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Available
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Publication
Bell Bridge Books (2010), Paperback, 298 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. HTML: The Blues were born out of need, anger and pride. Murder comes from those same dark places. Memphis has both. One of Memphis' most seductive and notorious socialites has vanished. Either she's off on another drunken escapade or the disappearance is something much more frightening. What begins as an ordinary day's work for Detective Billy Able quickly grows into a complex spider's web of tragedy, mystery, suspicion, and sordid secrets including a few of Billy's own. With the help of Mercy Snow, the estranged sister of the missing socialite, Billy follows a twisted trail of human frailty and corruption to disturbing truths that undermine everything he thought he knew about himself and the people he loves..
User reviews
LibraryThing member tymfos
Welcome to the dark side of Memphis, home of the blues. Some of our players: a young cop, flawed but mostly honest; an Atlanta bakery owner who's come home to Memphis for a visit to her very dysfunctional family; a veteran cop gone over the edge; an alcoholic socialite who is just plain gone. Then
I find Turner's prose pretty straightforward (with an occasional gem of a phrase that makes me smile) and her plot anything but. (I mean that in a good way.) She dishes out pieces of the puzzle in such a way that just when I think I'm getting the picture (or that perhaps she's revealed too much too soon), she throws in something that doesn't seem to fit and I'm back to guessing what's really going on. Then, not too far from the end, she adds one more dreadfully ugly piece that doesn't exactly come out of nowhere, but requires a serious re-visioning of the "big picture."
I enjoyed this novel. I won't say I found it impossible to put down, but I did find it very hard to stay away from it for long, even in a very busy week.
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there's a powerful man who craves more power -- and to dominate everyone and everything in his path. Throw in alternating doses of power plays, corruption, greed, and decadence, and you have the ingredients for a fine new Southern Gothic novel.I find Turner's prose pretty straightforward (with an occasional gem of a phrase that makes me smile) and her plot anything but. (I mean that in a good way.) She dishes out pieces of the puzzle in such a way that just when I think I'm getting the picture (or that perhaps she's revealed too much too soon), she throws in something that doesn't seem to fit and I'm back to guessing what's really going on. Then, not too far from the end, she adds one more dreadfully ugly piece that doesn't exactly come out of nowhere, but requires a serious re-visioning of the "big picture."
I enjoyed this novel. I won't say I found it impossible to put down, but I did find it very hard to stay away from it for long, even in a very busy week.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: The elderly black man lay crumpled and dead in the marigolds bordering his clapboard house.
Well-known Memphis socialite Sophia Dupree is missing. At first thought to be on just another one of her drunken binges, the longer she's gone the more people wonder if she's learned a new trick--
As Billy steps up his investigation, he finds himself underneath a huge overturned can of worms. Each worm seems to be a long-buried secret, a deadly plan set in action, corrupt motivations, thoughts and deeds. Billy soon wonders if he's ever really known the truth-- and will he learn all the truth before it's too late?
Starting with the dead man in the marigolds, A Little Death in Dixie grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go. The life story of the dead man's wife, Mrs. Lady Tuggle, broke my heart and planted the seed in my mind that I was reading a very special debut novel.
The book has strong elements of Southern Gothic that are very well done. (The epitome of Southern Gothic, for me, has always been William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily.") For the most part, the bad guys aren't hidden, and the reader's job is not to guess their identities, but to piece everything together to get a complete picture of the bad guys' agendas. Let me tell you, those agendas are enough to curl your hair... or straighten it as the case may be.
I was completely hooked by Billy and Mercy, and I wouldn't mind reading about them again. Lisa Turner is an author to watch.
Well-known Memphis socialite Sophia Dupree is missing. At first thought to be on just another one of her drunken binges, the longer she's gone the more people wonder if she's learned a new trick--
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or if something serious has happened to her. Detective Billy Able is on the case, and with the help of Lou Nevers, the partner he's always hero worshipped, Billy believes they'll get the answers they need. But Lou goes off the rails, and Billy finds himself with the most unlikely of partners: Mercy Snow, the estranged sister of the missing Sophia.As Billy steps up his investigation, he finds himself underneath a huge overturned can of worms. Each worm seems to be a long-buried secret, a deadly plan set in action, corrupt motivations, thoughts and deeds. Billy soon wonders if he's ever really known the truth-- and will he learn all the truth before it's too late?
