GOOD OL' BOY

Edwards’ debut novel follows an unscrupulous lawman in Appalachia dabbling in assorted crimes.

Devon Highbrand is elected sheriff of a large county in an unnamed state—one with a small population and only nominal crime. He’s married with four children, and outwardly seems like a typical family man. But the “morally malleable” Devon has no qualms about cheating on his wife; he also has no difficulty skirting the law he’s supposed to uphold. For example, he has an arrangement with a local attorney who appraises estates as worth more than their true value and splits his inflated fee with him. Other vile “good ol’ boys” surround Devon, as well, including a county prosecutor who’s guilty of sexual assault and a deputy who’s troublingly fixated on a female criminal informant. Devon’s latest potential score is his wealthy Aunt Lois’ inheritance, which is supposed to go to his developmentally disabled niece, Mallory; however, as co-executor of Lois’ estate, Devon aims to get those millions for himself. His sinister plan may even involve killing his own family member. Edwards’ short novel has a huge cast of mostly thinly developed characters. Many are unsavory types, including Devon’s wife, who’s just as greedy as her spouse, and his mother, who despises girls so much that she had a hysterectomy “to prevent the accidental birth of a daughter.” Nevertheless, the story’s criminal endeavors have a realistic feel; the plot involving Mallory’s trust fund entails copious legal wrangling, and people in power, especially men, seemingly believe that they can get away with anything. The author adds welcome touches of humor, as well, as when Devon assures himself that a “pang of guilt” he feels is merely gas brought on by his fried scrapple breakfast. It’s also not as dark a tale as it may appear, as Mallory has more than one person on her side, and this fact steers the novel to a convincing, worthwhile denouement.

A diverting, believable plot makes up for this crime story’s static characters.