Book Review: ‘The Line That Held Us’ By David Joy

If there’s one thing you don’t want to do is piss off the violent Brewer family. Well Darl Moody has accidentally done this. He loves to hunt even if it’s not hunting season yet. He has spotted a big buck that would supply him with a lot of food for the winter. He stalks it daily and is finally ready to make his move. His neighbor Coon is away for the week and he is doing this on his land. It’s night time and he doesn’t see the buck but a big hog. He shoots and he thinks he has gotten it. When he gets to it he notices he didn’t get the hog but a human. And worse it’s the young Brewer boy named Carol.

Freaking out he decides he has to bury the body right away and live with what he has done. If he goes to the police Carol’s older brother will want revenge (even if it was an accident) against everyone Darl cares about. He ends up dragging his best friend Calvin into it and they bury the body and will never talk about it.

Dwayne Brewer is waiting and waiting for his brother. He knew he was out that night on Coon’s land stealing ginseng and finds his truck. Days go by and no sign of him. When Coon is home he pays him a visit and finds out there is a camera and gets Darl’s picture. He confronts Darl who denies knowing anything. Well Dwayne doesn’t believe him and then goes down a dark path to find out the truth. When he does learn the truth hell has no fury like a Brewer pissed off. It starts a game of cat and mouse which will lead to deaths throughout the county.

Author David Joy has written a story of revenge, hurt and a cat and mouse story that has a shocking ending you don’t see coming. At just 256 pages with short chapters and useless filler it is a very easy read (thanks for that). A great end of summer story.

You can pick it up in stores on Tuesday, August 14.