Dead Low Tide

Huger Dillard #2

by Bret Lott

Exploring the ruins of an abandoned fort on a small island in Harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, sixteen-year-old Huger Dillard and his girlfriend, Tabitha Gaillard, stumble on a Vietnamese immigrant girl -- naked, bleeding, and terrified. Before they can come to her aid, an armed man appears and takes her away, threatening to kill Huger and Tabitha if they reveal what they saw. But their consciences won't let them rest, and their attempts to help find and save the girl set in motion an inexorable spiral of events in which dangerously antagonistic forces -- black, white, Vietnamese -- collide in an act of diabolical terrorism eerily reminiscent of the Oklahoma City bombing.

Rich with suspense and psychological complexity and steeped in Lowcountry atmosphere, Dead Low Tide is a gripping new work from a writer whom the Los Angeles Times called "one of the most important and imaginative writers in America today."

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Audiobook, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2001

About the author

Bret Lott is the bestselling author of fourteen books, most recently the nonfiction collection Letters and Life: On Being a Writer, On Being a Christian (Crossway 2013) and the novel Dead Low Tide (Random House 2012). Other books include the story collection The Difference Between Women and Men, the nonfiction book Before We Get Started: A Practical Memoir of the Writer’s Life, and the novels Jewel, an Oprah Book Club pick, and A Song I Knew by Heart. His work has appeared in, among other places, The Yale Review, The New York Times, The Georgia Review and in dozens of anthologies.

Born in Los Angeles, he received his BA in English from Cal State Long Beach in 1981, and his MFA in fiction from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1984, where he studied under James Baldwin. From 1986 to 2004 he was writer-in-residence and professor of English at The College of Charleston, leaving to take the position of editor and director of the journal The Southern Review at Louisiana State University. Three years later, in the fall of 2007, he returned to The College of Charleston and the job he most loves: teaching.

His honors include being named Fulbright Senior American Scholar and writer-in-residence to Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv, speaking on Flannery O’Connor at The White House, and having served as a member of the National Council on the Arts from 2006 to 2012. Currently he is nonfiction editor of the journal Crazyhorse. He and his wife, Melanie, live in South Carolina.

Reviews

[C. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The deep dark Lowcountry swamp serves as the most wonderful backdrop to this literary mystery. . . but then, it's more than a backdrop. It's character, it's the center of the universe for characters so brilliantly sculpted to carry out this story of intrigue, family secrets, love lost, and childhood scars. Huger Dillard and his father, or "Unc," go out to play golf at night on the course at Landgrave Hall, a fire having taken Unc's sight, but not his earnest desire to play the sport. But in slipping to the course in a jonboat, they hit upon a body that changes their world as the past clashes with the present, and everything they thought was isn't, and history comes to light. Beautiful writing. Having grown up in Charleston, having been in love with the wetlands of the region, I've not seen another person plant me so deeply back in it like Bret Lott. When I story makes me wish the day would draw nigh so I could get to my reading time, I know it's good.

[Wayland Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a bit to figure out why I didn't like this book better. It has a setting with nice detail in a place I really enjoy (Charleston, South Carolina area), a character with some realistic reactions to stressful events, an original discovery of a body, and some good writing. So why is it only a two star from me? Near the end of it, I finally figured it out. Huger Dillard, the main character (the story is first person from his POV), doesn't start really acting even remotely heroic until about page 230 out of 241.

Huger isn't a hero, he's someone things happen to or around. His family lucked into money, got a good set up in a new place, and he flunked out of college. He spends most of the book mooning over his lost love and being dissatisfied with his place in life, largely a chauffeur for his blind father/uncle (it's a complicated family). He's hard to relate to since he gets so much good fortune and doesn't seem to care.

When he and his uncle sneak on to a golf course to let his uncle practice golf (apparently blind golf is a thing), they dodge security to avoid being charged with trespassing, but find a body instead. Huger feels bad for this mysterious woman... but that's about it. He doesn't look into her death, doesn't ask questions, doesn't find clues. The secrets of the plot are revealed in the last 30 pages or so in a very long villain monologue which, in my view, didn't quite work. There are a lot of twists and turns, which were well plotted, but Huger just seems to let things happen to him as he drifts through the world, much like something in the rivers and streams he spends so much time in.

