‘Wreck Your Heart’ will keep you guessing

She has serious abandonment issues. It is winter in Chicago, December rent was due on the apartment she shared with her boyfriend, a musician named Joey. He apparently has absconded with their rent money; Doll was cast out by their nasty landlord. He changed the locks, only allowing her to grab a few things to carry away in a garbage bag.

She trudges over to McPhee’s, the place where she performs, the owner Alex has had a long relationship with her. When Dahlia was a young girl her drug addicted mother abandoned her. It was Alex who took her in and has been looking out for her since. He arranges for Doll to move into an apartment above the tavern where she is currently trying to co-exist with the original tenant Oona.

Doll pitches in. She assists Oona, walking her dogs. She covers for Alex as bartender when he is otherwise occupied. When the bar closes she sweeps up. Her main focus is performing there every Wednesday. They play covers, not originals, and have attracted a following. We get acquainted with some regular clientele. The tavern serves food; we encounter the two guys who work in the kitchen. We meet the members of Doll’s saintly, long suffering band.

Oh, those abandonment issues. Her mom deserted her. Who is her father? We don’t know, does she? It doesn’t come up. The flaky boyfriend is out of the picture. Why did he leave her? Doll has difficulties with relationships, with making commitments to other people. Her benefactor Alex is the only person she truly trusts.

Alex is acting secretive and weird-she feels uneasy. She agonizes over things, what’s up with Alex? How can she write an original song? Where is Rader-Day going with this? We cannot guess.

Then around page 100, Doll discovers the body in the alley. She recognizes this unfortunate soul. And we are off, on a murder mystery, and so much more.

You can hear my interview with Lori Rader-Day at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday, Jan. 18 on WYSO, 91.3FM.