There are many narrative threads and characters to keep track of, with several courtroom scenes for those who enjoy a legal drama. This is a complex tale, which requires some knowledge of American local politics to fully appreciate all the nuances. The painful loss of the Nowell family becomes political ammunition, but would the other candidates go so far as to frame their opponent for murder? Why doesn’t anyone make the link between this dead girl and two previous cases? What is the link between this criminal case and the files that have gone missing following a break-in at Jay’s office? With the help of unemployed journalist Lonnie and a PI called Rolly, Jay tries to piece together the truth about the girl’s murder. Jay believes he is the wrong person to defend Neal, but finds it hard to refuse the charismatic and forceful Sam Hathorne, grandfather of the accused and the unofficial leader of Pleasantville. Above all, he is disillusioned, haunted by fears, and has avoided the courtroom for many years. A chemical plant is leaking toxic waste into the area known as Pleasantville, but the lawsuit has been dragging on for nearly two years and people living there are yet to see any compensation. He has to all intents and purposes closed down his practice, with only one lawsuit on his books. His wife has recently died, something he is still struggling to come to terms with, and he is perhaps a little overprotective of his two children. His big win against Cole Oil brought him fame but little satisfaction. Now, 15 years have passed and Jay is more bruised, and more cautious. If you read Black Water Rising, you’ll recall Jay as the idealistic young lawyer who saved a woman from drowning and thereby nearly wrecked his career, family and life. Although there are many references to that book, you don’t need to have read it to appreciate this one. Neal Hathorne, the nephew of the first black candidate for the mayor’s office, is questioned by the police about the murder so his family turn to defense attorney Jay Porter.

The girl in question is Alicia Nowell and she may have been a volunteer for one of the local politicians. However, it starts with a familiar crime fiction trope: a young girl walks home alone at night and meets her untimely end. It’s even more political in its content than her previous books, The Cutting Season and Black Water Rising.

The author was one of our Women to Watch in 2013 and Pleasantville is her third book, set in the midst of a hard-fought election in 1996 in Houston, Texas. Written by Attica Locke - We’ve come to expect politics to play a part in Attica Locke’s intelligent thrillers.

Pleasantville novel