Now the song of the Tie-Snake, the creature which lives in the dark waters of the swamp, calls Austin Bullock to his mission, while someone from outside the Nation has sinister plans for the people who live there. Murder, tribal myth and legend, and the contemporary realities of greed and violence force Austin Bullock to make choices he has struggled to avoid. Duff slow-roasts a tangy tale of murder, gang warfare, crack cocaine, and barbecue. And when it comes to describing the flavor of barbecue as well as the sights and sounds of a festival, Duff gives Calvin Trillin a run for his money. Duff ' s also got the local dialect and dialogue down cold.
Duff leaves few stones unturned in dissing Bluff City society.
The novel is like sampling the city ' s many versions of ribs and barbecue platters. Duff is more amusing than Elmore Leonard, with a similar eye for ironic detail and ear for pitch-perfect dialogue. Perfect for a hot afternoon on the beach, with a tall, cold drink by your side. Memphis Ribs treats barbecue, the Delta blues, and the culture that created them with a certain irreverent awe that has defined much of what, in real life, still attracts tourists by the throngs. Southern aristocracy, minority gangs, white trash and the struggling middle class mix with outsider Yankee carpetbaggers in this classic tale of deception, betrayal, drugs, murder and the cause of forever holding up the family name.