Review: A Fine Dark Line

Joe Lansdale has been writing professionally for almost three decades now. With 2000’s THE BOTTOMS he finally got some well deserved exposure and won a few very coveted awards. Those of us who’ve enjoyed his work for a long time are very happy for this very talented author. The follow up; A FINE DARK LINE is another wonderful book.

Set in 1950s’ Texas LINE is the story of a young boy and his working class family in the very segregated South. It is a stupendous coming of age story. Stanley Mitchel is the most compelling thirteen year old in crime fiction since Robert Crais’ INDIGO SLAM. Lansdale has long admired the horror writer Stephen King and in a case of the student giving the master something to be proud of both children and adults are developed superbly through the young protagonist’s point of view.

The more complex theme of black and white relationships in the 1950 deep south are also well done. We step back in time to a sleepy little town where the Mitchel family makes their living running the local Drive- In.

Dad’s worked hard to get to this point in his life and with the help of family and black projectionist Buster(who came with the property and does a good job even if he does like to drink some) he’s successful at his new venture. Helping Mom with the house is Rosy a black woman with a strong sense of “her place” in the life of the Mitchels.

With a long and lazy summer stretched before him young Stanley’s imagination is captured by the deserted house behind the drive-in and the mystery of a box of letters he has found there. As Stanley searches for the answers of the letters Lansdale adds all the layers of a southern small town in the 50s to his book. White and Black, rich and poor, corrupt and innocent the populace of Dewmont jumps off the page. The strength of the Mitchel family is enchanting and sadly 40 years later enlightening.

When Rosy’s boyfriend abuses her Stanley’s family heroically takes her in. When Buster reveals he was in the past a sheriff on the Reservation and begins to feed Stanley background on his family’s new hometown a friendship is formed between man and boy. When sister Callie is accused of being white trash the family bands together. All as we build towards a conclusion that captures almost every theme available to an author in humanity.

There is sadness in this book and joy. Talk of religion and abuse. Corruption oozes off of one page and sheer innocence the next. And lest you think that there is room for a good murder plot in all this high falluting character development, why you’re right.... because there are at least three.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ruth Jordan - RAM

Book Review: A Fine Dark Line