A review by maryleong
The Fields by Erin Young

3.0

A thriller set in the heartland of the United States, against a backdrop of Big Agriculture, corporate malfeasance and government corruption. When a young woman is found brutally murdered in a corn field, shady figures move in to protect their business and political interests. She is only the first of multiple to die – is there a serial killer on their hands, or is there something even more nefarious hiding in the shadows?

This novel touches on topical dialogues around GMO crops, with the local Big Bad a Monsanto stand-in with its consolidation of family farms and their seed strains. The premise ended up being fairly far-fetched, but it certainly made the point it was trying to. Overall, I enjoyed this novel for its portrayal of the struggles that smaller farms and cooperatives face, while not vilifying farmers who are simply choosing to survive.