Starting with the dead man in the marigolds, A Little Death in Dixie grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go. The life story of the dead man's wife, Mrs. Lady Tuggle, broke my heart and planted the seed in my mind that I was reading a very special debut novel.
The book has strong elements of Southern Gothic that are very well done. (The epitome of Southern Gothic, for me, has always been William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily.") For the most part, the bad guys aren't hidden, and the reader's job is not to guess their identities, but to piece everything together to get a complete picture of the bad guys' agendas. Let me tell you, those agendas are enough to curl your hair... or straighten it as the case may be.
I was completely hooked by Billy and Mercy, and I wouldn't mind reading about them again. Lisa Turner is an author to watch.
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LibraryThing member mschweer432
This book was not what I expected. It was much better! I found myself wondering what was going to happen while I was forced to go to work. Chapter two was hard for me and without spoiling anything, I was worried it was an indication of how the rest of the book would be. This book was quite a bit
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heaver than I thought it would be based on the book's description. It was sort of CSI-ish without jamming police procedure down my throat. I actually found myself enjoying it which says alot because I usually have a hard time with police suspense. I loved the fact that the characters were flawed. And not just the bad guys. Even the good guys aren't perfect. I find it hard to enjoy reading books where the characters are too perfect. If I had to pick out a negative for this book, it would be that the bad guys are truely dispicable and disgusting and this is revealed pretty early on in the book. So you're reading about these horrible things throughout the whole book. However, it's not too big of a negative because it only makes you root for the good guys even more! I thought the ending was very plausible and it unraveled in a fashion that didn't leave me disapointed. I was a fan of this book and I plan to pass it on to friends who enjoy this genre. I also plan on adding Lisa Turner to my list of author's whose books I pick up when they are released! Show Less
LibraryThing member bjmitch
I won this book from LibraryThing and I'm so glad I did. This is a fast-paced read, yet with the atmosphere of summer in Memphis. The characters involved are shallow at first but as the story goes on, you find underlying currents to their lives that fascinate. Detective Billy Able is the main
Every detail is foreshadowed so it rings true and seemingly stereotypical characters are shown not to be such cutouts after all. The story lines merge and separate and merge again, and all are wrapped up by the end. Nothing is left hanging. I greatly enjoyed this book and will certainly put Lisa Turner at the top of my to-look-for list.
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character and he suffers his own heartaches in the book, learning that someone he loved wasn't who he thought she was, learning his partner had a secret life, and falling in love but not knowing if it would work out. Every detail is foreshadowed so it rings true and seemingly stereotypical characters are shown not to be such cutouts after all. The story lines merge and separate and merge again, and all are wrapped up by the end. Nothing is left hanging. I greatly enjoyed this book and will certainly put Lisa Turner at the top of my to-look-for list.
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LibraryThing member lchav52
Detective Billy Able of the Memphis P. D. is having a bad day. First he is called to a homicide, where his partner and mentor, Lou Nevers, a legend in the department, must talk down a woman who, having just killed her husband with a skillet, now threatens herself and the police with a pistol.
In this debut novel Ms. Turner has written a well-plotted story, full of characters the reader will like or hate, but is not likely to regard with indifference. Her knowledge of the ways of Southern culture, and the hidden vices and scandals that color it so often, help make the characters live, without getting too close to caricature. The reader has a fair chance to solve the central mystery, and the conclusion is satisfying enough. The one small cavil I had with the book is the way the missing socialite’s fate is handled. It did seem a bit of a let down. That aside, though, A LITTLE DEATH IN DIXIE indicates a new talent in the field, and I hope to see more from Ms. Turner.
