Cemetery Road

 Shirley J.        Adult Fiction                                      Small town politics in Bienville, Mississippi    

Cemetery Road: A Novel by Greg Iles    656 pages

When Washington, D.C. journalist, Marshall McEwen gets word his Dad is in the last months of life wih Stage 4 Cancer, he struggles with the idea of returning home to Bienville, Mississippi.  When he left he swore he would never return and his relationship with his Dad hasn't been what anyone would call close in any definition.   He doesn't want to go back but guilt prompts him to bite the bullet and do so.  Turns out not much has changed, same players, just older and now the sons are in control instead of their Dads.  His Dad runs the local paper which has been in their family for 150 years and with the economy and the internet it is failing.  With his Dad's illness Marshall thinks maybe it is time to let it die its final death but the history and his own inclination to keep journalism alive it was what inspired him to move to D.C. and become so successful after all.   Then there is the exotic Jet.  The love of his life, who he has never gotten over but who happens to have married the Coach and resident richest guy in towns' son.   Once they see each other, married or not old habits come easy.   The Poker Club, the "club" of all the movers and shakers in the local area are working deals with a benefactor in China who is filtering lucre into the local rich guys pockets but which will destroy what jobs there will be available to the local blue collar workers.   In comes Marshall to this hornets nest and a journalist just can't leave a potential story alone, it is in their blood.  Good story to all lovers of mystery, suspense and plain good story telling.  Not to mention the hot rekindle of forbidden romance.   I recommend this story to adults.  It has lots going for it, but, I feel it speaks more to adults than even mature teenagers.