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DARK OF THE MOON
by P. J. Parrish
Pinnacle, January 2005
447 pages
$4.99
ISBN: 0786017155


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

DARK OF THE MOON is the debut thriller novel by P J Parrish and introduces readers to biracial Deputy Louis Kincaid. Set in the Deep South in 1983, Kincaid is a former Detroit police officer who has moved back to the small town of Black Pool, Mississippi to take care of his mother who is dying. He sees it as his duty to look after her even though she is a drunk and deserted him when he was small.

When the skeleton of a young black man, evidently the victim of a lynching that took place over 20 years ago, is discovered, Kincaid's attempts to uncover what happened are hampered in every direction. As Kincaid delves into the murders, he has the two different communities unwilling to help him for their own reasons. When a number of others in the town are also killed, it is clear that there are people still alive who want the matter left as it is. Kincaid also finds himself jeopardy; he is beaten, shot at, and nearly lynched.

For me DARK OF THE MOON is very reminiscent of the John Ball novel IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, from the loutish white trash police to the occasionally diplomatic but extremely hostile sheriff who plays lip service to having a member of the ethnic minority as a fellow officer.

The novel paints a very ugly picture of a very small town full of hostilities. This is not solely a thriller but a fascinating story about life in a small southern town where racism is still rife and being biracial means that you are a pariah on both sides of the town. On the one hand, it is sad but also on the other disappointing that people like this might still exist.

This is an edgy, intriguing novel full of suspense with some very interesting characters. The strengths of DARK OF THE MOON are evident in its plot and the frequent plot twists that make it the page-turner that it is.

However, as much as I enjoyed this book there were times that I found it irritating. The characters left a lot to be desired -- they came across as being very stereotypical which is a shame. My initial view was that Louis was a self-centred young man but that changed as the book continued. Kincaid's deep sense of honour, integrity does become evident, and at least he leaves Black Pool more tolerant then when he first arrived.

As for the sheriff and the others, less said about them the better. Nevertheless, since this is the first book in the series I can only see this series getting better and better and Kincaid growing along with it.

Reviewed by Ayo Onatade, March 2005

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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