Kings of Coweetsee

The rollicking latest from Neal (Appalachian Book of the Dead) revolves around a cast of larger-than-life characters in Coweetsee County, N.C. The once-sleepy mountain region is quickly changing, thanks to the conviction of a nine-term sheriff for vote buying, the construction of a new interstate through the mountains, and wealthy outsiders buying up million-dollar views. When Birdie Barker Price, director of the local historical society, finds a stolen ballot box from the contentious 1982 election that brought the now-disgraced sheriff to power, she displays it in her museum, highlighting the history of the county’s corrupt politics. Her refusal to leave the past alone stirs up old secrets involving a woman’s mysterious death and a church bombing. Among the vibrant characters that make this novel so memorable are Junk Jackson, who targets tourists with his “Ask a Redneck” business, and Birdie’s great-aunt, who loves to sing old ballads full of violence against women (“If you sing it, means you survived it”). Despite the colorful portraits, Neal neither romanticizes the poverty of Appalachia nor shames his characters. Instead, he portrays them with dignity as they hang onto their beloved way of life. This wise story is worth a look. (July)