Thursday, July 15, 2010

Where Trouble Sleeps by Clyde Edgerton

Sleepy Listre NC (circa 1950) is a town ripe for the pickin' - at least as far as the gypsy in the yellow shirt is concerned. All he sees is a couple stores, a Baptist church, a blinker light and a bunch of maroons. Sure, easy pickin's.

But several of the small town residents are quietly suspicious of the man as he wanders about town, asking questions and absorbing info. Not Cheryl at the diner - she's too busy making eyes at the handsome movie-star guy and dreaming about their wedding. And not church secretary Mrs. Dorothea Clark, who's holed herself up in the church office until her twisted ankle heals and has been blessed with nightly visits from Jesus himself. But certainly a few others suspect something's not right.

Someplace I recently read that author Clyde Edgerton's an American treasure, so I thought I should look him up; funny, subtle character examinations and some unexpected plot turns made this quick read an enjoyable diversion.

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