Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Une nuit au Mississippi

Rate this book
Dans le Mississippi du milieu des années 1960 où sévit encore une ségrégation à peine dissimulée, Graden Williams, jeune militant pour l’égalité des droits entre Noirs et Blancs, est brutalement assassiné. Au cours des décennies suivant la parodie de procès des meurtriers qui a débouché sur un non-lieu, son frère, Warren, coupe tous les ponts avec le reste de sa famille et erre d’un bout à l’autre des États-Unis, chargé du fardeau de la mort de Graden dont il se sent responsable. Lorsque, quarante ans plus tard, les autorités rouvrent l’enquête, Warren se voue entièrement à la traque des assassins de son frère afin qu’ils soient traduits devant la justice. Conduit par une série d’indices dans une petite ville du nord de l’Ontario, il y trouve Earl Olsen, le dernier des tueurs en fuite, et réduit enfin au silence les démons qui tant d’années durant l’ont hanté.

200 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2015

1 person is currently reading
205 people want to read

About the author

Craig Shreve

3 books52 followers
My name is Craig Shreve. I was born and raised in North Buxton, Ontario, a small town that has been recognized by the Canadian government as a National Historic Site due to its former status as a popular terminus on the Underground Railroad, the system of routes and safe houses that assisted slaves escaping from the southern states.

From a young age I wanted to be a writer, but over the years pragmatism won out and I instead studied Computer Science at the University of Guelph. After graduating, I continued to write as a hobby, but I felt that I did not have enough life experiences. I set out to rectify that, which led me to a passion for extreme activities – skydiving, hang-gliding, bungy-jumping, rock-climbing, caving, rapelling, Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, tobogganing down the side of a volcano, and sand-boarding in the Atacama desert. Along the way I met people who were involved with humanitarian travel, and they infected me with the volunteering bug. I helped build homes in Honduras, Kenya, Guatemala, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Chile, El Salvador and Bolivia and I have been touched by the families that I have been able to work with.

Throughout this, I wrote. I managed to get some small pieces published in Confluence and Reflections, before enrolling in Humber College’s Creative Writing program in 2008. In 2010, my first novel-length manuscript was a semi-finalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award. My debut novel, One Night in Mississippi was released in February 2015 from Dundurn Press. My second novel, The African Samurai, will be released on Aug 1, 2023 from Simon and Schuster in the US and Canada, with international editions to follow.

I currently live in Toronto, Ontario.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
42 (32%)
4 stars
53 (41%)
3 stars
28 (21%)
2 stars
6 (4%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
614 reviews9 followers
January 18, 2015
What really went on that night in Mississippi when Warren’s brother, Graden, was taken by a group of white men, tortured and dumped in a swamp?

Warren later watches helplessly as these white men are freed by a Mississippi jury, then over years hunts each one, turning each over to the FBI and police, in silent vengeance for his brother’s murder.

Until he finally finds himself in northern Ontario, pursuing the last of these responsible; forty odd years have passed, and the man he hunts was a teen back then, a northerner who had moved south with his dad looking for better times.

