Safe in Heaven Dead: A Memento-Style Literary Noir of Family Tragedy and Political Conspiracy

by Samuel Ligon

Safe in Heaven Dead , a first novel similar to last year's art house movie phenomenon, Memento, is a page–turning literary noir by a brilliant new writer. Everything was rolling along smoothly for Robert Elgin. He and his wife, Laura, had a loving marriage, and had taken enough "me" time before having kids – one girl, one boy. After doing the hippie, idealistic thing for awhile, he finally allowed his father in law to get him a job in labour negotiations where he could still fuel his power to the people energies by fighting on the common man's behalf. When Robert becomes too good at his job and is recruited by the County Executive's office to conspire in some dirty negotiations that would allow for a run at Governor, the perfect life begins to crumble. And to make matters much, much worse, Robert learns his five year–old daughter has been molested by the local 12 year–old neighbour, and the crumbling becomes a full–scale slide. While his wife becomes obsessed with grief counsellors, rape specialists, being saved by Jesus, and putting the twelve year old behind bars, Robert finds himself losing touch with his family and losing his grip on reality. When he learns of a secret, dirty fund the labour office has been skimming off the public, he takes the money and runs. And so begins Robert's life as a dead man. Told from the end to the beginning, this Memento–style literary noir about one man's undoing is a fresh new style of fiction. Safe in Heaven Dead is a stunning book by a new voice in contemporary literature.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Samuel Ligon is the author of two novels—Among the Dead and Dreaming and Safe in Heaven Dead—and two collections of stories, Wonderland, illustrated by Stephen Knezovich, and Drift and Swerve. He's co-editor, with Kate Lebo, of Pie & Whiskey: Writers Under the Influence of Butter & Booze. His stories have appeared in The Georgia Review, Prairie Schooner, The New England Review, Post Road, Okey-Panky, Alaska Quarterly Review, Gulf Coast, New Orleans Review, and elsewhere. His essays appear in the Inlander. He’s the editor of Willow Springs and the artistic director of the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference. He teaches at Eastern Washington University in Spokane.

Reviews

[Joe Tynan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the exploration of corruption, both in politics and how the genuine tragedy of the daughter's experience is turned into a sideshow that may hurt her in the long run.

[Luke Leinberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ligon is in full control from the first page. The character development is sensational and explores fatherhood, being a partner, and corruption from a heartbreaking and nuanced perspective.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the characters, very real dialog, but I didn't like the ending.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

you might think i gave this book five stars just cuz i know the guy that wrote it, but you'd be wrong. this is legitimately outstanding. it's been a long time since i was so entranced by a book, and i can't remember the last time i read one so quickly. after some "scene setting" at the top of the novel to give the reader some familiarity with the world in which it's set, the book quickly moves into the dark places where anyone would fear to tread - the places that make fiction exciting & vital. the characters are exceedingly well-rendered, and the story forces the reader to contemplate the bits of life that he/she would undoubtedly rather not. it's not pretty, but it is beautiful.

[Kris Dinnison · Rating 5 out of 5]

We find out in the first page of this compelling novel that our protagonist, Robert Elgin, is going to die. But the strength of Ligon's writing is that he makes us want to read on in spite of knowing the ending. His unconventional timeline combine with flawed but fascinating characters to bring the reader along, albeit to some pretty dark places. It's part political thriller and part family drama, but the two intersect in all the complicated ways stories do in real life. This is a finely-wrought novel full of moral grey areas, disintegrating families, and complex characters.

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[Philip Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ligon's sharp noir is a fun romp, a quick ride, one that feels made even quicker by the protagonists desire to just stop the world from turning beneath him so quickly. Satisfying, even with the ethical quandaries that riddle the page like so many imagined and real pitchforks pushing Robert Elgin towards his timely demise starting on page one.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pulled this randomly off the library shelf, having never heard of the author or this book, and boy, I'm glad I did. A really tense, dense, claustrophobic literary thriller. It's too bad it's out of print now, but you'll be well served scouring your own library's shelves for it.

[Kathryn Houghton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might be biased since Sam was my thesis advisor in grad school, but this was an amazing book. I want to write books like this.

[Andrea Givens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really annoyed that I'm done with the book. It was incredible! I don't usually read fiction but I did because it's Sam Ligon, and now I'm sprung and can't wait to get the rest of his books.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary plot!