Nothing More Dangerous

I have not read it yet.It arrived in very good condition. I look forward to reading it Love the authors books!

Eskens writes spectacularly well and the plot is well paced but that's not what this book is about. Introspection, humility, loyalty and ultimately grace define the book and if it doesn't change you, you may want to read it again. Some will compare it to To Kill a Mockingbird. It is is so much more than Mockingbird in every way. Set aside time to read it in a sitting or two. It's that good. Really hit me in the feels and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished reading.

I have read every book but the one before this because I know how it will end. I bought the books out of order. Anyway, I am not going to tell about the story. Here is what I am going to tell you, every book is a must read. They kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t want to put them down or I did not want to go to sleep because the stories are just great.

A little slow but I’m sure I’ll love it eventually

First, the book itself is excellent. I read it so quickly, gave it to my spouse, who loved it and handed it to my best friend.Like the protagonist and the author, I grew up in mid-Missouri. I delighted in recognizing some of the local flavor of the fictionalized Jessup, Mo, and recognized some of the bigoted behavior of the era, too.Hy husband called the book "To Kill a Mockingbird with the tables turned" and he is right.You will grow to care for and fear for the characters- and wonder what's next if you are able to put it down.Best book I've read this year!Now - condition-wise - I was disheartened to receive a copy with a huge tear in the cover. It had been well-packaged, which leads me to believe it was retrieved and sent in this condition.If I had not been looking forward to the book so much, I would've returned it and searched for it at the bookstore.Do better, Amazon!

The focus of the story isn’t the murder of Lida Poe, but her murder is used in the growth of the plot and character development. The story centers around Boady and his surroundings; like his peers in school who are blinded by racism and let those feelings drive their actions. The mystery of the murder is somewhat easy to figure out. But again, that is used as a backdrop to accelerate events.I really loved the setting of the novel and watching Boady purge the racial stigmas that he had grown up hearing and believing. The friendship he creates with Thomas, his neighbor, was my favorite part of the novel. While the book obviously centers on overcoming prejudices in the 1970’s, the target for the reader is identifying and conquering our own prejudices, even including predispositions, whatever those might be.I would rate this somewhere between 4-5 stars. It is not a solid 5 star book for me, but it is truly more than 4 stars.... I rounded up because of this. Some great highlights along the way. I included 3 samples.

Allen Eskens writes beautifully.... He takes subjects that our world struggles with and turns them into a message that we can win the fight. His character development is beyond skillful. The only negative thing I can warn you is get ready to lose sleep, because you won't want to stop reading.

Bigotry is a disturbing subject that Eskens deals with in this wonderfully written novel. The mysteries unravel slowly as families and friendships grow amid love, loss, and sacrifice. In the end, the real story is how hatred of self, others, and places can drive people in different ways.

I pre-ordered this book in April, 2019, when it arrived in November I had almost forgotten about ordering it. That would be the last unforgettable thing about this superb novel. Once again Allen Eskens has beguiled me with his unpretentious writing style and his creative storyline. Without ruining the plot I will try to give you just a taste of his genius.Boady Sanden lives in a small village called Jessup in Missouri by the Ozark Hills. He is a bit of a loner, often bullied and picked on by school boy, Jarvis Halcomb and his henchmen. His only salvation as a fatherless son, is to seek the counsel of his neighbour, Hoke Gardner who has taken Boady under his wing. It is soon discovered that a girl named Lida Poe has disappeared and with her, a lot of money from the plant where she works. The plant is the only game in town and most of the townspeople work there and rely on it to sustain the viability of the entire village. Lida is a woman of colour in this very white and often racist town. The manager of the plant is demoted, Jarvis Halcomb's father, and another manager is sent from Minneapolis to take over and find the missing money. His name is Charles Elgin and he and his wife and teenage son Thomas move into the huge Victorian mansion across the street from Boady. They are also black.I think that is enough background to inspire you to read how Eskens blends all these people into a masterful read of murder, racism, teenage angst and love and hatred. I have read all of his books to date and once again I am waiting for his next work to be published with baited breath.

ミズーリの小さな町に住むBoady。幼い頃、父親を事故で亡くし母親と二人暮らし。転校した新しい学校に馴染めず、都会へ出ていく事だけを夢見ている。ある日、近所に都会から裕福な黒人の一家が引っ越してくる。そこで同じ年のThomasと出会い意気投合。この出会いがBoadyの今までの常識や考えを考え直すきっかけとなる。黒人女性が町から失踪するというミステリーも物語に絡み、人種問題も大きな要素とはなっているが、登場人物は皆シンプルで分かりやすく、Boadyの視線から書かれたひと夏の青春小説といった感じ。

This was our book club book of the month. Really good read!

Allen Eskins your novels are always the best. Cant wait for the next.

Amazing.Favorite book from this author so far.