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Before this scene can be cleared, Able and Nevers are called off to investigate a missing person case. Sophia Dupree, a socialite notorious for her drunken exploits, has disappeared, and Judge Lamar “Buck” Overton, a powerful circuit court judge and Sophia’s future stepfather, insists that Lou Nevers take charge of the case. Given Sophia’s history of substance abuse and wild escapades, the expectations are that this disappearance is the latest episode. When Nevers loses all control at the scene, however, and disappears himself, Able suspects this is no routine case. When Billy next sees his partner, Nevers is dead in his pickup, half-submerged in a rain-swollen river. Homicide, suicide, or the ‘natural causes’ death written up by the medical examiner, himself a long-time friend of Nevers? Billy Able doesn’t know, but is determined to find out, bringing the reader along he tries to navigate a maze of lies, scandals, and tragedy to reach a horrifying truth.In this debut novel Ms. Turner has written a well-plotted story, full of characters the reader will like or hate, but is not likely to regard with indifference. Her knowledge of the ways of Southern culture, and the hidden vices and scandals that color it so often, help make the characters live, without getting too close to caricature. The reader has a fair chance to solve the central mystery, and the conclusion is satisfying enough. The one small cavil I had with the book is the way the missing socialite’s fate is handled. It did seem a bit of a let down. That aside, though, A LITTLE DEATH IN DIXIE indicates a new talent in the field, and I hope to see more from Ms. Turner.
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LibraryThing member cal8769
On a hot Memphis day, Detective Billy Able is assigned to find a missing socialite, Sophia Dupree. The problem is that he is familiar with the missing woman and her drunken habits and his super cop partner, Lou Nevers, is having 'issues' making him unstable. Throw in a domineering judge and
I enjoyed reading this book. Turner has a way of involving you in the story. You can feel the heat of a Memphis summer and see the pain on the characters faces. I thought that the plot, while intriguing, didn't seem to flow. I felt as though I was following a story and then another story was focused on. In the end the plot made sense but at the time I didn't like it. I think Turner will be an exciting author as she evolves and I am eager to read her future books.
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mistreated woman and you have the makings of a really good suspense thriller!I enjoyed reading this book. Turner has a way of involving you in the story. You can feel the heat of a Memphis summer and see the pain on the characters faces. I thought that the plot, while intriguing, didn't seem to flow. I felt as though I was following a story and then another story was focused on. In the end the plot made sense but at the time I didn't like it. I think Turner will be an exciting author as she evolves and I am eager to read her future books.
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LibraryThing member Richard3432
Ms. Tuner started her writing career with a bang. A Little Death In Dixie is going to go down a classic mystery for years to come. Detective Billy Able is on the same level as Alex Cross by James Patterson. I cant wait Ms. Tuner to come out with the next book.
LibraryThing member Bumpersmom
A Little Death in Dixie is supposed to be a murder mystery, but the real story for me, didn't begin until the last 50 pages or so. The lead up to to that took the first 250 pages. I had a very hard time reading this book because there was page after page of useless information that just didn't seem
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to engage my love of mystery. As a police procedural, the details seemed to drag on and on, and getting to the meat of the story took forever. The concept of the story, the characters, and the setting are perfect for a really good thriller that just wasn't delivered. Show Less
LibraryThing member GTTexas
Surprisingly good! The best new mystery I've read so far this year.
LibraryThing member glitrbug
I have been watching that new show "Memphis" so this book called out to me. It's a Southern Gothic novel and reminds me of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." Lots of hot summer nights, drinking, memories of old lovers and of course The Blues. The plot twists around and around till you think
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you know what's going on, and then the end comes out of nowhere. Usually I prefer a mystery where you are given enough clues to figure it out along with the police, but part of the story is the shock of the whole thing. Great book. Show Less
LibraryThing member amf0001
I'm surprised at how kind the reviews at Amazon were. I found this to be a quite average book - certainly not written with the strength or wit of something like, Lush Life which brought New York so vividly to life, or the charm of something like Cross Road's Cafe. Instead it passed the time
Mercy is coming home to see her sister Sophia and mother Gloria, but her sister isn't there. Instead she's gone missing. But Mercy is an alcoholic who has gone missing before, so Gloria's worries initially seem a bit misplaced. However it turns out that this time something has happened. Billy is looking for Sophia at the same time his long respected partner Lou (also couldn't place his age, none of the timelines really worked for me in this book) is having a meltdown. Shocking things happen. I didn't really engage with this book, it wasn't well written, it didn't have that great southern gothic atmosphere that some books can create and the characters, (with the notable exception of Lou) were fairly pastiche. And Lou, well, we needed to think about him, but I'm not sure how much I believed his story or found him to be a coherent character. I guess we spent so much time looking at him through Billy's eyes, and it turned out that Billy had a lot to learn about Lou...
