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Sinners Plunged Beneath That Flood
Sixteen-year-old Jenn is struggling to cope with her best friend’s disappearance and the deadly trailer fire that preceded it. When Jenn's only other close companion is thrust into the adult world without her, Jenn begins her own investigation into the strange happenings plaguing her small Oklahoma town. She crosses paths with Sheriff Douglas Taylor, a lawman trying to hush murmurs of a church deacon-turned-meth dealer motivated by ecstatic visions and a hunger for material power. Before long, mysterious threats force the sheriff to weigh his own reputation as a hero against his ideas of security, as the deacon’s wife, Charlotte, seeks solace in novelty and considers the ways the old man will haunt the county and consume its working poor. Charlotte, Sheriff Taylor, and Jenn each find themselves then beneath a flood of shadow in the autumn months of 1998, and it is only there that they begin to make sense of their changing worlds.
- GenresFiction
268 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2022
3 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
G.D. Brown
1 book5 followersG.D. Brown has worked as a literary editor and as an award-winning newswriter. His debut novel, Sinners Plunged Beneath That Flood, is available now through Leftover Books. His other literary work has appeared in or is set to appear in The Woven Tale Press, COUNTERCLOCK, Abandon, Full Stop, Oyster River Pages, The Champagne Room, Jokes Review, Westview, PopMatters, Oracle Fine Arts Review, The Tulsa Voice, and elsewhere. He is a Goddard College MFA graduate and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 21, 2022
I'd write a longer review but all I can think, in the freshness of the end, is that I won't be okay for a long time about this book.
August 30, 2022
I am stunned by the magnitude of quality GD Brown produced with this first novel. I felt like readers are not afforded the privilege of turning away from the haunted lives of these characters in the way that we are conditioned to shield our sympathy from those whose pain and fear doesn’t fit into our ‘empathy aesthetic’. There’s no cute bow tied around the end of this story and if there had been it wouldn’t have been realistic. I am fumbling with words to describe how much I loved this book- but it has stuck with me since I finished it, and I predict it will stick with me for a while. Y’all need to read this one.
January 9, 2023
This was an excellent book that left me with a lot to think about - namely about how we react to injustices in the world around us, and the intertwined, corrupt, systemic forces that perpetrate those injustices. Elements of the story reminded me of "No Country for Old Men" as well as the "Watchmen" tv series. Like those stories, this book deals in some grim realities lying beneath the surface of rural America, but even though the plot is unsparingly bleak at times, I was really, really drawn in by the subtly beautiful prose threaded throughout.
August 10, 2022
I received a preorder copy. This is an incredible read! It is very well written & from the minute I opened the book I was hooked. Mr Brown has incredible talent. This book will captivate you, and will be hard to put down once you pick it up.
June 17, 2022
Compelling, powerfully written novel that peels back layers of decay and corruption in a remote Oklahoma county through the lens of a high school girl whose best friend disappears under mysterious circumstances and a Sheriff running out the clock until retirement.
October 6, 2025
Wow. This one was chilling. Not so much in the way of imbuing fear, but in describing a cold world so well that you can feel it on your skin. I don’t feel like there was a wasted word in this book, and feel myself wanting more. Phenomenal. 10/10.
July 31, 2022
This book really hit home with me, living in the general area in which the novel takes place. It flows well and is easy to read. I had problems putting it down. This book includes picturesque descriptions of rural Oklahoma and provides a, at times, heart wrenching look into the very innermost being of the main characters that leaves you cheering them on or agonizing their pain as they search for their own truth.
June 15, 2023
Reviewed by Sean Wolf on www.rowanglassworks.org.
G.D. Brown’s Sinners Plunged Beneath that Flood is set in the dreary backdrop of a small Oklahoma town of Mayes County in the autumn of 1998—given life by the tantalizing group of characters who are thrust into solving this small town’s disappearances and other strange happenings.
In the opening lines of Sinners Plunged Beneath that Flood, Brown plants seeds into the reader’s mind by placing them in media res, teasing them with a glimpse into the characters, setting, and plot: “The fall of Jenn's senior year of high school, she learned that a person could be missing without having been gone for 48 hours, among other things. The leaves were brown and crunchy then, shriveled letters from the summer sun to warn of the coming cold” (1). In just the first few opening lines, Brown has the reader asking innumerable questions - those that can only be answered by delving deeper into the wayward world he builds throughout the novel.