This is an extraordinary work, intelligently examining motive and character, in a work that gives us insight into one of the darkest periods of American history – a must read.
Profile Image for Mandy.
3,628 reviews333 followers
September 4, 2016
This short tale of racial violence in Mississippi during the civil rights era and the life-long quest of one of the victims to see justice done is both a moving and a powerful indictment of white racism. The writing is spare and concise with not a word wasted. The characterisation is excellent, and although the author’s, and reader’s, sympathies are inevitably on the side of the victims, the author manages to bring some nuance into the narrative so the bad guys are not always purely bad. Well-paced and well-plotted, it’s a riveting and compelling novel that takes the reader into the heart of a shameful period in US history.
Profile Image for Lisa.
221 reviews2 followers
June 7, 2015
Very good read and highly recommended. The story of two brothers love. One not afraid to dream and the other who tracks down the people that snuffed out that dream in hopes of finding some justice.
Profile Image for Charlotte L..
339 reviews146 followers
April 30, 2018
Un très beau roman, qui en peu de pages (moins de 200) arrive à aborder des thématiques très dures avec bcp de profondeur. L'amour filial, la haine, la vengeance, la honte ... et tout en finesse. Les personnages principaux, celui dans "le camp des gentils" et celui dans "le camp des méchants", sont en fait tout en nuances, l'histoire n'est pas manichéenne alors qu'elle aurait facilement pu l'être. Une histoire qui secoue forcément le cœur.
Profile Image for Esil.
1,118 reviews1,494 followers
January 27, 2015
Thank you to Dundurn and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book. It is a short, perfect, but very sad novel. Set in Mississippi in the 1960s and in contemporary Ontario, One Night in Mississippi is told from the perspective of Warren who is black and who's brother was killed by a group of white men in 1965, and from the perspective of Earl who is one of the men -- at that time a teenager -- involved in the killing. Shreve does an amazing job of depicting the two main characters' thoughts and emotions in both time periods -- it feels pitch perfect. The writing suits the topic; it is sparse and straightforward. And Shreve does not deliver a tidy solution to such a complex and ugly past -- be prepared for a very sad ending. Great book. Well worth the read.
Profile Image for Belva W.
771 reviews5 followers
February 28, 2015
This was a great story about a tragedy brought on by the racial inequality in 1964 Mississippi. Told from two different perspectives in two different time periods, it showed how one senseless act could affect the future of two young men for decades to come. I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to fans of The Help or To Kill a Mockingbird. I was provided a digital copy of this book by Netgalley for review.
Profile Image for Jennifer Dance.
Author 5 books42 followers
March 9, 2015
Half a century on from the dreadful events of Mississippi's Freedom Summer, Craig Shreve brings a new perspective, telling this story in an innovative way that is both believable and compelling. I read the book in one sitting, my only complaint being that I would have liked it to be longer. Thanks Dundurn for the opportunity to give an honest review of this book.
Profile Image for Charlene.
15 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2015
What an excellent story. The characters were very realistic, and even the villain inspires sympathy. I can't wait to read Craig's next book!
Profile Image for Karen.
20 reviews
May 28, 2015
The gripping story of a man searching for closure. This is one of the best debut novels I have read. Story telling that holds the reader from first page to last. A must read!
Profile Image for Wayne Inkster.
606 reviews1 follower
November 10, 2024
A short but grief filled story of racism and poverty, spanning 40 years.
Profile Image for Moon Shine Art Spot ~ Lisa.
440 reviews22 followers
February 15, 2015
Book description:

"One Night in Mississippi" is the story of a young activist named Graden Williams who is brutally murdered in Mississippi during the sixties. After the perpetrators are charged but quickly released, Graden's brother, Warren, drifts aimlessly for decades, estranged from the rest of his family and struggling with the guilt that he feels over his brother's death. But when the U.S. Justice Department begins re-opening similar cases more than forty years later, he dedicates himself to bringing Graden's killers back to justice.
A phoned tip after a television appearance leads him to a remote town in northern Ontario, where he meets Earl Olsen, the only murderer who is still at large, and a man who turns out to be very different from what Warren had expected.


review:

I found this book to be very realistic about the times and circumstances in Mississippi. Even in the 1980's where I grew up in Alabama many of these nightmarish treatments still existed if you were not white. This novel struck a very realistically sad, but accurate nerve. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book for review purposes.

One Night in Mississippi is told from the perspective of Warren who is black and lost his strong willed brother via murder by a group of white men in 1965. We also hear from the youngest of the men, Earl who was no more than a scared white teen at the time of the murder who was also prejudiced against because of his being a "Yankee". These 2 main characters have been perfectly depicted by the author as they each faced their own guilt and horror that followed them throughout their lives.

The book mentions that good intending northerners came to the south to get the black people encouraged to fight (peaceably) for their rights, having good intentions, but no true grasp of what the dangers they and the black minority were truly in. At that time, the whites ruled the state, people, government, police ... It was a true night mare. I have heard someone say last year (in Mississippi) that they did not understand why so many white people remained quite. If you did not shit up, you'd find yourself hung with the black minority, careers destroyed (& often literally killed along with any black person who was "making a fuss ~ getting out of line".

I had to listen to black jokes in my public high school in the late 1980's, and knew there was nothing I could do other than look at the teacher disapprovingly. One Night in Mississippi brought back memories for me (as a white female growing up in the still prejudice south). I felt for the teen age white boy too because I could also relate to his situation. I can only imagine being black & knowing you can do nothing but hide. Women in the south were expected to shut up & bow down to men (if you oppose you are a trouble maker & without a man backing you, you can / could get very hurt too.

