In this captivating audiobook by Missouri native Allen Eskens, listeners are taken on a journey through a stunning small-town mystery that explores the complexities of family, loyalty, and racial tension in America. With a narrative that rivals the coming-of-age greatness of Ordinary Grace, Eskens delves deep into the heart of a small Southern town, where the weight of loyalty to family and "your people" hangs heavy like a sacred oath. But in a place where defying those unwritten rules can be deadly, one high-school freshman named Boady Sanden finds himself yearning for something more.
After spending fifteen years growing up in the Ozark hills with his widowed mother, Boady is desperate for a change. He dreams of glass towers and cityscapes, longing to escape the clutches of Jessup, Missouri. But life at St. Ignatius High School proves to be just as stifling, with Boady either being pushed around or completely ignored. Even his beloved woods, once his childhood playground and sanctuary, now feel suffocating, closing in on him.
Everything changes when Thomas Elgin moves in across the road. Boady's life takes unexpected twists and turns as he gets to know the Elgins, a black family trying to find their place in a community where historical notions of "us" and "them" still linger. Suddenly, Boady must confront his deeply ingrained worldview and reevaluate his understanding of the world around him.
As secrets hidden in plain sight begin to unravel – the grieving mother, the neighbor with a mysterious past, the silent boss with his own battles – Boady finds himself caught up in the biggest secret of all: the disappearance of Lida Poe, an African-American woman who worked at the local plastics factory. Rumor has it that she fled town, taking a significant amount of company money with her. Though Boady never met her, he soon discovers that her story is intricately woven into the fabric of his own world.
As the mystery surrounding Lida's fate unfolds, Boady is confronted with the harsh realities of race and class that both bind and divide his small town. Forced to choose sides, he must grapple with his own beliefs and confront the deeply ingrained divisions that plague his community.
With an audiobook rating of 4.6 out of 5, and a length of ten hours and twenty-eight minutes, Eskens' captivating tale has earned its place as a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award and has been hailed as a Best Book of the Year by both the Florida Sun-Sentinel and Library Journal. Get ready to immerse yourself in a story that will keep you hooked from beginning to end.
