A review by jess_mango
The Down River People by Adam Smith

3.0

In the South, Myers runs the speakeasy that he inherited after his father died. He has trouble with cops for transporting booze in a dry county and is running out of options to keep the speakeasy open. He needs funds and assistance. He comes in contact with his estranged mother, who abandoned the family when Myers was little. His mother remarried the leader of a strange church and it turns out Myers has a half sister. Myers visits the church and sees that they have some bizarre occult rituals. Will this help him keep the speakeasy? Should he get involved?

This was a twisted little take that definitely had a downtrodden Southern feel. Myers really has no hope and is looking for anyway to find help. The last 1/3 of the book was a bit fuzzy to me and it wasn't entirely clear to me what was going on, but perhaps that was intentional.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!