Play Book Tag discussion

College-educated and former FBI agent Titus Crown has returned to Charon County, a rural Virginian community on the Chesapeake Bay to take care of his widowed father. After running for sheriff, he becomes the first black to hold this position. The novel opens with the report of an active shooter at the local high school. It seems that a former black student has shot a favorite white teacher. While negotiating with the shooter to surrender, he charges brandishing the weapon and is killed by one of the deputies. Tensions between the white and black populations are already high; this incident only heightens the hostility between the two groups.

Titus's early investigation reveals that the teacher and former teacher were both involved in a heinous activity with another person seeking to hide the crime by eliminating any possible witnesses. What transpires is a "cat and mouse" pursuit while Titus must and his police department must deal with heightened anxieties within the small community.

Prospective readers should be advised that this novel contains themes of child violence, torture, and violence; however, thankfully, not as descriptive as it could have been. The protagonist was well developed as a man trying to apply color-blind justice as he deals with racism, crooked police officers, and warring community factions. The other characters were more stereotypes interacting with the strong central figure of a black sheriff in a rural Southern community. The novel never faltered as the plot moved steadily toward the climactic good-evil confrontational ending. If you enjoy noir fiction, espeically Southern noir, you should include this book for future reading.

Glad you liked this, too. Titus is such a strong and engaging character.

I loved this one too.

Theresa wrote: "Glad you liked this, too. Titus is such a strong and engaging character."

Cosby seemed to develop most fully Titus with the exception of most of the others, with the probable exception of Titus' father.