A Pigeon in the Pen by Robert John DeLuca
A sweet, heartwarming coming-of-age story that takes an unexpected turn into danger and suspense
A Pigeon in the Pen is the third installment in the Marshall Morris is at It Again series. The novel follows Marshall Morris, an unpredictable yet kindhearted young man whose impulsiveness tends to land him in more trouble than most people would ever want. Set against the backdrop of the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it weaves layers of loss, uncertainty, family, love, drugs, and courage into the heart of the story.
The novel opens with Marshall and his on-and-off girlfriend, Mallory Jollen, trying to figure out what comes next for them. Their relationship is sweet but complicated, especially as college and adulthood begin to pull their lives in different directions. Mallory is thoughtful, passionate about music, and determined to make her own choices. Marshall, on the other hand, is more spontaneous, sometimes to his own disadvantage, and his instinct is usually to act first and work out the consequences later.
When Mallory chooses a college in South Carolina rather than following Marshall to CTU, he struggles with the possibility of losing her. Desperate to keep their relationship afloat, Marshall’s answer is a shocking marriage proposal.
However, more strain comes to the young couple’s relationship when Marshall is recruited by Detective Ben Clements to go undercover at a juvenile detention camp to help investigate his town’s growing fentanyl problem. What was supposed to be a quick, in-and-out, fly-on-the-wall operation, keeping his ears open for a name, soon leaves Marshall on the radar of a Mexican cartel. This quickly puts the lives of those he cares about in danger. Would Marshall be able to bring down the cartel before they hurt someone he loves?
Author Robert John DeLuca introduces two deeply different yet engaging, well-developed characters in A Pigeon in the Pen. Marshall’s character carries much of the novel’s emotional weight. Beneath his humor and impulsiveness is someone who has been changed by so much loss. The pandemic, his mother’s illness, and the deaths of veterans he deeply respected forces him to confront how fragile life can be.
Marshall’s biggest strength is also most times the catalyst of his trouble. But that is probably what makes him such an easy character to root for, even when his decisions can be frustrating. He is not particularly careful, and he often finds himself in situations that could have been avoided if he had simply stopped to think. But there is a sincerity behind his actions. He is not looking to be a hero. He just has a difficult time standing by when somebody else is in trouble.
Mallory, meanwhile, provides an interesting contrast to Marshall. She is more measured and grounded, and she does not always agree with his way of handling things. She has her own ambitions, fears, values, and opinions, and the story gives her room to develop those parts of herself even if it’s not as much as Marshall. Their relationship works best as they are allowed to be an imperfect young couple who are still figuring things out with all the uncertainty, confusion, and emotions that come with being young and in love.
The novel also deals with some serious subjects, particularly the impact of fentanyl and drug use on younger people. It brings attention to the destructive effects of substance abuse and how easily one can become addicted to it. DeLuca uses these to present a sobering reality of the dangers associated with drug abuse, particularly among young people, and especially in today’s society.
DeLuca does a great job of breaking up these heavier themes with humor, though. Some of the most enjoyable moments come from Marshall’s conversations with his mother Sally. Their relationship has a natural warmth to it, and Sally’s practical attitude often clashes in funny ways with Marshall’s tendency to make everything more complicated than it needs to be. The humor does not always disappear when the story becomes serious, which helps keep the characters easy to relate with. The writing is straightforward, easy to follow, and mostly fast-paced, propelled forward with enough action and momentum to keep readers engaged.
A Pigeon in the Pen manages to bring together young love, family, humor, social issues, and suspense without losing sight of the characters at its center.