One of the most captivating aspects of this novel is how Brown succeeds in developing the characters for such a tantalizing and high-anxiety story. A standout of the bunch is Jenn, who finds herself thrust into solving the disappearances happening in the town. Jenn is such a tangible and relatable character because she is driven by the disappearance of her best friend Ava, and this is highlighted continuously throughout the novel with amazing moments of characterization: “She hadn’t yet crossed the street in front of the convenience store, though, before her tears burned through the anger and returned to their previous, sad state. She ran through her memory to find Ava’s face, but that space was blank. It had become a series of disjointed pieces from different jigsaw puzzles instead of the familiar picture of her friend.” (149). The myriad moments of great detail and emotion put forth by Brown make it so much easier to empathize with Jenn and the other protagonists – especially in the darker moments of the novel where hope seems like such a faraway concept.
As the reader finds themselves dumbfounded by the disappearance of Jenn’s best friend, Ava, by the end of the first chapter, more surprises and layers of the mystery unfold through Brown’s effective world-building. Brown is careful with the language he uses in describing the setting and people of Mayes County, making the town itself feel like its own character, whose mere presence is a dark, foreboding cloud over its denizen: “The town fell under the shadow of empty promises and smiles about new ranches and dollar stores” (41).
Brown also challenges readers' ideas of religion and the clergy, with the First Assembly of God Church of Branch Creek also holding an oppressive presence over Jenn and the other protagonists. The church is first framed in the novel as churches normally are: a safe-haven for those affected by tragedy. With the town’s recent high numbers of disappearances, many of the townsfolk go there to seek salvation and peace of mind. However, this church and its clergy may be holding secrets far worse than can be imagined - and readers will be shocked at the revelations that are slowly and agonizingly presented to the reader.
Brown has a great technique for slow-burn, roping the reader in and leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that one must follow throughout the narrative. This just makes the shocking conclusion all the more tragic. Though the text throws a lot of information at the reader in the first couple of chapters, I never found myself bored, but instead more inquisitive at each new modicum of information put forth. Characters who are revealed to readers early on who seem like nonchalant, run-of-the-mill townsfolk become titans to Jenn as she tries to unwrap the mystery of the strange happenings around her. Readers may feel that they almost can’t trust any of the characters, as you are always on the edge of your seat wondering when the next tragedy will strike and who will be responsible for it.
Sinners Plunged Beneath that Flood is not for the faint of heart, but the mere precision in story-telling and world-building make it a stellar and worthwhile read. It’s a novel great at creating questions and challenging readers' ideas of the preconceived good and bad. Much like Brown’s characters, readers will come out a different person from this novel than they were going in. As you read, you’ll ask questions you desperately need answers to; and once you're met with those answers, you’ll regret asking at all.
G.D. Brown’s Sinners Plunged Beneath that Flood is set in the dreary backdrop of a small Oklahoma town of Mayes County in the autumn of 1998—given life by the tantalizing group of characters who are thrust into solving this small town’s disappearances and other strange happenings.
In the opening lines of Sinners Plunged Beneath that Flood, Brown plants seeds into the reader’s mind by placing them in media res, teasing them with a glimpse into the characters, setting, and plot: “The fall of Jenn's senior year of high school, she learned that a person could be missing without having been gone for 48 hours, among other things. The leaves were brown and crunchy then, shriveled letters from the summer sun to warn of the coming cold” (1). In just the first few opening lines, Brown has the reader asking innumerable questions - those that can only be answered by delving deeper into the wayward world he builds throughout the novel.
One of the most captivating aspects of this novel is how Brown succeeds in developing the characters for such a tantalizing and high-anxiety story. A standout of the bunch is Jenn, who finds herself thrust into solving the disappearances happening in the town. Jenn is such a tangible and relatable character because she is driven by the disappearance of her best friend Ava, and this is highlighted continuously throughout the novel with amazing moments of characterization: “She hadn’t yet crossed the street in front of the convenience store, though, before her tears burned through the anger and returned to their previous, sad state. She ran through her memory to find Ava’s face, but that space was blank. It had become a series of disjointed pieces from different jigsaw puzzles instead of the familiar picture of her friend.” (149). The myriad moments of great detail and emotion put forth by Brown make it so much easier to empathize with Jenn and the other protagonists – especially in the darker moments of the novel where hope seems like such a faraway concept.
As the reader finds themselves dumbfounded by the disappearance of Jenn’s best friend, Ava, by the end of the first chapter, more surprises and layers of the mystery unfold through Brown’s effective world-building. Brown is careful with the language he uses in describing the setting and people of Mayes County, making the town itself feel like its own character, whose mere presence is a dark, foreboding cloud over its denizen: “The town fell under the shadow of empty promises and smiles about new ranches and dollar stores” (41).
