August 20, 2024
Kings of Coweetsee by Dale Neal
Former schoolteacher and recent widow Birdie Barker Price is the docent of the rarely visited Coweetsee County Historical Society. One day, Birdie arrives home from work to find a ballot box from the contested 1982 sheriff's election on her front porch. Not only is the box on her front porch, it is full of uncounted ballots. When Birdie opens the box, she releases a flood of corruption, crime, and passion, all hidden under the guise of a quiet country town.
Dark times in small town America, with all the small-mindedness that expression conjures. The themes remind me of John Hart or Greg Iles: corruption, politics, revenge, old crimes, crimes against women, prejudice. While this was all right, you should read John Hart's Down River if you haven't already - he is a far superior writer. I'm not a big fan of politics, so this one didn't tick the boxes for me. The title comes from the idea that each town or county is a sovereign kingdom with individual rulers, that is encouraged by the isolation of small towns in Appalachia.
Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.
Appalachia
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