When Ghosts Come Home
Fiction
William Morrow
September 21, 2021
Advance reader copy
304
Free from publisher
When the roar of a low-flying plane awakens him in the middle of the night, Sheriff Winston Barnes knows something strange is happening at the nearby airfield on the coast of North Carolina. But nothing can prepare him for what he finds: a large airplane has crash-landed and is now sitting sideways on the runway, and there are no signs of a pilot or cargo. When the body of a local man is discovered—shot dead and lying on the grass near the crash site—Winston begins a murder investigation that will change the course of his life and the fate of the community that he has sworn to protect.
Everyone is a suspect, including the dead man. As rumors and accusations fly, long-simmering racial tensions explode overnight, and Winston, whose own tragic past has followed him like a ghost, must do his duty while facing the painful repercussions of old decisions. Winston also knows that his days as sheriff may be numbered. He’s up for re-election against a corrupt and well-connected challenger, and his deputies are choosing sides. As if these events weren’t troubling enough, he must finally confront his daughter Colleen, who has come home grieving a shattering loss she cannot fully articulate.
As the suspense builds and this compelling mystery unfolds, Wiley Cash delves deep into the hearts of these richly drawn, achingly sympathetic characters to reveal the nobility of an ordinary man struggling amidst terrifying, extraordinary circumstances.
Let me just start this review with the following.....if you have not yet read a novel by this author, what are you waiting for? Obviously, being from NC, I'm sure he came on my radar much sooner than on a national scale, but MAN, can this guy write a story!!! In the case of this particular book, I am not a fan of sheriff/detective type stories, but because of who it was written by, I eagerly read it anyway. I'm so glad that I did, and it goes to show you that some writers really can make even the phone book come alive (I kid, but I was amazed that I liked a mystery/detective story)! While the mystery of a downed plane and a murdered man are at the forefront, there is so much more to love about this story. There is a part about race, the book takes place in 1984 on a small island off the coast of NC, the majority of residents are white, and the murdered man is black. There is a part about the haves and have nots, with expensive sub divisions going up, and some less than savory corrupt good ol' boys, one of whom is running for sheriff. There are the secrets that follow several of the characters, and have an effect on their actions as the book plays out. Then there is the heartbreaking story of the main character's daughter, who has come home to grieve the loss of her infant son. All of these characters are so well written, and the setting and time so well developed, it transported me into the story. I came to care so much for these characters, and definitely shed a tear at the sad, but also hopeful ending.
I cannot say enough about this one! If this author has not come across your radar yet, please give his books a try. Regardless of the topic, you can't help but be enthralled with this writing and characters. I am eagerly awaiting his next book already!
While this author has definitely been on my radar, I've yet to actually read one of his books. Would you recommend this one or another as a good starting point?
They all have wonderful character development. This one has more of a mystery aspect I don't remember the others having. None of them are happy go lucky stories, but I still highly recommend them for the characters and writing.