The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne By Ron Currie Book Review
Have you ever wondered what happens when a fierce matriarch runs a small-town drug empire with as much grit and savagery as any mob boss in classic crime dramas, but this time she’s a woman, and it’s set in a forgotten Franco-American enclave in rural Maine? That’s exactly what you get with Ron Currie’s The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne, a novel that’s equal parts dark crime saga, family drama, and cultural portrait.
This book dives into the life of Babs Dionne, a tough-as-nails crime queenpin running the opioid trade in Little Canada, a worn-down Quebecois neighborhood in Waterville, Maine. The story covers a tense week as Babs fights to keep her empire intact while dealing with devastating personal losses, including the disappearance, and death, of her youngest daughter, Sis, and the struggles of another daughter, Lori, an Afghan war vet battling addiction and PTSD. Currie doesn’t hold back on the heavy themes here: drug addiction, violence, poverty, cultural survival, and the complicated legacies of trauma, all set against the backdrop of a community holding on to its French-Canadian identity as it slowly fades.
What makes this book stand out isn’t just the gritty plot or crime thriller elements, it’s how Currie brings this world and its people to life with brutal honesty and a surprising dose of dark humor. Babs herself is a flawed, almost legendary figure shaped by a violent past and a fierce love for her family and culture. The story jumps between multiple perspectives, giving you a real sense of the fractured, desperate people caught in this harsh world. There’s even a supernatural twist with Lori’s PTSD-related visions of the dead, which adds an unexpected emotional depth without taking away from the story’s raw realism.
Readers have praised the book for its richly drawn characters, atmospheric setting, and sharp social commentary on everything from class and addiction to cultural displacement. If you love strong, complex female leads, think a Tony Soprano–style matriarch with a Quebecois accent, and stories that capture the painful beauty of family and legacy in a dying mill town, this hits the mark. That said, some people find the pacing tricky and the repeated cultural references a bit heavy-handed, so it’s definitely not a light or easy read.
From my perspective, this novel is perfect for readers who want their crime fiction with literary weight, people who are okay with dark, sometimes uncomfortable themes but crave stories about resilience and identity. If you prefer fast-paced thrillers without too much introspection or a sunnier tone, this might not be your go-to. But if you appreciate layered storytelling with morally complex characters and a sense of place that feels almost like a character itself, you’ll find a lot to love here.
So, if you’re in the mood for a fiercely original crime drama that’s equal parts heartbreaking and darkly funny, and want to immerse yourself in a rarely told culture and community, The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne is definitely worth a read. Let me know what you thought if you’ve read it too!