(Originally published 2010, Paperback edition 334 pages)
Mr. Bennett's novel starts off very effectively. Hobos in the pursuit of a
serial killer during the Great Depression is a wonderful, dark premise. The main
protagonist, Marcus Connelly, is driven by revenge for the murder of his young
daughter, Molly. He meets up with other victims of the so-called Mr. Shivers and
they form a loose alliance in their search for the illusive murderer. During
their journey across the Midwest, they meet many hardships and have plenty of
time to contemplate the nature of right and wrong. The various hobos are given
opportunities to choose a different, happier path and quit their
pursuit.
What works very well in the beginning and through most of the book is the focus on the hobos' troubles and ruminations. A tension weaves throughout the book because the indefinable Mr. Shivers rarely appears and usually only from a distance. You know the dude is bad news and dangerous. The hobos outnumber Mr. Shivers, but you still feel the serial murderer always has the upper hand. However, I agree with many of the other Amazon reviewers that the ending falls apart. It is an interesting, surreal twist, but is at odds with the rest of the very human story. Mr. Bennett may have done a better service by keeping the story grounded more in reality.
What works very well in the beginning and through most of the book is the focus on the hobos' troubles and ruminations. A tension weaves throughout the book because the indefinable Mr. Shivers rarely appears and usually only from a distance. You know the dude is bad news and dangerous. The hobos outnumber Mr. Shivers, but you still feel the serial murderer always has the upper hand. However, I agree with many of the other Amazon reviewers that the ending falls apart. It is an interesting, surreal twist, but is at odds with the rest of the very human story. Mr. Bennett may have done a better service by keeping the story grounded more in reality.
(Meyers - A few years ago, I
started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short
reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #324)
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