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adequately enough but none of these characters will linger in my head, and I won't reread this. I also found it really hard to place how old these characters were, I thought Sophia was in her 30's but then it said somewhere that she and T Wayne had been married for 25 years. That really surprised me. If I can't figure out the basics of how old all the characters are, then it is not a well written book. Mercy is coming home to see her sister Sophia and mother Gloria, but her sister isn't there. Instead she's gone missing. But Mercy is an alcoholic who has gone missing before, so Gloria's worries initially seem a bit misplaced. However it turns out that this time something has happened. Billy is looking for Sophia at the same time his long respected partner Lou (also couldn't place his age, none of the timelines really worked for me in this book) is having a meltdown. Shocking things happen. I didn't really engage with this book, it wasn't well written, it didn't have that great southern gothic atmosphere that some books can create and the characters, (with the notable exception of Lou) were fairly pastiche. And Lou, well, we needed to think about him, but I'm not sure how much I believed his story or found him to be a coherent character. I guess we spent so much time looking at him through Billy's eyes, and it turned out that Billy had a lot to learn about Lou...
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LibraryThing member bitsy08
This book was good enough that I'll be looking for more Lisa Turner. The premise was original and the surprises just kept coming. Even though you realize early on who the "bad guy" is, you just don't realize how bad. Of course you knew that the cop and the "flawed" lady would fall in love, but the
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surrounding story was thoroughly enjoyable. You think some of the characters are just going through a rough patch and are basically good, but you find out differently which is another surprise. Another novel I really enjoyed and was sorry to see end. Show Less
LibraryThing member DrApple
I kept seeing A Little Death in Dixie. It was recommended to me by Amazon, based on my previous reading habits; it was featured in my book club brochure; it was reviewed in several magazines. Somehow, the book just didn't appeal to me, but then, I read it! This is a wonderful mystery with appealing
Mercy Snow has returned to Memphis at her sister's request. Mercy left years ago and has made it on her own, beginning a bakery in Atlanta. Her mother and her sister have always treated her as the ugly duckling. Mercy has built up her self esteem, but is till battling bitterness.
Billy Able, a young homicide detective, has recently ended a long-term relationship and is worried sick about his partner whose recent divorce seems to have driven him over the edge. Lou's behavior goes from erratic to dangerous, leaving Billy angry, puzzled, and hurt.
Billy and Mercy come together after the disappearance of Sophia, the beautiful sister. Bodies begin to pile up and mysteries interweave. This mystery keeps you guessing until the final chapter.
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and despicable characters, interwoven mysteries, and a bit of humor at just the right places.Mercy Snow has returned to Memphis at her sister's request. Mercy left years ago and has made it on her own, beginning a bakery in Atlanta. Her mother and her sister have always treated her as the ugly duckling. Mercy has built up her self esteem, but is till battling bitterness.
Billy Able, a young homicide detective, has recently ended a long-term relationship and is worried sick about his partner whose recent divorce seems to have driven him over the edge. Lou's behavior goes from erratic to dangerous, leaving Billy angry, puzzled, and hurt.
Billy and Mercy come together after the disappearance of Sophia, the beautiful sister. Bodies begin to pile up and mysteries interweave. This mystery keeps you guessing until the final chapter.
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LibraryThing member creighley
Although early on, one knows the true identity of the "bad" guy, it keeps one in suspense as to the how/why of the murder/missing person AND will the truth ever come out. It would seem that every mystery has to have the lead detective fall for a major-player female/male victim or relative of a
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victim. Have authors ever considered NOT having that happen???? haven't read too many that don't.... Too many Barbies and Kens in this genre, but I still read it! LOL! Show Less
LibraryThing member quincidence
A crime scene, some pecan pie, a horse show, a southern wedding, a damsel in distress, and a few love affairs.
This book has some great ideology, some romance, a little diviance, and some social control.
Southern life and its norms are laid out before you, while a crime scene unfurls.
This book has some great ideology, some romance, a little diviance, and some social control.
Southern life and its norms are laid out before you, while a crime scene unfurls.
LibraryThing member Zumbanista
A Satisfying Detective Novel (E-Book)
Although I was lucky enough to buy this page-turner for only $.99 I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it at its current Amazon posted price of $9.39. I couldn't put it down once I picked it up.
It delivers much more than you'd think for a debut novel, and what the
Would make a good movie too. Well-recommended.
