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Decent People
From Center for Fiction First Novel Prize winning author De'Shawn Charles Winslow, a sweeping and unforgettable novel of a Black community reeling from a triple homicide, and the secrets the killings reveal.
In the still-segregated town of West Mills, North Carolina in 1976, Marian, Marva, and Lazarus Harmon-three enigmatic siblings-are found shot to death in their home. The people of West Mills-on both sides of the canal that serves as the town's color line-are in a frenzy of finger-pointing, gossip, and wonder. The crime is the first reported murder in the area in decades, but the white authorities don't seem to care or have any interest in solving the case.
Fortunately, one person is determined to do more than talk. Ms. Jo Wright has just moved back to West Mills from New York City to retire and marry a childhood sweetheart, Olympus “Lymp” Seymore. When she discovers that the murder victims are Lymp's half-siblings, and that Lymp is one of West Mills' leading culprits, she sets out on a transformative manhunt to prove his innocence.
As Jo begins to investigate those who might know the most about the Harmons' deaths, she starts to discover darker secrets than she'd ever imagined, and a pattern of cover ups-of racial incidents, homophobia, and medical misuse-that could upend the reputations of many.
For readers of American Spy and Bluebird, Bluebird, Decent People is a powerful new novel about shame, race, money, and the reckoning required to heal a fractured community.
In the still-segregated town of West Mills, North Carolina in 1976, Marian, Marva, and Lazarus Harmon-three enigmatic siblings-are found shot to death in their home. The people of West Mills-on both sides of the canal that serves as the town's color line-are in a frenzy of finger-pointing, gossip, and wonder. The crime is the first reported murder in the area in decades, but the white authorities don't seem to care or have any interest in solving the case.
Fortunately, one person is determined to do more than talk. Ms. Jo Wright has just moved back to West Mills from New York City to retire and marry a childhood sweetheart, Olympus “Lymp” Seymore. When she discovers that the murder victims are Lymp's half-siblings, and that Lymp is one of West Mills' leading culprits, she sets out on a transformative manhunt to prove his innocence.
As Jo begins to investigate those who might know the most about the Harmons' deaths, she starts to discover darker secrets than she'd ever imagined, and a pattern of cover ups-of racial incidents, homophobia, and medical misuse-that could upend the reputations of many.
For readers of American Spy and Bluebird, Bluebird, Decent People is a powerful new novel about shame, race, money, and the reckoning required to heal a fractured community.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2023
217 people are currently reading
18579 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
February 26, 2023
This book is set in the same small North Carolina town as the author’s “West Mills”, but it does not appear to be a sequel. Although I own a copy of “West Mills” I have not read it, and I’m not sure that I ever will. In this book the siblings Marian, Marva and Lazarus Harmon are murdered in their home shortly after Jo Wright has returned to her home town from New York City. Jo is planning to marry Olympus “Lymp” Seymore, the half brother of the Harmons. Lymp immediately comes under suspicion because of his estrangement from the victims and his recent argument with one of them. Since the police don’t seem very interested in solving the murder of a Black family, Jo begins to investigate.
