Review: Funny, fast moving, great characters!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 22, 2013
From the start, this book held my attention. In fact, I was up half the night reading, not wanting to go to sleep without finishing it. The main character is Bubba Snoddy, a car mechanic. We find him struggling to man the 24 hour gas station-convenience store where he works, on a night when everyone has called in sick or quit. Bubba once had a brighter future; he was in the Army. But that was before he came home early to find his beloved fianceé in their bed with his commanding officer, and Bubba was discharged for almost killing the man. Three years later, he lives back at home with his feisty, shotgun-wielding mother and his faithful dog in their crumbling southern mansion. Returning home from his horrendous night at the gas station, he finds the woman he once loved lying face down, a bullet to her back, ten feet from his house. The sheriff quickly takes Bubba in for what he sees as an act of revenge.I loved the small town Texas setting, the almost caricature characters that were lively and very engaging, and I definitely loved the handsome, under-motivated but unexpectedly resourceful and noble Bubba. If you are a reader who enjoys the well-crafted mystery with the light touch and the comic relief, this novel is for you. You will find no angst, gore, child abuse, dark brooding characterization; you will find plenty of mystery, characters you'll love, lots of laughs, and a picture of small town life that will have you hankering to take a trip to Pegramville.I definitely recommend this book, and I will absolutely read it again in the future.