When Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko drive into the small town of Brunswick , Georgia, their only thought is to fix their car’s leaky right tire and continue on to Key West, Florida, away from their dead-end jobs as computer technicians in Ohio. But when Shaw discovers that the 318 million dollar Georgia State Lottery has just been claimed by an ordinary Georgia family, he sees an opportunity – he and Romeo will blackmail the Boatwright family for half their winnings and ditch their deadbeat lives for good.
Disguised as a state lottery representative, Shaw enters the Boatwright’s home and holds the family hostage, while Romeo patrols the town, staking out the homes of the family’s loved ones, should the Boatwrights refuse to comply with their demands. But Shaw isn’t your average criminal out to make a quick buck. Instead, he has a grand messianic vision and he’ll stop at nothing to see it through — and soon, the Boatwrights find themselves living a Flannery O’Connor American nightmare from which they can’t properly awaken.
At once frightening, comic, and suspenseful, RAVENS is a wholly original and utterly compelling novel from one of our most talented writers.
I want to win the lottery. I truly do. I have seen programs and read stories about how coming upon sudden riches has ruined ordinary folks lives but I know I would be different (okay, I hope). George Dawes Green introduces a compelling reason not to purchase that golden ticket.
The Boatwright’s are a living paycheck-to-paycheck existence in stagnate Brunswick, Georgia. Mitch, the father, is a devoted elder of his church and Patsy (mom) is a gin-drinking lottery fanatic devoted to the television every Wednesday evening (“[W]inning the jackpot means you get everything; love, riches, dreams, forgiveness, sky, ocean, shoes, power . . . everything, nothing denied.”) Their daughter, Tara, has a rebellious streak but is essentially the foundation of the family and little brother Jase is spoiled by his mother’s favoritism. Grandmother Nell is a loud, poker playing escape for Tara. Finally, Patsy’s lottery obsession comes to fruition and the family finds themselves with an extra $318 million dollars.
Enter Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko, life-long friends escaping their techie existence with the goal of being hired on fishing boats in Florida, sailing to Trinidad and finally living life. When the friends stop in the Brunswick gas station that sold the winning ticket, some computer research and small town gossip lead Shaw to discover not only who won but the locations of their close family and friends. The plan, threaten to kill the family’s loved ones if they do not share the winnings.
This is the start of a great psychological thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages. Strangely, I did not feel close to any of the characters. Green exposes all of their flaws in the raw. Obviously, Shaw is a psychopath who not only threatens the family but forces them to publicly introduce him as their friend with whom they will be splitting the money during the televised handing over of the check. He gathers a far reaching flock of loyal followers by proclaiming the prize is a gift from God and he will be giving away his part for the greater good. Romeo is a blind follower of Shaw and is circling the town, day after day, keeping tabs on the targets desperately trying to hate those he may have to kill. The Boatwright’s themselves struggle with hating Shaw yet at the same time, being drawn and even admiring him. Tara finds herself flirting and trying to take Shaw’s attention away from her mother. They are hostages out in the open with a personable captor who is loved by the community and his invisible side-kick.
This book was not your typical hostage thriller. It is driven by relationships and internal struggles including the family’s struggle and Shaw’s abuse of religious devotion. I had read Green’s previous thriller, The Juror a long time ago. I do remember enjoying it. I may have to pick it up again.
Recommend? Yes!!! Fans of thrillers and suspense novels should love this book.
Other Green news:
It has been 14 years since George Dawes Green’s last novel, The Juror, was published. The Wall Street Journal conducted an interview with Mr. Green in which he explains the long wait.
Mr. Green is also the founder of The Moth “a not-for-profit storytelling organization, was founded in New York in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green, who wanted to recreate in New York the feeling of sultry summer evenings on his native St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, where he and a small circle of friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales on his friend Wanda’s porch.” Current events are held in locations around New York City with an occasional tour heading outside the city. Some of the storytellers have included John Berendt, Lewis Black, Dominick Dunne, Ethan Hawke, Suzanne Vega and Neil Gaiman (oh, just one more reason I need to vaca in New York)!