This book is not really a murder mystery. The murder is just an excuse for the revelation of numerous instances of racism, homophobia and hypocrisy in West Mills. Why anyone would want to return to this stultifying town after having escaped it is beyond my comprehension. Jo’s investigation consists of her asking a lot of questions. There are several suspects, but they are all eliminated. Marva and Lazarus were somewhat strange, but had no enemies. It turns out that the pediatrician Marian was a money-grubbing wicked witch of the west and pretty much everyone who encountered her would want to murder her. However, West Mills is not a hotbed of violence, and the resolution of the crime really came out of nowhere. So, the mystery wasn’t very satisfying and I did not find the characters compelling. 3 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
This book is not really a murder mystery. The murder is just an excuse for the revelation of numerous instances of racism, homophobia and hypocrisy in West Mills. Why anyone would want to return to this stultifying town after having escaped it is beyond my comprehension. Jo’s investigation consists of her asking a lot of questions. There are several suspects, but they are all eliminated. Marva and Lazarus were somewhat strange, but had no enemies. It turns out that the pediatrician Marian was a money-grubbing wicked witch of the west and pretty much everyone who encountered her would want to murder her. However, West Mills is not a hotbed of violence, and the resolution of the crime really came out of nowhere. So, the mystery wasn’t very satisfying and I did not find the characters compelling. 3 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
January 24, 2023
De’Shawn Charles Winslow plucks at the tension between urban and rural anxieties in his latest novel, “Decent People.” Fans of this talented young author will recognize the setting from his 2019 debut, “In West Mills.” Once again, we’re back in North Carolina on the African American side of a presumably sleepy community. But while “In West Mills” moves through decades of travails, “Decent People” is a murder mystery set amid a thicket of secrets. Don’t think of this as a sequel so much as an expansion of the terrain. Winslow is already showing enough dexterity and ingenuity to make this town his Yoknapatawpha.
On the opening page, Josephine Wright leaves Harlem and returns to her childhood home in West Mills, N.C. She’s so happy to be back that she “could have kissed the ground,” Winslow writes. It’s 1976, and after surviving almost half a century in New York and a string of disappointing men, Josephine is ready to retire in this nostalgic setting and marry her old friend Olympus “Lymp” Seymore.
That dream doesn’t last long.
Josephine barely unpacks before she gets word that Lymp has been accused of gunning down his three half siblings in their home. Nobody can fathom such carnage in little West Mills. “Don’t nothin’ like that happen here,” says one of the many worried townsfolk. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
On the opening page, Josephine Wright leaves Harlem and returns to her childhood home in West Mills, N.C. She’s so happy to be back that she “could have kissed the ground,” Winslow writes. It’s 1976, and after surviving almost half a century in New York and a string of disappointing men, Josephine is ready to retire in this nostalgic setting and marry her old friend Olympus “Lymp” Seymore.
That dream doesn’t last long.
Josephine barely unpacks before she gets word that Lymp has been accused of gunning down his three half siblings in their home. Nobody can fathom such carnage in little West Mills. “Don’t nothin’ like that happen here,” says one of the many worried townsfolk. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...
January 4, 2023
Do you like Mystery? This is what I would call one of the cozy mysteries that people always rave about but written by a Black man. I enjoyed the whodunnit vibe it gave the entire book and the dialogue between certain characters always had an element of “tea”.
November 21, 2022
De’Shawn Charles Winslow’s second novel brings us back to West Mills and some of the memorable characters we fell in love with in his first novel. Winslow crafts a complex mystery that will keep you turning pages until the very end. I couldn’t put t down!
September 3, 2022
A historical mystery set in the same town as Winslow's previous novel. This isn't a procedural, more of a character driven piece exploring segregation, class, and homophobia in 70's North Carolina.
When a Black pediatrician and her two siblings are murdered in their home, the first suspect is their half brother Lymp. This is a problem for Jo, engaged to Lymp, freshly back from Harlem and ready to settle and start fresh. She wants to get to the bottom of it to clear Lymp's name and finds all kinds of suspects.
We don't stay with Jo long, instead we move from one character to another, getting to learn each of their stories, like Esther, the mother whose worries about her son's sexuality led her to seek out help from the dead doctor, and Savannah, the white woman who left her family for a Black man and has fallen out with her best friend, one of the dead women.
For literary readers it will be a more satisfying read. For mystery readers, the main problem is that each time we dive into a character's story we learn enough to rule out suspects instead of finding more. Focusing on who did it pulls away from what the book is trying to do. I almost would have preferred it if we hadn't had Jo's focus on investigating and just let the story play out.
