Book Review: Hollow Out the Dark by James Wade

Hollow Out the Dark by James Wade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gritty, genuine, historical crime fiction set in Depression-Era East Texas.

War hero Jess Cole is trying to make ends meet the best he can, including taking on his deceased brother’s widow and daughter and looking out for his best friend who’s gotten crosswise with the local bad guys, the Fenley brothers. Texas Ranger Amon Atkins has brought his small family to the small town of Enoch, Texas, as he investigates a murder tied to the Fenleys. It’s the midst of the Depression and Prohibition is on the outs. Still, times are getting dangerously difficult for everyone. And, when the last avenue of legitimate work, the local mill, closes, the local whiskey, gambling, and enforcement activities may offer the only source of salvation to good men needing to feed their families.

Hollow Out the Dark by James Wade is a complex and compelling crime fiction novel set during the Depression, near the end of Prohibition, in sparsely populated deep East Texas. With its genuine characters, desperate storylines, and atmospheric setting, readers will feel transported almost 100 years into the past.

I was immediately absorbed by this story and one of the first aspects that made this happen for me was that every character read like they were a real person, many of whom felt familiar and personally known. Their words, the cadence of the language, the small bits of humor, and the fears all combined to create a feeling that these were genuine people. For the most part these are sturdy people, toughened by life and circumstance. The men are hard, products of short childhoods and early responsibility. You had to be tough to last into adulthood and tougher still to stick around long enough to get old. Or someone really had to be looking out for you.

The author gives us some truly evil characters, and the good guys are forced to choose between compromising their integrity and ideals or risking everything or everyone they love: impossible situations with impossible choices. But how far will good men go to protect those they love or do what needs doing? And at what cost?

The action takes place in an atmospheric rural setting and small town in East Texas, small because most of the population is spread out over the surrounding farmed as well as unfarmable land. While everyone knows everyone else and their business, neighbors aren’t right next door, making it the perfect location for bootlegging and other activities that don’t suffer an audience well. The Depression comes alive in this story and just when you think the hard times can’t get any harder, they do. The plot twists were sudden and often shocking.

I recommend HOLLOW OUT THE DARK for readers of historical crime fiction, especially those who would enjoy an East Texas or Depression Era setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

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