Preview of Even the Wicked Summary:

A theme that appears to be woven into the fabric of the novel is that of the value of personal relationships to family and friends. The social concerns are with an impersonal system—viaticum—that distorts the human process of dying. The other concern is with the spread of hate that another impersonal system—communications media—can use to obviate the judicial system and to poison the community. Here Matt's relationships to family and friends are flexible and humane. They can grow as Matt's relationships to Elaine and T. J. have grown over the course of the detective series. In this mystery, a change can be seen as Matt resists Christmas and the imperative of Christmas shopping until finally he chooses gifts for Elaine and T. J. that demonstrate his affection for them and that please them. A substantial amount of space is given...