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had difficulty with this book, the contractions did not make sense, and I found myself constantly rereading passages in attempting to understand the actions. The various relationships were left unsolved. Is Unc the father and uncle of Huger? Is Huger real father and stepfather, brothers? I guess the plot and relationships were as cleat as that low tide mud. I cannot believe that the old judge was not stinking up the house after being dead seven months, and the fact that no friend or neighbor asked to see the judge in all that time. Too many holes in the story for me to enjoy. I do not believe I will read another book by Bret Lott

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like "Dead Low Tide" and it's companion novel "The Hunt Club". Both are set in the Charleston area and have great characters. Huger Dillard, his fathter Leland, and his on again/off again girlfriend, Tabitha, who is a deaf-mute, African-American post doc. They all have layers which helps tell stories that are unlike the white-washed tales of the Charleston area that you get from other works of fiction.

[Stven · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like the preciously self-conscious tone and I didn't like reading 55 pages and having only one thing happen that wasn't back-story. I don't like that the title is the same as that of a book by John D. MacDonald. I don't like that this is touted as a "literary" thriller, a pompous, foolish adjective begging the comparison that there are a great many "ordinary" thrillers more intelligent and "literary" than this one.

[Brad Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The international terrorism aspect of this book was really undeveloped. No attempt was really made to show the motivations of the terrorists. The main question I have is--why would the body have showed up where it was? Wouldn't those responsible for the death be a little bit smarter about body disposal?

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very odd book. It had so much potential but fell flat in so many ways. It felt as though a committee wrote the book and didn't reject any ideas. There were far too many meaningless distractions. I really enjoyed the "chase scene." I am not able to recommend this book to my friends.

[Lori Tatar · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a nearly surreal sense of place in "Dead Low Tide". The characters are sublimely developed...you really know these people. Lott offers completely unexpected turns throughout, even for avid readers who almost always know what is coming next. This one will keep you guessing.

[Bank · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of potential, but again a book is flawed by the need to drag an international twist into what should be a local story . I loved the writing though .

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Captivating narration drew me in from the start, but in the end it wasn't enough. I quit listening at 96.5%, because life is just too short.

[Grace RS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I love several books by this author, this book just didn't do it for me, and maybe it's because it's more of a man's action book: golf, poker, a ghastly murder, a police raid, a car chase, terrorism, etc. The entire story, aside from the epilogue, takes place within one very long day. Lott succeeds in developing characters and establishing a vivid setting, but I found so much of the story repetitive, far-fetched, and slow moving, almost like I was trudging through the same pluff mud described in the beginning.
"Dead Low Tide" centers on Huger, a young man meandering through life, unable to move forward from past trauma, but through the course of events, he finds meaning and purpose. There's also Unc, the blind father who can almost foresee events and know what's happening at all times, much like Teresias from Greek mythology.

[Mzmags · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up from the library because it's written by Bret Lott. I had no idea what it was about until I started it yesterday. Much to my delight the same core cast of people from The Hunt Club are back. It takes place years after The Hunt Club events. Fast paced, riveting, pulse quickening, heart pounding, can't breathe till I'm done book. So glad I found it.

Thank you to all those folks out there seen and unseen for keeping us safe.

I wonder if games of chance are still illegal in South Carolina. Hmmm.....

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care much for this crime/terrorism novel located in S.Carolina. I though the writing was too methodical & overdid details of landscape, light&shadow, etc.. to the detriment of story development. There was an almost cartoonish feel to the characters & the action, and the central character did not inspire empathy, sympathy, or liking. The plot moreover felt unconvincing & forced. The happy Hollywood ending didn't surprise.

[Lauren Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took this book out of the library simply because it was set in South Carolina, and I wanted it as reading material for my planned trip to Charleston. Sadly, the trip was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the book proved to be quite masterful, providing good character development, tension at the turn of every page, and lots of surprises. I hadn't expected to like it quite so much!

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the minus side: slow start and author's irritating mannerism of adding 'd to words instead of 'had.' On the plus side, an exciting conclusion with some heartwarming elements. On the whole: not bad, if not great.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

The publisher's blurb lured me in, and I actually listened fairly closely, but the story turned out to be a relatively ho-hum narration of events that hardly hung together as an adventure/thriller. Kept me occupied for not being offensive.

[Sarah Long (Kazee) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish this book. It was terrible.

[Nefty123 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice follow up to the first in the series. Well written and fun read.

