Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
"The writing is delicious, the pace sure and steady and the sense of place offers an atmosphere that is impossible not to be seduced by."
Synopsis:
Amos, Mississippi is a quiet town. Silas Jones is its sole law enforcement officer. The last excitement here was nearly twenty years ago, when a teenage girl disappeared on a date with Larry Ott, Silas's one-time boyhood friend. The law couldn't prove Larry guilty, but the whole town has shunned him ever since.
Then the town's peace is shattered when someone tries to kill the reclusive Ott, another young woman goes missing and the town's drug dealer is murdered. Woven through the tautly written murder story is the unspoken secret that hangs over the lives of two men - one black, one white.
Purchase the book from Amazon.
Review:
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is an emotionally charged, highly original and deeply satisfying crime novel. It is a book that offers many levels. Yes, there is the mystery of the missing girls, past and present, but at its heart - and this book has a huge heart - this is a novel about secrets, friendship, family, redemption; it is a book about lost opportunities, about “what ifs”. Scary Larry, as the locals call Larry Ott is a study in loneliness and ostracism. From the off he never had a chance. He's the introverted class geek, bullied by his father, who seeks solace in books. Franklin's characterisation of Larry is spot on, hugely endearing and never wavers throughout. There were times when I was all but screaming at the book for Larry to do something that would help his situation, but that was his flaw ...and his saving grace. The writing is delicious, the pace sure and steady and the sense of place offers an atmosphere that is impossible not to be seduced by. There is much to admire about this novel and a whole lot more to love. If there is any justice in the world this will become a huge bestseller.