - the list is very long. I will be adding Cass J. McMain to my personal list of New Mexico favorite authors.

Gringo is an interesting novel. Set in Albuquerque, we see a lot of Bud's bar & grill and the small subdivision where Danny, Greg and Ellie live. The bar is small, the staff like family. Bud separates himself from his responsibilities at his bar as his wife's illness intensifies and then he loses her. Danny was the night bartender, with Bud covering opening and the day shift but now Bud doesn't come in at all. Danny is obviously frazzled, between the mounting problems at work and insomnia that intensifies as he goes along. He is pulled into work problems as bills are not paid on time, and answering the phone calls from vendors wanting to be paid could be considered a full time job. At home the across the street neighbor Ellie is a little bit crazy. She has a big black shephard Gringo who starts barking at midnight every night, leaving Danny with broken or no sleep as he tries to cover Bud's shift behind the bar as well as his own. And neighbor Ellie is suffering greatly with age and a lack of support and no apparent family - Danny gets wrapped up in helping her de-clutter her home, and doing small improvements to help her get her house ready to sell. Greg shares insights into the heartbreak Ellie has been through over the last several years, adding to Danny's need to help her, to check on her often, to do little chores she is no longer capable of. And things with the dog just keep getting more disruptive until Danny can't take it any more.... And the dog comes back, the very next day....

It all starts with the persistent barking of Daniel's neighbour’s dog, Gringo, night after night after night preventing him of sleep,
He finally snaps and does something that not even he knew he was capable of.
His conscience gets the better of him and he feels obligated to help his elderly neighbour Ellie who is organising her house ready to be sold.
The two form an unlikely friendship which makes this such a fascinating compelling read.
As Daniels work life becomes worse demanding longer hours and more shifts something in his life has to change.
The twist at the end of the book was completely unexpected and made me want to go back to the beginning and start agin!
The ending alone makes this book a must read for pretty much anyone.