Review — THE BILOXI CONNECTION by David Mather (Chile)
I'm so glad to hear there will be another book in the Crescent Beach series! As I've previously stated, it…
The Biloxi Connection
by David Mather (Chile 1968–70)
Peace Corps Writers
June 2019
387 pages
$14.95 (paperback)
Review by D.W. Jefferson
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374 pages, 37 short chapters plus a Prologue and an Epilogue, The Biloxi Connection is another opportunity to enjoy David Mather’s unforgettable characters from Florida’s rural Big Bend region on the gulf coast, also known as the Redneck Riviera. This is another page-turner, leaving you wondering where the time went after spending a couple hours immersed in the story. And the chapters are short enough that you feel like you could read just one more! I strongly recommend that you read the whole three book series starting with Crescent Beach, followed by Raw Dawgin’and finally this volume. But this well-written novel also stands on its own very well.
Rusty, the now retired state trooper, plays a major role. In this book he goes after the hired assassin that killed his best friend. But there is a second major plot line involving Rebecca, the fourteen-year-old darling of Crescent Beach, who goes off to high school in nearby Perry. She meets Billy, the first love of her life, who introduces her to drugs, primarily opiates. She becomes an addict, sending her life on a dangerous, self-destructive course. Both of these plots are interwoven with the comings and goings of daily life in the small town with its full cast of interesting, believable characters.
Simply put, this is a fun read that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. The fact that a couple subplots are left unresolved, gives me hope that a fourth book is a possibility. By now the folks of Crescent Beach have become like old friends I look forward to hearing from again.
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D.W. Jefferson was a Peace Corps agriculture volunteer in El Salvador (1974-76) and Costa Rica (1976-77). A blog about his Peace Corps years is at dwjefferson.blogspot.com. He is currently retired from a career in computer software engineering.
Hi D.W.,
Thank you for your very nice review. I always get a big kick out of when a reader understands and appreciates my efforts. I would have written to thank you earlier, but my wife and I just returned from ‘camp’ in Maine where I had no computer access.
I might add two things. First, you are correct, I have begun a follow up to Biloxi–just couldn’t let Tammy and Rusty hanging. I think that I’m about 50,000 words into it. And secondly, I was relieved that you found no ‘Junior Thompson-Junior Johnson-like errors’ this go around. As I believe I wrote to you before, I was completely ‘red-faced’ with that goof and immediately had CreateSpace, Inc. correct it.
Thanks again, David
I’m so glad to hear there will be another book in the Crescent Beach series! As I’ve previously stated, it would make a great TV series (Are you paying attention Netflix?). I’m passing my copies of your books on to a Little Free Peace Corps Library we have at the local PC recruiter’s office, University of Wisconsin – Madison. Keep writing and I’ll keep reading them!
If you ever need an extra proof reader let me know. I’m a stickler for grammar, punctuation and any little inconsistencies, as you know.