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When the small New England town of Brewster, Rhode Island is rocked by a series of strange and increasingly gruesome incidents - a baby stolen from the hospital, an insurance investigator scalped, the sudden appearance of a pack of coyotes, and a series of cult-initiated rapes of young women - Detective Woody Potter is not only tasked with investigating these crimes, but also with keeping the peace in an increasingly frantic and hysterical town. Add in a young boy with possible psychic powers, a stepfather with a penchant for violence, and a colorful group of townspeople, and THE BURN PALACE initially promises to be a gripping tale that combines the best of the horror genre, the police procedural, and a winking exploration of small-town America.
Of course, this territory is familiar and is reminiscent of Stephen King's work (who, thanks to a prominent blurb on this book, is on the reader's mind already) and as for a portrait of a small New England town in distress, this certainly delivers. The piercing narration is among the most perceptive and hilarious one is likely to find in any genre this year; and the depiction of the townspeople would be wildly entertaining, if the town were not going mad over the criminal, and possibly supernatural, happenings in Brewster.
Where THE BURN PALACE underwhelms is in regard to the genre elements, which frankly are just not very interesting. While the reader may not know where exactly on the horror-mystery-literary fiction spectrum that the plot is going, the narrative still seems to be somewhat predictable and stuck in place. For all of Woody's investigating, there is only one main suspect of note and the supernatural elements seem to go nowhere, leaving many loose threads still hanging by the end of the novel. At certain points, particularly in the second half of the book, it feels as if the plot and characters are operating in a circle; and while the characters are a treat to be around, the repetitiveness does bog down the narrative.
These failings, however, do not sink the book entirely. Woody Potter is a sympathetic and likeable character to lead the way, and his fellow townspeople are worthy companions on their own accord. In particular, Jill Franklin, a single mother and journalist who first attracts Woody's ire and then his romantic attention, provides a refreshing breath of humanity in proceedings that are otherwise filled with characters of both dubious character and motives. The observations and droll wit of the narrator alone makes this a worthwhile, if somewhat long, read. While fans of perceptive small-town literary fiction will likely be more satisfied than those looking for a fulfilling foray into genre territory, THE BURN PALACE is a worthy effort and a satisfying read for those willing to give it a try.
§ Ben Neal is a librarian who likes to fancy himself an amateur writer, humorist, detective, and coffee connoisseur in his spare time. He can be reached at beneneal@indiana.edu.
Reviewed by Ben Neal, May 2014
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