tanyarobinson 's review for:

The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale
4.0

This mystery set in Depression-era West Texas has an eery tone, and really pulled me in. I liked that it was narrated by a 12 year-old boy who tries to make sense of the contradictions around him in his racially divided town. I also liked the early stabs at forensic analysis that some of the characters attempted. The climax got very gruesome -- almost stomach-turning, but thankfully ended well.