Although I was lucky enough to buy this page-turner for only $.99 I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it at its current Amazon posted price of $9.39. I couldn't put it down once I picked it up.
It delivers much more than you'd think for a debut novel, and what the
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title leads you to believe. The plot is rich with twists and turns, the characters are flawed and villains truly evil. Ms. Turner does a great job defining the southern setting and society and drawing realistic dialogue and police procedure. You won't be disappointed if you like mystery, political corruption, believable characters and a touch of romance. Would make a good movie too. Well-recommended.
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LibraryThing member SharronA
Southern Gothic murder mystery, full of suspense and surprises. A great read! The good guys aren't entirely good, and the bad guys... well, they aren't very good at all. But for much of the book, it may be hard to tell which is which. The final denouement plays fair with all the clues given, and is
Lisa Turner is a fantastic addition to today's writing scene! I can't wait for sequels!
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true to the personalities, weaknesses, and strengths of the characters. And the characters -- wow! Interesting, distinctive, richly-layered with complex pasts and warped or sheltered views of the present. The setting is so vividly portrayed it made me wish for a Memphis breeze to cool things down.Lisa Turner is a fantastic addition to today's writing scene! I can't wait for sequels!
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LibraryThing member BevAsh
This was a very good bok. It held my interest from beginning to end. I enjoyed reading it very much.
LibraryThing member Bettyb30
This book was good but was a bit long in getting places at times. The ending was good and I wouldn't discourage reading it but I am not going to tell you to run out and grab it immediately either. :)
LibraryThing member fdrury
As soon as I read the first few pages I knew I was in for a great read. Turner's prose flows from paragraph to paragraph and never leaves the reader with any hesitation about continuing to read the story. The story of Detective Billy Able and the crime he solves is great, but the true enjoyment for
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me came from the strong character development and the wonderful descriptions of Memphis,Tennesee, where the story takes place. I have only been there once before reading this book but now I feel like I have revisited it. The story kept me gripped through the final chapter, where the truth finally comes out about what had really happened. A tremendous first novel and I look forward to Lisa Turner's next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member maneekuhi
It's over-written. There's enough crime and enough characters here for a 600 page novel, and "A Little Death in Dixie" is not quite 300 pages. It's good, it has a lot of pluses, and it could have been a lot better. Until I got into the second half, I figured I had a 5-star book here, but then it
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all became too much. The protagonist is Memphis Police Detective Sergeant Billy Able. Billy and his partner Lou are investigating the recent disappearance of Sophie, an attractive, well to do woman well known to the police for her frequent benders and her well placed acquaintances. And she and Billy had been an item at one time. Then there's her mother Gloria, sister Mercy, and her husband. And the Judge. And the Judge's croquet partners (see where this is going). And Charles who bags Sophie's groceries at the super market where she was last seen. Suddenly and unexpectedly, one of the supporting cast is dead, but we soon meet another dozen characters. The investigation continues despite considerable pressure from the next levels of police management to drop it. So, the basic plot is quite good, and the story unfolds nicely. Author Turner gives a real southern feel to her book, and we readers come away with a fairly detailed picture of Memphis warts and all. The characters are interesting and well drawn up. Despite the large cast I had no problem keeping everybody straight. Unfortunately, a few of the more interesting ones wind up going to jail or get promoted, and so will not likely appear in future books. And the setting for book 2 seems likely to change, which is also unfortunate, but it will stay southern which is a plus. So, I will read the 2nd book (actually it has been released recently and its good reviews are what drew me to this series). However, if Ms. Turner hasn't tightened things up a bit or "Gone Dead Train", it'll be sayonara for me. One last aside - let's see we've had "Gone Girl", "Girl on the Train", and now we have "Gone Dead Train". I think we've done about all we can with "gone", "girl", and "train" for crime fiction titles, let's move on. Show Less
LibraryThing member BevAsh
Very good book. Kept me interested until the end.
LibraryThing member BevAsh
Very good book. Kept me interested until the end.
LibraryThing member debavp
Born and raised in Memphis and an avid serial fiction reader, I was looking forward to this. Right off the bat I encountered annoying character names, really, really annoying names. The mystery started out fairly strong but carried on for far too long and then took a super wrong term with a really
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cheap plot twist-very disappointing from there on. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2010-07-01
Physical description
298 p.; 8.9 inches
ISBN
1935661906 / 9781935661900