October 2018

I literally read NOVEMBER ROAD by Lou Berney in a day, as it was what I call a propulsive read. The events in Dallas in November 1963 easily could have happened the way Lou plots them out. After all, for decades there have been questions about what really happened to John F. Kennedy. The country was so mob-run in those days; their reach was everywhere. They could have ordered the murder of JFK as the ultimate hit.

In this story, Frank Guidry is a loyal lieutenant to a New Orleans crime boss. The problem: he knows too much and has put even more pieces and clues together --- ones that easily could finger the mob bosses. As a result, he is on the run. And as he tries to save his life, he comes across a woman named Charlotte, who is traveling with her two little girls trying to save what she can of her own life. They travel together, each running from something and for a few weeks running towards each other. Charlotte and the girls lend something soft and innocent to the story next to the toughness of the other thread.

This is a period story that calls up all the emotions of those days and the early ’60s. You can picture Frank and Charlotte driving down the highway together. Every page has you wondering what’s next, as it is original and smart.

I now want to go back and read everything Lou Berney has written. Joe Hartlaub, our Senior Writer and brilliant thriller reviewer, has been raving about Lou for years. Reading NOVEMBER ROAD, I have no doubts as to why.