{"id":5778,"date":"2016-06-17T08:06:00","date_gmt":"2016-06-17T12:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=5778"},"modified":"2016-06-17T08:10:09","modified_gmt":"2016-06-17T12:10:09","slug":"the-far-empty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=5778","title":{"rendered":"*****The Far Empty"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Chisos

photo: Robert Dees, creative commons license<\/p><\/div>\n

Written by J. Todd Scott \u2013 It\u2019s hard to believe this well-crafted crime thriller is a debut novel. The author\u2019s experience as a DEA agent lends authority to his prose, and his meticulous rendering of the Big Bend country south and east of El Paso, Texas, and its fictional town, Murfee, takes you to that dusty back-of-beyond. Outlaw country.<\/p>\n

The two key voices in this multiple point-of-view novel are those of 17-year-old Caleb Ross, son of Big Bend County\u2019s despotic sheriff, who\u2019s called \u201cthe Judge,\u201d and new deputy Chris Cherry, once a local high school football star. Caleb\u2019s mother disappeared 13 months before the novel begins, and he\u2019s convinced his father killed her, which colors their every interaction. Cherry lost any hope of a football career when he blew out a knee and still isn\u2019t sure where his new future lies.<\/p>\n

Caleb and Cherry are lost souls, floating under the brilliant West Texas stars, staying out of the deadly orbit of the sheriff, and trying to find out what kind of men they will be. Scott does not give them an easy path, and you\u2019ll hold your breath as they are repeatedly tested.<\/p>\n

These two narrators are joined by another deputy, Duane Dupree\u2014a living, violence-addicted, coked-up example of why it\u2019s best to steer clear of the Judge\u2019s snares. You also hear from the Judge himself. One way or another, he knows everyone\u2019s secrets.<\/p>\n

Not only are these male characters convincingly portrayed, but Scott does a good job with his women too. You get part of the story from the perspectives of Caleb\u2019s friend America, his teacher Anne, and Cherry\u2019s live-in girlfriend Melissa. Their problems are believable and compelling enough for the characters to take the actions they do.<\/p>\n

You have to root for Deputy Cherry, who has a bad habit of actually trying to investigate stuff. Early on, he responds to a call from a rancher who\u2019s found a dessicated corpse and, while the Judge\u2019s other deputies would gladly assume the deceased was \u201cjust another beaner\u201d who died in the desert, Cherry isn\u2019t sure. Because of the extent of the sheriff\u2019s corruption as well as his confidence in his absolute authority, he reacts to Cherry\u2019s probes like a horse responds to flies. They warrant a twitch, maybe, but no more.<\/p>\n

The chili really starts bubbling when a gunshot couple is found in a burning SUV, far from anything.<\/p>\n

Scott keeps his plot threads alive and moving at a clip. I never lost interest for a moment and even forgive a little deus ex <\/em>M\u00e1ximo at the end. (Not a typo. Trust me.) Readers who enjoyed The Cartel<\/a><\/em>, which appears on many lists of the best thrillers of last year, will appreciate this sharp view from the northern side of the border.<\/p>\n

A longer version of this review appeared recently here on CrimeFictionLover.com<\/a>.
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