I had heard Bill’s book was brilliant, and it is, but it is also exceedingly dark and brutal.
Each of his stories rings true – unfortunately. Unfortunately because it is hard to think of modern America as still having places where so much ignorance, greed, jealousy, and lust can result in so much carnage.
Some of the stories focus on law enforcement in those areas. One piece is strangely psychological and almost hallucinatory. Another is about a mercy killing that is almost sweet in its sentimentality. Almost, but not quite – the killing is shocking.
The only hopeful thing to remember when reading this collection is these stories take place in several different eras and Indiana is a big state. Chicago is right off the upper west corner of it, and Louisville, Kentucky is right across the river from its southern border. In between are miles and miles of open country and farm land.
Readers picking up this book are in for a bloody ride. Frank Bill’s Crimes in Southern Indiana is noir on steroids.
(For more posts on books, check out Patti Abbott’s blog.)