Backwater

From grandmaster of noir James Sallis, author of the cult classic Drive, a breathtaking and poignant small town detective procedural—and examination of human nature

When an old friend from his days on the police force makes a plea for him to come and help with what seems a murder case, jazz guitarist Bishop steps back into a former life. Two major problems, though. The job’s in the town where he grew up, to which he vowed never to return. And his friend disappears, leaving Bishop with responsibilities he never anticipated or wanted. Not to mention a couple more murders.

Bishop slips into his old role as easily as into well-worn, comfortable old clothes. Getting his bearings in the town’s close society and among his own memories is a different matter. My childhood bends beside me, Stephen Daedalus muses in Ulysses. Too far for me to lay a hand there once or lightly. Are we more than our history, our memories? Will we ever know what we’re looking for, or recognize it when found?