Title: Sugar Paper
Author: Tootsie Barron
Publisher: Austin Macauley
ISBN: 1645369994
Genre: Crime Fiction
Pages: 226
Reviewed by: Philip Zozzaro
Hollywood Book Reviews
Kiki Fontana receives a phone call hinting of a raid on the family business. She is alarmed, but knows the tip carries credibility. Her husband and father-in law are rounded up in a raid, but Kiki remains resolute in protecting her small family. Her husband, Bobby, is smart but has become increasingly involved in his family’s business. Kiki is no babe in the woods, she learns that the Fontanas are involved in illegal activities, the depths and risks of which becomes clear over time.
Dysfunction is the norm when it comes to the rest of the Fontana brood. Kiki’s family background possesses a warmth and closeness, whereas the Fontana house engages in regular histrionics. The Fontana men tend not to value the women in their lives. Kiki speaks her mind and stands her ground when it comes to herself or her son. Her marriage to Bobby is fraying at the edges, as Bobby has been placing Kiki in increasingly precarious situations. A breaking point is fast approaching.
Kiki is not alone in her concern over the criminal enterprises the Fontanas have been flaunting. Kiki’s father and uncles have taken notice and are concerned. Her Father and Uncles view Kiki as their Princess to be protected. Bobby Fontana Jr. may not be the Prince she or they thought he was. The arrests of Bobby and his father, the demise of a possible witness to their rackets, and Bobby’s burgeoning gambling habit may just force their hand in speaking up.
Sugar Paper by author Tootsie Barron unites the themes of family, loyalty and crime in a compelling manner. The turbulence of the 1960’s and the continued instability of the 1970s form a backdrop with the unsettled domestic world of Kiki Fontana. Kiki shines as the strength of her immediate family, raising her son Bobby III, while her ne’er-do-well husband Bobby schemes and steps out on her. Kiki’s strength of character is reinforced by her blood relations, a tight knit brood that values loyalty, honor and family. The Fontanas, however, seem to lack a cohesive honor. The shadow of organized crime looms over the domestic situation of Bobby and Kiki. Kiki distinguishes herself as not being a spoiled Mafia Princess, but as a free-spirited woman who will do what is needed as the situation presents. Barron’s book presents a heroine in Kiki worthy of regard and respect.
Sugar Paper is a story done well, and will appeal to a wide audience of crime/fiction fans, bringing creative twists and turns, which makes this book definitely worth reading.