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Smokestack Lightning
Delmore and Maceo—a white policeman disappeared, and a black activist lynched, both on the same night in a Mississippi Delta town. Sam Swain, ex-Chief of Police and Delmore’s uncle, believes the two events are linked, but it’s 1956, and the police will not investigate what role a missing white man might have played in a black man’s murder. Reluctantly, Swain agrees to look for his nephew and, at the request of Maceo’s family, to look for Maceo’s missing body.
Swain’s investigation takes him back five decades to a seminal event in the history of the county, and also into present-day controversies. He must contend with an agent of the segregationist Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, who threatens Swain and his family to put a stop to his investigation. Swain must also face his own guilt for putting his family at risk.
Set during a time of political and social upheaval, Smokestack Lightning is a tale about the persistence of truth and the necessity of forgiveness.
“This dark, sweeping novel concerns two disappearances: Delmore Scruggs, the nephew of former police chief Sam Swain, and Maceo Hardeman, a local black man. Swain digs deeper and deeper to determine how a lunatic, bags of human bones, and the secret shame of a pillar of the community each play a part in the mystery. The artfully constructed plot and mounting suspense carries the reader to the satisfying conclusion.”
—Publishers Weekly review of the manuscript submitted to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.
Swain’s investigation takes him back five decades to a seminal event in the history of the county, and also into present-day controversies. He must contend with an agent of the segregationist Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, who threatens Swain and his family to put a stop to his investigation. Swain must also face his own guilt for putting his family at risk.
Set during a time of political and social upheaval, Smokestack Lightning is a tale about the persistence of truth and the necessity of forgiveness.
“This dark, sweeping novel concerns two disappearances: Delmore Scruggs, the nephew of former police chief Sam Swain, and Maceo Hardeman, a local black man. Swain digs deeper and deeper to determine how a lunatic, bags of human bones, and the secret shame of a pillar of the community each play a part in the mystery. The artfully constructed plot and mounting suspense carries the reader to the satisfying conclusion.”
—Publishers Weekly review of the manuscript submitted to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.
356 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2013
423 people want to read
About the author
Randall Luce
3 books11 followersBorn in the baby boom, educated and loosed upon the world, I’ve tried to make an impression upon it. I got myself a degree in cultural anthropology and did field work in the Mississippi Delta. I saw the first Black man elected in his county since Reconstruction.
Later I worked for aid organizations that gave medical materials to doctors in hospitals and clinics in developing countries. I saw famine in Africa. I saw bombs fall in Eritrea. There, I met goat herders who would rather starve than eat their goats; and hospitals hidden in caves. The doctors fashioned light switches from used syringes.
Then I married and I helped my wife raise two fine boys. Truly, my wife and sons don’t know their own righteousness, and that is one of the best things you can say about anybody. For a while I worked for a homeless shelter. I taught college students anthropology. Then I worked for a law firm and began to write at night. Now I’m retired. So far, three novels bear my name, Motherless Children, Smokestack Lightning, and Black and Tan Fantasy.
If I could be British, I’d want to be Graham Greene. If I could sing, I’d want to be Bob Dylan.
Looking back, I can’t say I’ve made much of an impression, but I’m betting on God’s grace. Someday I hope to be a witness.
Later I worked for aid organizations that gave medical materials to doctors in hospitals and clinics in developing countries. I saw famine in Africa. I saw bombs fall in Eritrea. There, I met goat herders who would rather starve than eat their goats; and hospitals hidden in caves. The doctors fashioned light switches from used syringes.
Then I married and I helped my wife raise two fine boys. Truly, my wife and sons don’t know their own righteousness, and that is one of the best things you can say about anybody. For a while I worked for a homeless shelter. I taught college students anthropology. Then I worked for a law firm and began to write at night. Now I’m retired. So far, three novels bear my name, Motherless Children, Smokestack Lightning, and Black and Tan Fantasy.
If I could be British, I’d want to be Graham Greene. If I could sing, I’d want to be Bob Dylan.
Looking back, I can’t say I’ve made much of an impression, but I’m betting on God’s grace. Someday I hope to be a witness.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 29, 2013
Haven't received my copy yet, just received notice I had won. 8/29/13
I received my copy barely. I don't have a schedule that coincides with the postal service hours and had to take off work to go sign for a package. Luckily the day I was able to do this was the day they were going to send it back to the sender. Anyways, hope to start it soon. I have 4 others plus my current read in front. 9/18/13
Started 9/29/13
Finished 10/5/13
Sam Swain used to be chief of police. Delmore, his wifes nephew, is missing and his wife has come to ask Sam to find him. Maceo is also missing and his family believes he was lynched and killed and have asked Sam to find his body for burial. The two incidents happened on the same day. Are they connected and can Sam find out what happened?
It always shocks me that as recently as the 1950's racial segregation was so rampant in the South. I read these books and think, there is no way people acted like that. This was an interesting book. Different story line and location than I usually read. The characters were just that, characters. Glad I was able to save it from being returned to the sender.
I received my copy barely. I don't have a schedule that coincides with the postal service hours and had to take off work to go sign for a package. Luckily the day I was able to do this was the day they were going to send it back to the sender. Anyways, hope to start it soon. I have 4 others plus my current read in front. 9/18/13
Started 9/29/13
Finished 10/5/13
Sam Swain used to be chief of police. Delmore, his wifes nephew, is missing and his wife has come to ask Sam to find him. Maceo is also missing and his family believes he was lynched and killed and have asked Sam to find his body for burial. The two incidents happened on the same day. Are they connected and can Sam find out what happened?
It always shocks me that as recently as the 1950's racial segregation was so rampant in the South. I read these books and think, there is no way people acted like that. This was an interesting book. Different story line and location than I usually read. The characters were just that, characters. Glad I was able to save it from being returned to the sender.
Displaying 1 of 1 review