The book was very true to the guilt from both main characters. Of course the story is very sad. The subject is a very sober topic and an ugly time in history that needs remembered, improved still, and not sugar coating events hopefully will inform those who were not there to help prevent such perversions of hamamity from being repeated.
Profile Image for Autumn.
2,366 reviews47 followers
January 30, 2015
I received this book via NetGalley.
This was a really good book far better than I expected it to be.
This is a short book filled with sadness.
We started off the book with some white men picking up a young African-american who we learn is named Graden, And as the story progresses we learn that Graden was murdered and the people accused walk away free. But Graden's brother Warren can not let his death go with out justice. The Williams lived in the sixties and knew what horrors awaited African-american's so when Graden's death came about you know it tore this family up. Warren is not close to his family as he blames himself for the death of his brother and we later on find out why he does. We watch as Warren drifts along getting justice for his brother and he catches the last man who is living and not behind bars. But this man's account is different and one I was not expecting we learn what happened that night of Graden's death and I don't think Warren was expecting it either. We go back and forth between times from the sixties and when Warren is looking for justice, and I enjoyed that as it was not confusing at all. It gave us back story on the William's.
This was a very touching book and I could feel for the characters in some way.
The only problems I had with the story is 1. how were the white men caught? I know it may not have been something major but I felt as though the story could have elaborated on it.
2. Towards the end when we meet Earl I would have liked to have known it was Earl's point of view we were being told about. It was like we were in Warren's P.O.V. and bam in Earl's or well under his "hiding" name and I had to go back and re-read it. And anyone who has read my reviews knows I do not like to have to go back and re-read to make sure I did not miss something.
Other than those two things the book was a great read and touched a subject that can pull on your heart strings of how people were treated back in the day.
Profile Image for Christian (C.M. Forest) Laforet.
Author 6 books34 followers
March 22, 2016
First things first, Craig Shreve is a heck of a writer. He has a knack for using the exact right word at the right time. That doesn’t mean he always uses the wording you would expect, or that most other writers would choose, but instead, pulls out something unique that once you’ve read it, feels like no other word would have sufficed.

The plot of One Night in Mississippi mostly follows Warren, a man in his late sixties looking for justice in the murder of his brother, Graden, some forty years earlier. The story jumps between the present (2008) and the past, revealing new bits of information both leading up to that fateful night in ’65, as well as Warren’s winding journey in the present looking for resolution. The subject matter in this one is deep, and also quite tragic. I will say, Shreve does an amazing job of capturing the frightening reality of living in Mississippi during the 60’s. The tension during these sections of the book especially was palpable.

I blasted through One Night in record time. I was genuinely hooked on the story and would keep reading into the wee hours of the morning (even when I had to get up early for work!) to get to the next chapter.

The book itself is rather short (about 150 pages). That didn’t really bother me though. I honestly think that if this novel were any longer, it would’ve greatly hindered the plot. As it is, it’s a tight, crisp read. Again, a testament to the quality of writing that so much story (with such strong emotion) could be told in a smaller book like this.

I was really impressed with One Night in Mississippi and will definitely check out what Craig Shreve delivers next.
Profile Image for Craig Sisterson.
Author 4 books90 followers
June 15, 2015
An absorbing novel centred on the civil rights era in the American South, and the impacts of that violent and troubled time on people involved in the half century since. Canadian Shreve writes in an assured fashion, bringing to life both the 1960s and modern times as we follow the story of young black activist Graden Williams and his older brother Warren.

As Warren searches for answers to why a horrific atrocity occurred back in the 1960s, Shreve gives us a confronting look at what life was like behind what we see in the history books. ONE NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI is reminiscent of excellent films like Ghosts of Mississippi and Mississippi Burning, while still being a unique, thought-provoking story in its own right. Shreve does a great job at unpicking some of the layers beneath the headlines and historical footnotes, and makes us care about characters that are very human, and full of shades of grey.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Debbie.
1,751 reviews108 followers
March 3, 2015
I'm actually giving this 4 1/2 stars, but not every site I post on allows that capability.

What a good read. It was a sad, sad theme, but I was definitely entertained and truly felt for the characters. It was well written and definitely kept me interested. Written as a story during a terrible time in the south in our country's history when a horrible injustice was done. Then with a somewhat present day account of what a brother was willing to do for his murdered brother and why.

At only 200 pages, it was a short read but a very poignant one and I'm glad I got the chance to read and review it. Thanks Dundurn and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Malvina.
1,911 reviews9 followers
November 24, 2015
Mississippi's Freedom Summer, 1965, when resistance was violent against black people trying to register for the right to vote. Ugly hate atrocities ensued, unchecked by white authorities. A leading young black activist, Graden Williams, was sadistically tortured by a group of white men without mercy, then left to drown. This part was very difficult to read. His brother Warren knew the murderers, but watched helplessly as they were initially set free. Years later he has systematically tracked them all down and they have faced justice. All except the last one, who he finally finds and faces. The ending will not be what you expect. Haunting and impossibly sad. I was in Mississippi recently and discovered some still waters run very, very deep...
Profile Image for Hilary.
306 reviews
March 31, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fairly quick read, but at the same time I felt really invested in the characters and story. I was surprised to find myself sympathetic to the antagonist, and appreciated hearing the story from the two different perspectives. Really well written.

Second reading - I loved this book again! This is such a heartbreaking story. So well written, and I am still blown away by how well the author brought in so many different perspectives.
Profile Image for Lucy.
289 reviews2 followers
March 6, 2015
Received as a galley from the publisher. This is a familiar narrative and one worth telling. Shreve handles it well and weaves a very readable, if not fully enthralling tale.
Profile Image for Zuzu Burford.
381 reviews34 followers
June 27, 2016
The story of a lonely drifter driven by guilt with one objective in life. A complex analysis concerning racism, family, and honour, to which there is no one answer. A fine novel.
Profile Image for Rachel Pieters.
Author 2 books25 followers
May 20, 2023
I really wanted to love this book—it's been sitting on my shelf for years and the author lives in Chatham, where I grew up, so I was super proud that a fellow author from our area had their book published— but I just could not read past Chapter 1.

The writing was fine, even lovely at times, the prologue was interesting and leading somewhere, the premise was interesting, but then Chapter 1 is just straight telling. Straight exposition. It was like: and then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened....

Please, Mr. Shreve! Immerse me in the story. Bring me there. Set me down in the room and show me what's happening. Let me breathe in the story by being a part of it, by hearing the dialogue, by watching the action. I also had only the vaguest idea about what happened to the main character who died or who he was as a person (so I could empathize and be more sad and connected, so I'd want to read on and see him get justice.) Because of this, I just became bored and put the book down. I had no stakes in it.

Rather disappointed.
39 reviews
Read
October 1, 2022
"J'ai appris très tôt que le monde était défini par ce que l'on faisait et non par ce que l'on pensait".
Même si le contexte du livre est, il est vrai, assez répandu tant en littérature qu'au cinéma, certains passages restent ... insoutenables et haletant.
Un récit qui met au centre du débat la lutte réfléchie face à l'inaction ... réfléchie.
Parce que "le monde n'est pas un univers de théorie et d'idées ; c'est une dalle de béton, froide, dure et impitoyable", l'action et l'inaction vous mettent devant le fait accompli ... d'avoir et de ne pas avoir agi ?!
Thème universel et finalement hyper actuel dans notre société binaire (le racisme, le dérèglement climatique, la crise socio-économique, ...).
"En fait, c'est le problème de beaucoup de gens : ils pensent seulement aux choses sans importance" ...
Profile Image for Julie.
273 reviews4 followers
March 24, 2015
Passion without boundaries.

The freedom of the unknown.

A night you’ll never forget.

Welcome to Club Q.


Hadley has never been one to shy away from a challenge between the sheets, but she’s been craving something she just can’t put her finger on. When a mysterious silver envelope shows up on her desk at work, inviting her to join Club Q, she’s about to get everything she didn’t even know she wanted.

A haven for the rich and beautiful, little is known about Club Q to those not on the list. For Chicago’s elite it means sex unlike anything they had ever experienced before.
This book is well worth the read it pulls you in and keeps your from the first page to the last. This book will be added to my top 5 of the year so far. Would recommend Craig Shreve One Night In Mississippi to all my friends. Just go out and get this book you will not be disappointed.
1 review
February 27, 2015
While dealing with a very tense and difficult subject, Craig Shreve was able to deliver not only a thought provoking but entertaining piece of work.
Profile Image for Billy.
Author 9 books169 followers
March 1, 2016
Fascinante mais surtout touchante histoire. Trop court.
Profile Image for Margaret Bryant.
302 reviews30 followers
October 21, 2014
Wow -- talk about clever twists! Several that I did not see coming, kept me reading quickly.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.