The Rundown
A hard drinking detective and his spunky partner are called to the scene of a horrific mass murder. What awaits them is action, adventure and an ancient mystery. Set in the 1970’s against the backdrop of the smokey mountains, Elkmont: The Smokey Mountain Massacre has a kind of quaint vibe to it that might be refreshing to those burnt out on modern, grim thrillers. In fact, despite the seriousness of some of the content, the writing is never so graphic as to dissuade younger readers, or those who prefer a lighter story.
The Recommendation
That’s not to say there isn’t action. With a sufficient amount of red herrings, there’s a requisite checklist of car chases, man hunts and gun fights, and these are each written with confidence and competence, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the ride. The violence is never exemplified, but the author knows how to handle tension.
I mentioned red herrings, as no detective story is complete without an unexpected twist, and in this respect Ekmont does not disappoint. Without giving too much away, there’s a supernatural element that, in my opinion, reveals itself far too late. This is a shame, because the supernatural backdrop coupled with the apple-pie protagonists could have worked well in creating a Twin Peak’s vibe that could have been a lot of fun. As it stands, the supernatural reveal, though enjoyable, has a tacked-on feel. Still, with enthusiastic writing about Native American mysticism and history, it’s a welcome deviation from the expected path.
Joey Ledford’s writing is generally strong, and presents character and dialogue with a comfortable ease. There are a couple of first person accounts written in the book that really play to these strengths, and really stand out as quality writing. These forays into historical fiction were compelling, and I found myself wishing for more of them.
There are some weightier themes explored throughout the story, with rumination on the corrosive power of bigotry and hate, but in general the subtext stays firmly in the background, and the plot and characters are very much what-you-see-is-what-you-get.
The lead characters are sentimental, perhaps verging on cornball, and the resolution is a little convenient, but generally this is an easy thriller to pick up, with some memorable moments thrown in.
It is worth mentioning that Elkmont is a continuation of a series of adventures featuring likeable leading man Cal Bocock. However, as someone who jumped in on the second book, I can safely say that you can appreciate this as a stand alone tale, without having to familiarise yourself with the previous novel.
The Rating
3.5 Stars (out of 5): Pretty good. For the right audience, this could be great. Sure, there were some issues, but it was still worth the read.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Dialogue, ProseThe Links
The Reviewer
Steve Wetherell
Visit Steve Wetherell‘s website.Joey Ledford’s writing is generally strong, and presents character and dialogue with a comfortable ease. There are a couple of first person accounts written in the book that really play to these strengths, and really stand out as quality writing. These forays into historical fiction were compelling, and I found myself wishing for more of them.
Read Elkmont
