While this is a work of Fiction, some of the events in this book actually took place. Cornbread Mafia? Real. How the industry ruined lives? Real. Was there a red headed journalist there around that time? True.
Jim Bingham, editor of The Callison County Tribune in Brewster, KY., has been murdered. In his own office. One of the town drunks has been arrested for the crime after being found passed out with the murder weapon and the dead mans hat on his head. Sounds kind of fish already,right?
When Jim’s daughter, Sarabeth arrives along with her half-brother, Ben, she quickly finds out that things have changed in her home town. As Sarabeth struggles with her own secrets she also digs into everything and everyone in her town. Will she get the answers she needs? Will she live to tell the story her father died for?
The cast of characters are complex, real and what happens is brutally honest and uncomfortable to read. Whenever you are dealing with large amounts of money and drugs there will be violence. Officials will be bribed. And innocent children and adults will die.
At times I wasn’t sure who were the good guys and who were the bad guys and that kept me turning the pages all night! The thing is, most of them were a little of both, well except Bubba, that’s a whole different level of crazy there. But that is how life is, you can be a good person and make a bad decision.
There was quite a bit of violence but there was also quite a bit of hope and good honest people willing to do the right thing when it matters the most.
I’m a fan of Ninie’s books. They are real and the characters flawed, but oh so human.
Whether you agree or disagree on the marijuana issue, it doesn’t matter. This isn’t an pro/con story. It’s a story that should be read.
