Rural Arkansas is limping through the 1990s. A thin veneer of normalcy covers Cargill. Chief Evander Griffin is investigating three murders that appear to be connected. The crimes threaten planned improvements from outside investment. On the heels of the second murder, Charles Parker, a former police officer from New York, arrives in town searching for the man that murdered his family. What will he find?
Writing Style
Connolly’s writing felt slow and methodical. The mix created suspense and anticipation. The Dirty South is darker than a book like Moonflower Murders and less like a “whodunit.”
Did I put it down?
Not really. Once I saw the path, the story was gripping.
Who should be reading this?
The images presented are unsettling. As with most thrillers of the sort, there is some violence mixed perversely with sexuality. The language is tame comparably.
Would I recommend The Dirty South?
Yes, without question. The first chapter or so of this book did not impress me. I felt that the language and atmosphere were slightly pretentious, or at the very least long-winded. Sometimes I forget to meet the author on their ground. I put the book down, came back the next day, and could not have been more impressed.
Rural Arkansas is not much different from where my grandparents lived when I was a child. Southeast Missouri is very similar. Isolation can be overwhelming in the countryside. As I got older, I also saw that the social interactions and politics were different than in the city. The setting and characters resonated with me. I could tell that Connolly had done his research. They say to write what you know. Connolly made sure that he understood the dynamics at play in a small community.
Beyond this, the story was intricate and unpredictable. Parker’s character, although flawed and unsettling, plays a foil to the rest of the cast. When I have the time, I will be visiting the earlier novels in this series.
Check out the book here!