The Goatman

by Wallace Martin

Wallace Martin’s debut murder mystery, The Goatman, is destined to be a Southern classic along with Huck Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird. This coming-of-age tale set in the mountains of post-WWII North Georgia features a fourteen-year-old Zeb Barton, his irascible surgeon father, and Thelka, the gun-toting maid who mentors Zeb through progressively dangerous times. Even though the book is set in the 1960's, many of the characters are still reeling from the damages of WWII combat while others are being haunted by dead family members. A neo-Southern Gothic tale in the vein of Flannery O'Connor's work, each character contends with their own personal demons while all are under the watchful eye of the Goatman, the subject of many murderous legends.

383 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2024

About the author

The Goatman is the debut novel of Georgia native and retired general/thoracic surgeon, Dr. Wallace Martin. Influenced by such literary greats as Harper Lee, Mark Twain, and Flannery O’Connor, the seeds for The Goatman were planted in the author’s mind when he was a child and witnessed the mysterious Goat Man, an itinerant from Iowa often seen wandering in Georgia with a wooden cart heaped high with pots and pans and pulled by goats. Tales of the disheveled, bearded man’s arrival often frightened young children, but seven-year-old Wallace was intrigued. As he put it, “I had never seen anything like him and began creating my own story for him as he remained a progressively distant memory. A mystery.”

For this story, the author weaves fiction with fact, integrating colorful characters from his childhood, including his father, a general surgeon who practiced in Lawrenceville, GA for almost forty years. “Boredom was the greatest challenge of childhood in the 1960's. Mysteries were everywhere. Like my other seven siblings, I had observed my father, Dan Martin MD, ‘Doc’, performing surgeries since I was around four years old, and the concentration and intensity of focus drew me in. In the small North Georgia community, all Doc’s children were different from other children (or at least felt they were). Not in an elitist sense and not all good, but there were expectations to the point I felt I was being watched through the classroom speakers. I wanted to explore that mental aspect in a fictionalized reality. What drove that sense of being watched? The Goatman became the hidden watcher. Was it imagined or perceptively real? And are those the same? So I included those aspects that linked together – some humorous, some horrifying- facilitating that exploration.”

Reviews

[Meredith Jackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adequate attention gripping story of a young boy during his summer when he starts to push into adulthood whether he's ready for it or not. And all centering around a series of unsolved murders around his small GA community. Great character development. I enjoyed the medical snippets as the author is a retired general surgeon.
I struggled a little with the prose of Dr. Martin's writing, but grew accustomed as the book progressed.

[Lily A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Goatman” is a tightly plotted murder mystery written by Wallace Martin that packs a punch with its twists that keep coming. Set in North Georgia in the post-WW2 period, the book follows Zeb Barton, a fourteen-year-old boy who is plagued by terrifying visions and dreams that had begun a few months ago and often signaled impending danger. His mother had died when he was only four, and his irritable father spent much of his time devoted to his medical career. Much of Zeb’s parenting had been left to Thelka, their short-tempered maid, who formed an inscrutable bond with him. Much of Zeb’s adventures navigated around helping his father with his patients and spending time with his friend, Jake. 
Meanwhile, a dark cloud looms around this quiet town whose residents are haunted by deep-rooted struggles of their own emanating from their past even as the despondent post-war period creates a long-lasting impact on their day-to-day lives. When horrific murders begin happening, Zeb is convinced that the Goatman, is behind these crimes and that the voices he has been hearing in his dreams and visions serve as a clue to unraveling the murders. However, those surrounding him largely believe that the Goatman is merely a character from a nursery rhyme and is simply non-existent. As the clock ticks and the body count rises, Zeb takes a desperate gamble to find answers with his investigation unearthing a dark and absorbing tale of determined evil.
In “The Goatman“, the truth is evasive and the enigmatic Goatman remains obscure for a large part of the book, creating a sense of foreboding that heightens the suspense even as the book draws to a satisfying close. Author Martin does an impeccable job creating misdirects and red herrings in equal measure, succeeding in developing the inner sleuths in readers, wondering who the real culprit of the murders was. A huge revival in the mystery genre, this text abounds with resonant and well-wrought characters that feel like next-door neighbors. The writer’s evocative descriptions accomplish much and unwrap the ominous and palpable tone that maintains the book’s emotional resonance.
Wallace Martin wears his ingenuity on his sleeve, as readers will effortlessly observe his work, and this makes his work all the more rewarding. He successfully manages to infuse complex themes such as the subject of racism and post-traumatic stress disorder portraying their long-term effects if left unaddressed. That he manages to create a compelling narrative from a childhood nursery rhyme is a win-win on his part as this demonstrates his creative ability. The dialogue too, is plausible, making the characters feel imminently present. The festering secrets that are revealed after a few chapters keep up the book’s momentum as does its brisk pacing.
“The Goatman” by Wallace Martin comes in at 383 pages but this should not discourage any reader as it delivers on its promise. Thriller and mystery enthusiasts, young adults, and otherwise, should add this one to their bookshelves. I strongly recommend it.

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in the 60's.

Loved this book. Well written and very difficult to put down. Reminded me of growing up in an age of no electronics and we played outside from morning til night. It was a time of using your imagination to prevent boredom.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless and haunting. A tale of facing our demons and our pasts and the casualties in between.