THE LESSER PEOPLE by Lee Thompson

Lee Thompson seems to be an author who is constantly challenging himself, dabbling in a

variety of genres, and forcing himself to explore difficult themes with increasing ambition. He reminds me a little of Walter Mosley in that way. That alone makes him an exciting writer worthy of notice. He's written respected work in horror, dark supernatural, mystery, and inner-city crime drama. I wouldn't be surprised if he dabbled in some erotica next. With this novel, The Lesser People, he tackles a coming-of-age historical drama, and racism in rural Mississippi. It's about a dying old man who tells the story of the dark days when he was a child and discovered the body of a lynched and mutilated young black boy in the woods. This discovery not only haunts him but causes a chain reaction that threatens to destroy his innocence and break apart his town and his family. 

His eyes were filling with tears, and I knew he was going to tell me a story about the love that got away, for as strong as men try to appear, it's love like that and all the questions it brings, that hounds them until their final day.

Thompson's work walks that jagged line of being both staggeringly brutal and beautifully touching, as if he believes that those two facets are two sides of the same old coin; you can't have one without the other. That's what I like the most about his work and that characteristic is still on display here. And although this book has some of the best prose that I've read from Thompson so far, this one wasn't as all-out enjoyable as the other books I've read by him. It sports a great beginning and an emotional ending that really brought everything together in a great way, but much of the middle of the novel gradually lost much of the story's urgency and momentum. But that ending definitely made up for it. 

I can feel that there's a true masterpiece or six in Lee Thompson's mind that's just boiling, ready to jump out. And who knows, there's still some work of his that I haven't read so maybe they're just sitting there waiting for me. And if they haven't popped up yet, his work is still awesome enough that I'm having a great time witnessing his journey to get there. 

GRADE: B-

SHINE YOUR LIGHT ON ME by Lee Thompson

In full disclosure, throughout a couple of years I grew from being just a fan of Lee Thompson to being a friend. But I was a fan first and I can say that this is the best writing I've read so far from Lee, and that's saying something. There's a passion in this piece that comes out in every page, even more so than the other books I've read by him.

Here, he writes of one eventful night in a small town where a group of bar patrons witness an unexplained miracle and it leads to a night of violence and exposed secrets. Lee takes the idea of the breakdown of a small town through mob mentality and tells it in a way I haven't seen before. Instead of the mob being fueled by hate or fear per usual in these kinds of stories, it's spurred by awe and hope, which makes the events that happen in the book that much more twisted. And his dedication to digging deep into the souls of his characters always leads to a rewarding experience, which is especially the case here.

It's always exciting to jump into one of his books because he is so courageous as a writer. His refusal to flinch at depictions of violence and graphic themes as well as his desire to try something new with every book are risky endeavors, but it's inspiring and he always pulls it off. And he has that extremely rare talent of consistently coming up with great titles for his books! Give this one a go, it'll stick with you and it's a good place to start with his work.

GRADE: A-

WITH FURY IN HAND by Lee Thompson

GRADE: A-

Author Lee Thompson once again writes a simple tale that's dark but compelling, and perfect for the novella format. The cover with the hard looking dude sporting an assault rifle is a little misleading. It's not a shoot em up story but instead a melancholy tale about a group of different people surviving in the inner city. Each of them damaged and dispirited in some way, but each trying to make a change for what they feel is for the better. It's a sort of slice of life story as we follow these characters as they make these choices for themselves and watch in both horror and anticipation as these actions cause them to interconnect and collide on one fateful night. It's a sympathetic and compassionate look at flawed individuals that is still unflinching in the belief that sometimes you can't stop what's coming, no matter how much you try.

"You climb too high in that opinion of yourself and the fall going to kill you."

Thompson sets the novella in Flint, Michigan, considered one of the most dangerous and unfortunately neglected cities in the country. This choice doesn't seem arbitrary. If you are familiar with anything about the city, it will add an extra mood of sadness and gloom that supports the book's atmosphere. A tale of broken people in a broken city. And another solid story by Lee Thompson.

"I like you just the way you be now. You smell real good. You smile and it makes me want to kiss you. You open your mouth and say something and it's like I'm hearing the voice of God. It gives me hope, and that's something, since there is so little of that to go around these days."

IT'S ONLY DEATH by Lee Thompson

GRADE: B+

"They clubbed me and tossed me into the truck of a new pink Cadillac shortly after midnight. I knew the car and couldn't figure out at first why it had to be her car. But the last three days, since I blew back into Miami, had been building up to this. I'd had old enemies who were just waiting for my mother to die so they could kill me, and I had made new enemies while trying to forge a bond with my sister that I had irrevocably broken when I killed our father ten years ago."

I know that it's preferred that reviewers not quote from an Advanced Copy of a book but I couldn't resist showing potential readers how skilled a writer Lee Thompson can be! He includes more story in this book's first paragraph than most authors have in the first half of their work! Here, he not only sets up time and setting, but also introduces the important characters, their relationships , and provides key details in an intriguing way that serves as an awesome taste of things to come! And he does all of this with impressive economy!

Elmore James Jackson has been on the lam for a decade, after killing his father in a spur-of-the-moment bank robbery, shattering his family. He finally rolls back into his small Florida hometown after he's contacted by his younger sister and finds out that his mother is dying of cancer. Naturally, he has a plethora of enemies that would love to snuff him out as soon as possible. But he hopes that before that happens he can make peace with his Mom and reconnect with his estranged sister. 

It's Only Death is a gripping story, well-written in James's engrossing POV. It's a smooth read, and at times, I lost track of time as the story sucked me in and moved at a great pace. Thompson creates an interesting character in James, a man difficult to empathize with at first, but the author succeeds in making me engaged in his decisions and obstacles, and his desire to reconnect to the loved ones he hurt before it's too late. But probably even more interesting, when you learn more about James's relationship with his parents and what might have caused his violence, you realize that there's a strong possibility that James might be a sociopath. I wish Thompson delved into this a bit more, as I think that's the most fascinating part of the story. It's Only Death is a solid piece of crime writing and I can't wait to delve into more of Thompson's work.

*I received this Advanced Copy from publisher DarkFuse through NetGalley for an honest review*

WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL by Lee Thompson

GRADE: A-

A ex-boxer comes home from his dead end job to find that his wife is not alone in their bedroom. What happens after that is what you need to read the book to find out.

For such a little novelette, this book has a pretty high body count. And no one is safe: not children, little old ladies, or even small animals. The story is bloody and violent, but the book wears its heart on its sleeve and manages to somehow also be a heartbreaking, tragic, and deeply emotional tale of loss, regret, and whether or not vengeance actually solves anything. The writing really left me unnerved throughout, my eyes constantly bugging out as the story moved to darker places with every page and nervous to find out what happened next. The most recent Kindle edition also includes a great little short story called "Beneath The Weeping Willow," about a broken family seen through the eyes of an autistic young boy, that is just as powerful and packs a wallop of an ending.