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sunsoar25's review
4.0
I found this novel in an old box of books at a barn sale; the book looked like it hadn't been opened in nearly 50 years. I read the dust cover flap description and I was hooked. When I began reading it, I couldn't put it down. The description was right in that it definitely read like a Hitchcock thriller, especially the last hundred or so pages, and it really kept me on the edge of my seat. By today's standards, it's decidedly un-PC, really shocking and mind-blowing at times. I'm sure the novel's subject matter would've been quite controversial for it's time as well, but very well written by Arthur Gordon.
A variety of townspeople from the mob, a Northern magazine reporter, from a girl from the local paper who finds herself at the center of events are featured in this psychological study along with the man attempting to avenge his wife's murder. When the novel was coming right down to the wire I knew it couldn't end well, but the ending (the entire story, really) jarred me. However, I think the author could have easily taken the novel a little further and showed more of the aftermath of the events for characters and the town; leaving off where he does makes the story that much more chilling. Even more frightening: this novel is based on the real-life 1946 Monroe Massacre in Walton County, Georgia.
On a side note, I think this would be really interesting to make into a film today as a faithful adaptation of the novel and real-life event. In my personal opinion, Toby Jones would be an excellent choice to portray Joe Melady; I imagined him as I read. Also, I know that in 1956 it was adapted for the big screen as Reprisal!, but it was drastically changed with basically only the bare bones of the story there if it were retold as a 1800s Western with Native Americans. I guess the filmmakers decided to play it safe...which now that I think about it really connects to themes in Gordon's novel, which definitely adds to that chilling factor.
A variety of townspeople from the mob, a Northern magazine reporter, from a girl from the local paper who finds herself at the center of events are featured in this psychological study along with the man attempting to avenge his wife's murder. When the novel was coming right down to the wire I knew it couldn't end well, but the ending (the entire story, really) jarred me. However, I think the author could have easily taken the novel a little further and showed more of the aftermath of the events for characters and the town; leaving off where he does makes the story that much more chilling. Even more frightening: this novel is based on the real-life 1946 Monroe Massacre in Walton County, Georgia.
On a side note, I think this would be really interesting to make into a film today as a faithful adaptation of the novel and real-life event. In my personal opinion, Toby Jones would be an excellent choice to portray Joe Melady; I imagined him as I read. Also, I know that in 1956 it was adapted for the big screen as Reprisal!, but it was drastically changed with basically only the bare bones of the story there if it were retold as a 1800s Western with Native Americans. I guess the filmmakers decided to play it safe...which now that I think about it really connects to themes in Gordon's novel, which definitely adds to that chilling factor.
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