A Fine Dark Line - Softcover

Lansdale, Joe R

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0986259411 ISBN 13: 9780986259418

Publisher: Pandi Press, 2015

Synopsis

13-year-old Stanley Mitchel Jr. spends most of his time helping his family run the town’s drive-in movie theater, reading ten-cent comics, and playing with his dog Nub. Life in East Texas circa 1958 is not very exciting until Stanley discovers a stash of old, crumbling love letters in a pile of burnt rubble behind the drive-in. As Stanley reads through the letters, he finds himself in the middle of a town mystery and discovering the secrets of his sleepy town. Stanley, with the help of the old projectionist and his older sister, uncovers the identities of the people who penned the letters and sheds light on a shocking 20 year-old murder plot. As Stanley unearths more and more truths, he realizes the injustices of life in East Texas in the 1950’s including class, race, gender, and the cruelty of unrequited love. Stanley feels betrayed by his family and his town as he takes a closer look at the dark truth and refuses to allow himself to succumb to the darkness.

About this title

Review:

Entertaining, fast-paced, and bristling with hidden menace. (KATE SAUNDERS THE TIMES)

a charming tale about growing up, and a vivid recreation of a world that no longer exists (SUSANNA YAGER SUNDAY TELEGRAPH)

Part detective story, part horror chiller and part Huck Finn adventure yarn... vividly captures the atmosphere of an isolated, backwards little town. (NEW STATESMAN)

As always Joe Lansdale writes with a gentle reverence for the past and the present. I love his books and this is one of the very best. (MARK TIMLIN INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY)

Book Description:

A classic coming-of-age murder mystery with corrupt cops, segregation, ice cream and missing lesbians

About this edition

• Publisher: Pandi Press
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0986259411
• ISBN 13: 9780986259418
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 296
• Illustrator: Serra Daniele