What is the author's tone in the novel, The Cactus?

From the very beginning of the novel, Susan establishes a grave and serious voice with her language: “I’m not a woman who bears grudges, broods over disagreements or questions other people’s motives. Neither do I feel compelled to win an argument at any cost. As with all rules, of course, there are exceptions. I won’t stand idly by while one person’s being exploited by another, and the same goes when I’m the one being exploited; I’ll do everything within my means to ensure that justice prevails. Not surprisingly, then, the events that have unfolded this month have left me with no choice but to take immediate and decisive action” (7). Here, we see that Susan sets the stage for the rest of the novel by establishing a storytelling voice which promises to deliver all the pertinent information in a timely and slightly melodramatic fashion.