No, not the song by that name, nor the TV series. What I’m reviewing here is the 2020 crime novel of that name, written by John Guzlowski. (Why, you ask, am I so late to read and review it? It’s because my TBR list contains 95 books, that’s why.) So, what do you want to know about The Little Altar Boy? Probably you want to know what it’s about and whether it’s any good.

So, what is it about? It’s primarily a crime novel about the Catholic Church in Chicago in 1967. If you remember Chicago in the ’60s, you will expect a lot of crime and a lot of content about various ethnicities, primarily Polish Americans and Irish Americans. And that’s what you’ll find here, all convincingly woven into a narrative that provides both a sense of place and a sense of time. There’s a lot of violence, but that’s part of what it makes it feel so real.

And is it any good? Yes, but that of course depends on what you want. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery, skip this one. If you’re looking for noir, give The Little Altar Boy a shot.

Categories: Books