The Laconic Lumberjack

A Nick Williams Mystery, Book 4

De: Frank W. Butterfield

Narrado por: Brian Rollins

Thursday, July 16, 1953

It's just another Thursday morning in July of 1953 when the doorbell rings at 137, Hartford Street, and it's bad news.

Carter's father has been murdered in Georgia, and the local sheriff has no intention of finding out who really did it.

So, Nick and Carter borrow the first plane that Marnie, Nick's amazing secretary, can find for them, and they zoom off back into the past to see if they can uncover the truth of what really happened before the wrong man is convicted. And, knowing the lay of the land under the moss-covered oaks, Carter is pretty sure that the color of a man's skin will figure heavily in who takes the fall.

In The Laconic Lumberjack, the best Nick can do is stand by Carter's side as he confronts an awful past, uncovers some surprising secrets, and deals with the unsavory reality of small-town hypocrisy.

In the end, Nick and Carter discover more about themselves than they ever expected to find.

©2016 Frank W. Butterfield (P)2021 Frank W. Butterfield

Very, very good!

In the Author's Notes, the author says that he '...tries to address some of the questions raised by reviewers of the other novels about how realistic Nick & Carter's lives really are. They aren't real, obviously, and realism is not my goal.', and that got me thinking. Because yeah, realistic? maybe no, but damn it! Don't we all wish that they were real? Nick is a gay man, living in the McCarthyist era, who isn't ashamed of whom he is, who is not afraid of calling Carter his husband, and who is willing to put his money to good use, helping to those who need it, being that an old Jewish lady or an abused gay kid. I wish there were more Nick Williams in the world /rant

In this book, Nick and Carter must go to Albany, Georgia. Carter's more than horrible father is dead, and murder is suspected. They (and we) are then subject to the less charming aspects of the Old South: blatant racism and homophobia spiced with a good sprinkle of police corruption. The good? The relationship between Carter and his mom is slowly mending. I particularly liked the moment in which Carter kindly chides her for a racist comment:

"Mama. You ever meet Mr. Thompson?"
She looked affronted. "Mister?"
"Yes, Mama. Mr. Thompson. You ever meet him?"
"No, can't say I have."
"Then all you know about him is what Daddy told you, right?"
She shifted in her seat. "I suppose so."
"And you ever know of any colored man that he ever liked?"
She thought for a moment and finally said, "No."

Change comes slowly, but it's coming.

The bad? Well, I'd say that Nick getting arrested under sodomy charges and having to face a very real possibility of having to spend 10 years in a penitentiary in Georgia totally qualifies like bad.

There are some light, funny moments, too, of course. A well-done mix of dark and light, which is almost a trademark in this series. The case is interesting, showcasing what was considered the law when the sheriff is corrupt, and the clan is directing from the shadows.

A great addition to the series, as always superbly narrated by Brian Rollins. I just love his accents and voices ♥

Come along for a crazy ride

I was given this audiobook as an an advanced listener.
Having already read the ebook did not detract from my enjoyment of this audio version.
I had forgotten about the humour that rang through this story even though you had to listen to how dangerous it was to be be gay particularly outside of a major city in the 1950s as well as to understand a woman's lot and being black during this period.
It was great to hear Nick and Carter's relationship continue to develop but also see the love and trust the evoke in others.
Yes, they found themselves in some ridiculous situations which might for some seem to be a bit far fetched but when you wrap this up with their good intentions you just have to go with it.
Going with it was easy when you have the Brian Rollins at the narrator who naturally capture the highs and lows of the story.
I hope the next narrated book in this series is not too far behind.