East Texas is known for its outlaws even after growing so much economically the American governments over the years are yet to maintain complete law and order there. Justice remains in the hands of the people with guns. Darren Mathews knows exactly about the place as he was born there. Another thing attached to the name of Darren was the word “Black” because of which he never got the respect which he desired. As a young lad, he was mocked because of his skin tone and faced injustice and cruelty to the limits. Having no power in his hands to change anything in the land young Darren just ran away from the state as far as his legs could carry him.
In another state, he got the opportunity to rise to a better level and earned good repute for himself. His native town just comes in front of him again when Darren is appointed back in his home town. Going back to Lark was no fun because he knew what was coming to him in form of injustice and racial oppression. Just when Darren arrived and took charge as a law enforcer he confronted a case of two murders.
The man who was murdered was black and the lady belonged to the white community. The case was threatening because if the criminal was not caught in time a racial fight could start in the community holding Darren responsible in the end.
Attica Locke after Black Water Rising and Heaven, My Home writes another story of injustice and racial issues. Poor Darren gets caught in the web of lies out of which he once escaped as a teenage boy. J.D. Jackson narrates in a mixed tone, he is neither too serious nor does the narrator gets into a soothing mode, it’s all serious work.