Brown also challenges readers' ideas of religion and the clergy, with the First Assembly of God Church of Branch Creek also holding an oppressive presence over Jenn and the other protagonists. The church is first framed in the novel as churches normally are: a safe-haven for those affected by tragedy. With the town’s recent high numbers of disappearances, many of the townsfolk go there to seek salvation and peace of mind. However, this church and its clergy may be holding secrets far worse than can be imagined - and readers will be shocked at the revelations that are slowly and agonizingly presented to the reader.
Brown has a great technique for slow-burn, roping the reader in and leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that one must follow throughout the narrative. This just makes the shocking conclusion all the more tragic. Though the text throws a lot of information at the reader in the first couple of chapters, I never found myself bored, but instead more inquisitive at each new modicum of information put forth. Characters who are revealed to readers early on who seem like nonchalant, run-of-the-mill townsfolk become titans to Jenn as she tries to unwrap the mystery of the strange happenings around her. Readers may feel that they almost can’t trust any of the characters, as you are always on the edge of your seat wondering when the next tragedy will strike and who will be responsible for it.
Sinners Plunged Beneath that Flood is not for the faint of heart, but the mere precision in story-telling and world-building make it a stellar and worthwhile read. It’s a novel great at creating questions and challenging readers' ideas of the preconceived good and bad. Much like Brown’s characters, readers will come out a different person from this novel than they were going in. As you read, you’ll ask questions you desperately need answers to; and once you're met with those answers, you’ll regret asking at all.
April 2, 2023
G.D. Brown's novel, Sinners Plunged Beneath the Flood, is a crime story mixed with some spirituality. This is the story of a high school senior named Jenn who wants to find out what happened to her best friend Ava. She seeks help from another best friend by the name of Matthew, nicknamed Scribbles, who just happens to have his own problems and issues to deal with like his parents leaving him behind. They live in a small town named Branch Creek in Mayes County. This town is run by Sheriff Taylor, who also has various personal and professional issues to try and understand and figure a way to move on. In addition, he has outstanding cases to solve to make the community happy with his way of doing things. Jenn is growing up, and she has many questions to ask about the search for Ava. Jenn also in learning to deal with other issues in the home, school, and the community. She is looking for answers, and she starts to find some, but she needs help. Will she get help in time?
Opinion:
G.D. Brown has written a book that is well-detailed that makes this novel a great show and tell story that can have the reader visualize each of the scenes, as when Jenn is at the Sonic, when she is in school or at home, and when she is at the sheriff's office, etc. This story is quite psychological, but towards end, it does become a bit more spiritual even for the main character of Jenn. When reading the story, I at times felt sorry for Sheriff Taylor and Scribbles for what they were dealing with in their lives; some say that's life in a small town. The situations presented in the story to me really are all about how to keep friendships any way we can. G.D. Brown wrote a story to make you think about becoming more involved in various causes or cases and think before you leap into anything.
Opinion:
G.D. Brown has written a book that is well-detailed that makes this novel a great show and tell story that can have the reader visualize each of the scenes, as when Jenn is at the Sonic, when she is in school or at home, and when she is at the sheriff's office, etc. This story is quite psychological, but towards end, it does become a bit more spiritual even for the main character of Jenn. When reading the story, I at times felt sorry for Sheriff Taylor and Scribbles for what they were dealing with in their lives; some say that's life in a small town. The situations presented in the story to me really are all about how to keep friendships any way we can. G.D. Brown wrote a story to make you think about becoming more involved in various causes or cases and think before you leap into anything.
August 14, 2022
Sinners Plunged Beneath That Flood, by G.D. Brown, is centered around the sheriff of a small Oklahoma town, a teenage girl who is determined to find her missing friend, a drug-dealing church deacon, and his wife. This novel is a heartbreaking and brutally honest look into what could be any town, and anyone, thrown into a circumstance that they cannot get out of. I found myself feeling sorry for the sheriff, who some would call corrupt, but he was really a man with limited choices in a dangerous situation.
Sometimes, good people do bad things and bad people are seen as good – even as a savior. This novel pulls you right into a story that the characters can’t get out of, and is told with expert narration. I found myself questioning what I would have done in a similar situation, and realized that there is no easy answer. An excellent read.
Sometimes, good people do bad things and bad people are seen as good – even as a savior. This novel pulls you right into a story that the characters can’t get out of, and is told with expert narration. I found myself questioning what I would have done in a similar situation, and realized that there is no easy answer. An excellent read.
July 1, 2025
A haunting, simmering portrait of forgotten and ignored America with deeply flawed characters trying to justify their role inside of it. A beautifully written and tragic slow burn of a story.
February 15, 2025
A demented slice of religion, small town crime and personality.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews