As Void Where Prohibited begins, Ralph is hopelessly in debt. But when his loan shark suggests the murder of Ralph's wife, Bonnie, for the insurance money, he is appalled: "He's a putz, maybe, possibly, all right, if you say so. But a criminal? A murderer? His own family?" All he can think to do is get up and storm out of the room.
Nevertheless it happens. The story of how murder comes about, and what follows, is recounted in two threads that are interwoven in alternate chapters. One thread traces the crime: the automobile collision that changes Ralph's mind, the criminal investigation, and the trial. The other thread focuses on Bonnie's family: their loving and supportive relationships, the shock and grief after Bonnie's mother discovers the body, and the life changing ramifications following the verdict. Narrated in a breezy, conversational manner,
Void Where Prohibited nevertheless delves deeply into matters of substance and thought. Bonnie father, a devout Catholic, cannot understand why his family has been singled out for calamity. Bonnie's brother, a Catholic priest, wrestles with the requirement of his faith that Ralph's sin must be forgiven. The entire family has to confront the implications of the prosecutor's intention to negotiate a plea agreement with Ralph instead of bringing him to trial. How the family copes, and perseveres, will have you loving them as much as they love each other.
