Dark Thirty

by Terry Kay

Jesse Wade returns home to find his wife, children, and grandson murdered, and he and his small southern town enter a time of panic, controversy, legal maneuvering, and media exploitation

Genres: Fiction

351 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1984

About the author

TERRY KAY, a 2006 inductee into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, is the author of The Book of Marie, recently released by Mercer University Press. Kay has been a sports writer and film/theater reviewer (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), a public relations executive, and a corporate officer. He is the author of nine other published novels, including To Dance with the White Dog, The Valley of Light, Taking Lottie Home, The Kidnapping of Aaron Greene, Shadow Song, The Runaway, Dark Thirty, After Eli, and The Year the Lights Came On, as well as a book of essays (Special K) and a childrens book (To Whom the Angel Spoke)."

Reviews

[Marge Rudman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an engaging read! This book seems to be out of print, which is a shame that needs to be rectified. As in AFTER ELI, we know who the perpetrators are right away and still the tension mounts! Kay"s love of the mountain people of the South, understanding of their concerns, and poetic appreciation of that world permeate every page. Serious moral questions are raised. Even though I felt I knew his position on them, Kay apparently assumes his readers have enough intelligence to reflect on those issues for themselves. Which is exactly what I'm still doing and will be for some time to come. The best story tellers choose not to spell everything out for us.

[Edith Coley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Thirty by Terry Kay is a novel set in the quiet, small town of Tickenaly in the mountains of North Georgia. Untold tragedies await this sleepy town and occur seemingly without even a whisper of warning. Maybe Jesse's wife, Jean, may have sensed something evil was afoot because she was behaving strangely but nobody could figure out why. She knew nothing for sure; not anything she could put her finger on or "take to thè bank.”
Both she and her youngest son Doyle were frightened about something; she talked of the end of the world to her husband,Jesse, but it's really up to anybody's speculation what she actually knew.

Jesse came home late one afternoon just before dark thirty—the time of day that is the transition period of 30 minutes when it changes from day to night. He had with him a rifle, a gift for 10 year old grandson, Winston’s birthday.

Instead of coming home to a birthday celebration, he came home that day with a gift to his family’s massacre. On October 15,1980, Jesse Wade became two people—one vibrantly real and one an empty shell for a time.

This is a beautfully done novel written on an ugly subject: Vengeance! Does Justice win in the North Geogia Mountains?

Terry Kay writes a humdinger of a story for our pleasure…his words are magic on the page. He writes like nobody else….he is the epitome of great Southern writing.

[Linda George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Terry Kay’s books! I couldn’t put this one down…..

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will not forget this book. talk about revenge!