Down River by John Hart

The novel Down River proves that genre writing can also be literary. Its protagonist Adam Chase is a wrongly accused young man who, with or without meaning to, clashes with almost everyone around him and has to peel himself out of trouble constantly. The first chapter opens aptly with the description of the river in Rowan County, North Carolina, Adam's family home and the Red Water Farm, and a mention of his childhood trauma.Adam has returned home to find his old friend Danny Faith, after five years of staying away from everyone including his girlfriend Robin who is a cop. Five years ago, Adam was tried for murder and acquitted, but the townspeople still see him as the murderer. Adam is bitter because his family especially his father did not believe in his innocence. Instead of going home, Adam goes to Danny Faith's father's hotel to rent a room, where he is beaten up badly. As he leaves the hospital, Robin meets him and takes him to her apartment. Later on, Adam goes to mee
t his father, stepmother, his two step-siblings, the caretaker and his granddaughter Grace. Then, as much as he searches, Adam cannot find Danny. There is, yet, another twist to the story as the possibility of a nuclear plant. The developers want to buy the Red Water Farm and other farmland around it, despite Adam's father's resolve to not sell the farm. In the meantime, other murders spring up around Adam, making the authorities suspect him again. With all the pressure around him, Adam wants to prove his innocence and to see if he can return to the only place he calls home. The story continues with everyone being suspected of thing or another until the end when the puzzle is solved and Adam is cleared once and for all.Down River is Southern Gothic at its best with the strong theme of the prodigal son, powerful yet somewhat eccentric characters--each with their own secrets and vices--and a splendid backdrop of countryside. The story, told in first person, weaves skillfully a
long several plotlines, keeping the reader guessing the answer to the who-done-it question. The language of the book is rich, evocative, at times sentimental and poetic, and at times direct and harsh, reflecting the psychological complexity of its characters. The writer's exemplary use of the language and understanding of the regional elements and his characters raise the quality of this mystery to a high literary level. Adam Chase narrates: I wondered if it (the town) had the taste of me even now, so many years after it had spit me out. I drove past the renovated train station and the old mansions stuffed with money, turned my face away from men on familiar benches and women in bright clothes.Down River is 336 pages with ISBN-10: 0312359314 and ISBN-13: 978-0312359317.The author of Down River, John Hart, --according to the bio given at the inside cover-- was born and raised in North Carolina and earned degrees in French, Accounting, and Law. After careers in law and in ass
et management, Hart turned to writing novels full time. He lives in North Carolina with his family. His first book was The King of Lies (2006). His second, Down River (2007) has won the Edgar Award. His third book, The Last Child will be published in May 2009.I picked Down River from a bookstand in an airport and found it to be my best pick in a long time. The mastery of the author in all aspects of storytelling makes this book a captivating thriller as well as an excellent example of literary fiction.

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