Rating: 4 out of 5.

I didn’t know going into this book that it was inspired by The Godfather, but now that I know it, I can totally see it. Roman is a successful financial consultant in Atlanta and is summoned to his small hometown of Jefferson Run after his father’s car accident. It’s a run-down, crime riddled town in central Virginia that’s run by gangs. He finds out that his younger brother Dante is in debt to dangerous criminals that he needs to clean up. His his sister, Neveah, is exhausted from holding the family—and the family crematorium business—together.

Roman, acting like a big-shot, thinks he can talk his way out of Dante’s trouble, but quickly realizes that the criminals don’t play by any rulebook that Roman is familiar with. Every time Roman thinks he’s ahead of the game, he’s slapped down and suffers one indignity after another. With the help of his deadly fixer, Roman finally realizes the high stakes situation he and his family is involved in, and devises a plan to save his brother and get out of the bind alive.

This book moves slowly and methodically through the story. It’s an unrelenting progression of violence, death, and depressing elements. There aren’t too many redeeming qualities of anyone in the book. The book is dark, with very little reprieve from the evil that encompasses the small town and the people that live in it. I felt almost claustrophobic with the mounting tension that continued to grow with each chapter.

This isn’t a “fun” book to read, but it’s very good. The dialogue and descriptions in the book were so well-written I could see the story play out in my mind’s eye. It takes a great talent to accomplish that kind of storytelling. I listened to this book and the narrator did a fantastic job, as always.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Flatiron Books and MacMillan Audio. All opinions are my own.