Drifting South

by Charles Davis

Shady doesn't exist anymore. Neither does Benjamin Purdue. In a single day he lost his family, his love, his freedom and even his name for reasons he's never known. Now after spending twenty-one years in prison for crimes he didn't commit, the young man he used to be is dead. And the man he's become is no one he—or anyone else—would ever want to know.

With only fifty dollars of state money in his pocket, Henry Cole, aka Benjamin Purdue, journeys back to the dangerous outlaw settlement hidden deep in the Allegheny Mountains of Virginia where it all began. The only place he's called home.

Instead of answers, he finds only old sunken graves. Now as he drifts southward, he gets closer to the beautiful woman he will never forget—whose untimely visit to Shady that fateful Sunday afternoon ended in a killing. A woman who holds the keys to his past…and his future.

Genres: Southern, Fiction, Contemporary

400 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

Charles Davis is a former federal law enforcement officer and U.S. Army soldier. In 1999 he moved from the coast of Maine to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, rented a beach house, got a part-time job as construction worker, and began writing his first novel. The author currently lives in New Hampshire with his wife, son and dog, where he's working on a second novel set in the hills and endless blue ridges of Virginia, the place he grew up and calls home.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read in a unique voice. The narrator, newly released from prison goes in search of his past, in search of answers, in search of home and family. Ben Purdue, or so he is known, isn't who he thinks he is. Someone tried to kill him when he was a teen-ager, and twice again in prison for reasons he still does not understand. As he attempts to make his way back to "Shady", a place that was never even a town but none-the-less the only home he has ever known, we learn what he knows of his own story. But who were these people from "Shady"? Who wants him dead, and why? The answers may surprise you and, as another reviewer said, they may not be entirely believable, but the characters and "Shady" itself are mesmerizing.

[Nancy Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read that holds your attention to the very end. Shady Hollow and its residents are not who they appear to be and Benjamin Purdue is seeking answers and vengeance on his journey back to his hometown.

[Vickie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had so much promise, but wow, it was just a terrible book. Poorly written, this novel was hard to follow. Now I know why no one has even heard of this book or author. The "secrets" about the main character's life, once revealed, were convoluted and unrealistic. The book's ending was equally convoluted and ridiculous. Don't waste your time.

[Bill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lame. The hardest thing for me with this book was finishing it. It started strong with interesting language from which I shared lines with friends. About midway the internalization got to be too much, the information dumps pervaded page after page, and the slight bump at the end was not enough to redeem it. I'll hesitate before picking up this author's works again.

[Marcelle Botes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lees bq moeilik, maar was goed!

[n/a · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow at parts but overall a great story that I'm still thinking about...

[Annette Thueson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much!

[Diane G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still thinking about the story and "seeing" the characters in my head.
Reminded me of Richard Russo's novels with its focus on people and place.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started a little slow in terms of storytelling (although the entire thing is a very fast read!). It started to get really interesting about mid-way through, and there were a lot of plot twists and turns even I didn't expect (I'm always predicting endings).

The writing style is very interesting because it's written using the vernacular of a blue-collared Virginian with a fairly low level of education.

I felt as though the last 1/3 of the book was pretty rushed though - found myself thinking "I'm not exactly sure how that happened, but ok... I'll just keep reading."

Finally, there are a lot of themes and symbolism in this book - primarily God and religion, but it was overdone. I felt like I was being beaten over the head with symbols, whereas if Davis toned it down a bit, I think they would've actually been much stronger.

Overall, this is a good story and was a fun read. Just don't expect it to be the "best book you've ever read."

[Heather Sadie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drifting South by Charles Davis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Liked the voice it was written in (made one feel as if you're in Virginia). I liked the story line, but it was a little rushed in the end. Easy read. Wondered if this could be fiction.



View all my reviews

[Linda Orvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book for many reasons. The family mystery kept me going from start to finish. The author fleshed out the main character, and made me want to find out his hidden past and what was to become of him in his future. The tone of the book was one I particularly like and rarely find. I love books that feature a character with a distinct and unique voice. Ben was uneducated, wild, yet self-exploring and profound. I would have given this book more stars, but I didn't think the resolution of the end was as believable as it could have been.