[anonymousreader]

to-read

[Teddi Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

confusing and a bit islamaphobic

[Anna Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so surprised by this novel! The tone lulls you into a false sense of security and you never expect it to unfold as it does! From bling golfing to illegal poker to military goggles to assault to all hell breaking loose and a threat that’s been hiding in plain sight all along!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book off Goodreads ages ago and finally got around to reading it. I was excited to read it as the book is based out of and near Charleston, SC. Having been there before, I thought it would be really interesting to read about. Turns out, there wasn't much that was familiar (I merely drove through Mount Pleasant rather than visiting, and I'm smart enough to stay out of North Charleston). I enjoyed this book, the characters were really well-developed and I enjoyed the fact that the characters had a back-story, which is something a lot of writers tend to forget. I felt the story had a good pace, and you really got to know the main character.

Though I understand where the author was going with the whole terrorist thing, I don't usually read those types of thrillers so I didn't give it as many stars as I probably could have. I do have to agree with the reviewers who thought the end seemed a bit rushed, I thought, too that more of the story could have been devoted to the WHY of the homegrown terrorists. I did like the twist at the end when you find that Jessup wasn't actually a terrorist, and was alive and well doing counterintelligence somewhere else.

All in all I have to say it was an interesting book.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classified as a literary thriller, which now that I have finished it I would say is accurate... but that said, I'm not sure that it is the type of book that I'm interested in reading. I liked the setting and the characters well enough, which is why I continued to read it -- but for the most of the book I wasn't sure where it was going and even when it got there I wasn't so sure that I liked where it took us (specifically, post 9-11 terrorist plot; the reason it is considered a thriller). I never read THE HUNT CLUB, but that didn't seem to detract from this novel since you get a good idea about the events that shaped the characters' current lives. The literary aspect of the novel is that Huger narrates the events in hindsight as they unfold and really is telling us the story of how he finally "found his path" due to these events. The novel is visual and certain aspects will likely stay with me a bit. I'm half way between 3 Stars and 4 Stars.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huger, a college dropout is living with his mother and his uncle in Charleston, SC. Unc is blind, but he and Huger pole over to the golf course in the middle of the night to play - Unc doesn't want anyone to see him. But this night, Unc puts his pole on a dead body. They play golf with a top-secret night vision device lent to Unc by a buddy in the military. At first, they think that the military is stalking them wanting their device back. But soon real bad-guy terrorists are after them. Not knowing whom to trust, they lead the terrorists and their collegues into a trap.

The surprising ending gives the book a "new" feel - not more of the same old stuff. Huger and Unc are very interesting people. This is the second book about Huger and Unc. I plan to read the first one.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this long-awaited sequel to The Hunt Club, set in the swampy South Carolina Lowcountry, New York Times bestselling author Bret Lott returns with a literary page-turner about murder and family secrets. Though Dead Low Tide continues the story of Huger Dillard, this haunting work of fiction brilliantly stands on its own. No longer a teenager and now a young man, Huger must come to terms with and confront the truth about his community, his past, and the mysterious place he calls home.


Must read Hunt Club first....

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a good one for a summertime mystery/thriller - it is engaging enough, pulling you through as you wonder what's going on. However, it is no great work of literary genius. The characters are somewhat shallow - Huger does grow up some by the book's end, but most everyone else stays constant.

It was fun to see and recognize Charleston/Hanahan landmarks in the book, and the descriptions were vivid. I could see and enjoy the sun setting off the deck or the boat bumping against the pluff mud. I just wish there had been a deeper story happening in the midst of all that.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Caveat: I did not read the prequel, The Hunt Club. I wanted to like this book as he's a local writer with somewhat of a reputation, but I could never believe this story. In spite of the local color, I found the writing clumsy, the characters stiff and unreal, and the plot ridiculous. The first 3/4 of the book revolve around a blind man in a poker game, only to discover, wait, no, it's about Muslim spies! Really? I also found the use of "'d" after nouns, as in "Unc'd" very off-putting. Trying to imitate Southern language?

[Briant · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be up-front I only made it through the first 3-4 chapters before I gave up on this book. I just could not take it anymore. Huger Dillard is the main character and we start out the book reading about Huger and his blind father, who he calls "Unc", finding a dead body while in a boat going out to play golf at night because "Unc" does not want anyone to view his poor golf game - give me a break.