JOHN B. PEOPLES
by Michael CowanMichael Cowan
Cowan’s literary novel tells the story of a very unlucky lottery winner.
John Peoples is a 41-year-old divorced man who works in sales for Western Telecom in Los Angeles. He lives in a one-room apartment in a converted garage—the nicest place he can afford, given his alimony and child support payments. When John splits the cost of a lottery ticket with his loathsome boss Ed White, it seems like nothing much will come of it. But the lottery ticket only costs a dollar, and the top prize is some $40 million. Why not take the risk for 50 cents? Ed keeps the physical ticket, and John writes down the winning numbers in his sales book. As luck would have it, the ticket is a winner, and naturally, John would like half of the winnings, as agreed. Of course, Ed is not an honorable person, so trying to extract the prize will be no easy task. Ed does everything he can to stay away from John, who tracks him down regardless. During the ensuing car chase, John crashes his vehicle, which sends him to the hospital with a spinal cord injury. While he’s recovering, he speaks with an attorney. It turns out that John may have a case—not only against Ed, but also against the California Department of Transportation (or “Caltrans”). After all, Caltrans gets sued “all the time for negligence and the injuries they may be responsible for.” But the case against Ed could come down to circumstantial evidence, and it’s unlikely to be a simple matter.
John digs deep to find the strength to right the wrong that’s been committed against him. His life may have been significantly altered by his accident, but his adventure doesn’t end in a hospital room; indeed, it’s not even limited to Los Angeles. The novel’s excitement stems not from its restlessness but from seeing what unpredictable moves John will make next. It may seem impossible that he could ever get justice from “a real douche” like Ed—but John proves to be a man of unrivaled determination. When John tells Ed directly, “I will follow you to the ends of the earth if I need to,” readers will wonder if this will really be the case. Such direct comments are surprisingly bracing and effectively help to move the story along, but readers will mainly come to appreciate John’s relatable openness as he shares his observations, his worries, and even his offhand complaints: “I truly did love Los Angeles, and I truly do. I just wish it were quieter and cleaner.” As bizarre as John’s story may be, he himself is a relatable figure whom many readers will be happy to follow, whatever might befall him. Meanwhile, Ed is a suitable villain, and someone who clearly has failed to learn “compassion and the golden rule.” Who will come out on top? Readers do find out the answer, but only after the affable protagonist leads them through a twisty tale.An offbeat and memorable tale of one man’s will to doggedly pursue a just quest.