A wonderful hillbilly story, that takes place in the lower Ozarks, is Missouri. You have drugs, various forms of senseless as well as valid violence. White trash women, excessive drinking, and mild sex. What more could you want in a book?
The story is about Doyle, whose marriage has fallen apart in California, so he steals his wife's car and heads back to where he grew up. His parents ask him to find his older brother Smoke, and to try and convince Smoke to turn himself in, as he is a wanted man. Doyle finds Smoke, finds out Smoke is about to harvest a huge crop of pot, and he decides to join Smoke in this endeavor. Unfortunately the Dolly family is also interested in their crop. The Dolly's are pure white trash, hillbillies, and this is when the shit hits the fan.
This was a very fun book to read. ( )

This is a VERY strange - sometimes very funny novel. Not really a mystery. ( )

Not quite as good as Winter's Bone or Tomato Red (which couldn't have been better in my eyes) but still the same great Ozark atmospherics and way with language. The female leads didn't ring as true to me as Rhee Dolly did in W'sB and I had trouble buying Doyle Redmond as a novel-writing redneck, even though he's loosely based on the author's own life. On the other hand this book had more of of his great wry humor. I'll read everything he writes. ( )

A wonderful hillbilly story, that takes place in the lower Ozarks, is Missouri. You have drugs, various forms of senseless as well as valid violence. White trash women, excessive drinking, and mild sex. What more could you want in a book?
The story is about Doyle, whose marriage has fallen apart in California, so he steals his wife's car and heads back to where he grew up. His parents ask him to find his older brother Smoke, and to try and convince Smoke to turn himself in, as he is a wanted man. Doyle finds Smoke, finds out Smoke is about to harvest a huge crop of pot, and he decides to join Smoke in this endeavor. Unfortunately the Dolly family is also interested in their crop. The Dolly's are pure white trash, hillbillies, and this is when the shit hits the fan.
This was a very fun book to read. ( )

Doyle Redmond is sent by his parents to try and convince his brother Smoke to turn himself in. There's a warrant out for him, and they are tired of being hassled. But Smoke and his gal, Big Annie, have a nice harvest coming in soon, and Smoke thinks the payoff might buy him a shorter sentence. Doyle joins up with them. But a rival clan, the Dollys, want to profit from the Redmonds' work, and much fighting and shooting ensues.

Woodrell's writing always sucks me in. This is one of his earlier works, and not quite as dark as some of his later stuff, but it still packs a punch. Don't start it unless you have time to finish it in one sitting! ( )