[Nitrorockets · Rating 2 out of 5]

The life of a small town boy becomes a mess the year he turns 18. The beautiful girl whom he me on his Aunt Kate's plantation in North Carolina found him looking for love but what she brought was something more sinister. Living on luck and charm he never thought would run out he is faced with a barrel of a gun. A few crazy preachers, drifters, con men and whores all fill the line of characters of this story. That boy learns that being a man means a whole lot more than finding a woman and having the courage to do what scares us is what counts.

[Hunt Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a lot of fun and had an interesting voice, that of a not-so-educated young man fresh out of prison. I enjoyed his return to the place where he came from, because as a person who has moved around a lot in life, there are always these impulses to go back and check things out, usually met with varying degrees of success or non-success.
Anyway, there are a lot of reviews here that are a synopsis of the book, so I won't go into the ending, which turns out to be maybe a bit predictable once all of the initial exposition has taken place. It's worth checking out, though.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I'd give it 3.5 stars. I took a chance and picked this up at B&N before our short vacation last week. I hadn't read any reviews prior (yikes). Anyway, it's a great story. It was slow in the beginning, but I'm not sure if it's because I had to stop and start reading between flights, etc. The author does a fabulous job with the ending. And, for some authors that seems to be difficult!

[Garryvivianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young southern boy grows up in a very small town with many siblings & a mother who works as a "lady of the evening" to feed her family. An encounter with a young woman from a big city changes his life forever. Sometimes this seems hopeless for the young boy, now an ex-prisoner & a man. His life takes some unexpected turns when he is released, he finds he has nothing, not even the town he came from exists any more. This book was pretty good.

[Karen Cockerill · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful story. For me it was a slow start however as I got into the book it just got better and better. Some profound twists. The story is about a boy called Benjamin Purdue growing up in a town called Shady, which of course sounds like it matches it's name. One day life throws Benjamin a curve ball and the next 21 year are spent living Henry Cole and wandering why someone wants him dead.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject matter was a little rough... but it never, to me, crossed the line to too graphic - it also all had a place in the story of Ben's life, and all makes so much (sad)sense at the end. This was definitely a page turner! I didn't love parts of the ending, it sort of dragged a bit, but over all, I really liked this book! =)

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read since "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil". About a young man arrested, at seventeen, for a crime he didn't commit. The tory of his life past & present. A little God, a little cussin', and a lot of love. Whatever I read after this might be a let down & I will probably judge it unfairly. I'm trying to get Johnny to read it, I hope he likes it.

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a little trouble staying focused here and there, but over all a very good book. The thing I liked best about it was the idea/teasing/possibility of "heaven". I liked his ideas/thoughts and find that they somewhat mirror my own.
I will be looking for more to read by Charles Davis.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book dragged. I was waiting for something exciting to happen the whole time. There was an excellerating moment in the middle, but then it fadded. The ending was a surprise, but not enough to make book any better.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, with interesting character development and an imaginative plot. I'm not the emotional type, but I was definitely drawn into this book, in the sense of really caring about what happens to the characters; the sign of a well written book.

[TheRLPL Rice Lake Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patron Review:
Suspenseful and emotional. A young boy sent to prison for a murder he did not commit- gets out and finds out the real truth of what happened and the real truth about his past. Set in North Carolina and Virginia.

[Priscilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story follows Shady as he is let out of jail after 20 years, to find his home and his family. Events unfold to bring him closer to people he's been thinking of during his jail time. Past memories reveal secrets, lies and love.
This book was ok, but I didn't find it a captivating read.

[Janeal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't anything what I expected it to be. It was difficult to really get lost in it at first, but I did begin to somewhat enjoy it by the end.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story....I just didn't enjoy the style of writing.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read and entertaining but a little predictable.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our book club book. Everyone liked it. My husband found the language kind of hard to follow at first. Interesting twist in the story. Was surprised how it all turned out.

[Curt · Rating 5 out of 5]

creative, unique, page-turning story

[Lerissa Govender · Rating 3 out of 5]

part of this book was a bit boring but at the end of the story it was worth it

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was very interesting. It starts off very slow but once you read on to the middle the story progresses and gets "juicy".