Out of Tupelo

First off, let me say that this story could have ended in any direction. There were so many characters and small storylines within the main story. It could have been really messy with incomplete pieces that would make readers cringe and ask questions like “why?” or “who?” or “how was that information relevant to anything?” Instead, the author thought everything through so well that I felt completely satisfied after reading this book. ALL THE STARS, Mr. Gilleo! This book is a piece of work you should be proud of.

Edward Winston, the main character, starts off on shaky ground after finding his wife Holly is missing. Considered a pest by local law enforcement, Edward becomes easily likable once you realize that the police are not doing their jobs well, and Edward is actually smarter than them. Not in an “I’m better than you” way, but in a no-nonsense “if you’re not going to do your job, then I’ll do it for you” kind of way. When Edward uncovers unthinkable acts that have happened, the story takes a surprising turn and he uses a past connection to get what he needs to get done.

This book took me on a fantastic ride on the coattails of Edward as he investigates his wife’s disappearance and involves everyone he knows in helping him figure out the puzzle. From Pervis Wade, the town criminal to Mindy the hooker (yes, there was even a hooker in the book), the characters were well developed and easy to either love or hate. I didn’t think there was anything left for the character about three-quarters of the way through. It seemed as if Edward had everything figured out and had put everyone in their rightful place. Not so! I was pleasantly surprised when there was a big twist at the end–one that I hadn’t guessed at all, a twist that made me rethink the story and its characters all over again. Bad things happened to good people. Bad things happened to bad people. And good things happened to good people too. I recommend this book to suspense fans everywhere.