When a Black pediatrician and her two siblings are murdered in their home, the first suspect is their half brother Lymp. This is a problem for Jo, engaged to Lymp, freshly back from Harlem and ready to settle and start fresh. She wants to get to the bottom of it to clear Lymp's name and finds all kinds of suspects.
We don't stay with Jo long, instead we move from one character to another, getting to learn each of their stories, like Esther, the mother whose worries about her son's sexuality led her to seek out help from the dead doctor, and Savannah, the white woman who left her family for a Black man and has fallen out with her best friend, one of the dead women.
For literary readers it will be a more satisfying read. For mystery readers, the main problem is that each time we dive into a character's story we learn enough to rule out suspects instead of finding more. Focusing on who did it pulls away from what the book is trying to do. I almost would have preferred it if we hadn't had Jo's focus on investigating and just let the story play out.
April 6, 2023
Interesting understated mystery that kind of creeps up on you.
Dealing with issues of racism, homophobia it does as great job of showing different hidden sides of people just hidden below the service.
The mystery side is driven by the characters and not by action.
Dealing with issues of racism, homophobia it does as great job of showing different hidden sides of people just hidden below the service.
The mystery side is driven by the characters and not by action.
February 8, 2023
This was really good. I loved the characters and the dialogue and interactions between them. I’ve fallen in love with audiobooks and Bhani Turpin does this one perfectly.
August 13, 2025
I think that this book has been misclassified as a mystery and is really just a historical fiction book where there is a death at the beginning of the book setting off the events. It is more of an exploration of life in this small town in 1970s North Carolina
March 8, 2023
How can murder be this boring?
March 24, 2024
Decent People is a good murder mystery with well written characters. The story deals with heavy issues like racism and homophobia. The plot flowed smoothly. Enjoyable read.
October 23, 2022
The author returns to West Mills, North Carolina in this follow-up to his debut of the same name. On the surface, not much has changed - the quaint town, nestled in the woods, remains an afterthought to any type of major progressive change. The legacy of Jim Crow-era segregation is reflected in the residential divide - Whites live in the East and the Blacks in the West, yet everyone knows everyone (including their personal business and family relations). This point is illustrated in this dramatic-mystery when Josephine (Jo) Wright after years of living “up North” opts to retire to her birthplace (West Mills) and settle with fiance, Olympus (Lymp). The action begins immediately upon her arrival - the town is reeling in the aftermath of the brutal triple homicide of Lymp’s (half-) siblings whereby he’s the prime suspect.
In some aspects, reading this book was eerily similar to a “Murder She Wrote” episode, where Jo, a woman with a disappointing history with men, seems determined to prove Lymp’s innocence despite some internal doubts. She begins her own investigation of sorts when she feels the police have incorrectly targeted Lymp and slandered the African American victims (one being a prominent physician from a reputable family with no criminal history) as stereotypical drug dealers. All the characters have layered pasts and it is Jo’s questioning of the witnesses and suspects that reveal secrets (old and new) and tons of juicy gossip.
What’s done in the dark always comes to light – however, I thought the mystery was solved rather abruptly and anti-climatically with no real surprises; but yet satisfying enough. This was an easy, entertaining read if you like folksy, downhome, simplistic drama. I’m a fan of the author and look forward to the next release.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.
In some aspects, reading this book was eerily similar to a “Murder She Wrote” episode, where Jo, a woman with a disappointing history with men, seems determined to prove Lymp’s innocence despite some internal doubts. She begins her own investigation of sorts when she feels the police have incorrectly targeted Lymp and slandered the African American victims (one being a prominent physician from a reputable family with no criminal history) as stereotypical drug dealers. All the characters have layered pasts and it is Jo’s questioning of the witnesses and suspects that reveal secrets (old and new) and tons of juicy gossip.
What’s done in the dark always comes to light – however, I thought the mystery was solved rather abruptly and anti-climatically with no real surprises; but yet satisfying enough. This was an easy, entertaining read if you like folksy, downhome, simplistic drama. I’m a fan of the author and look forward to the next release.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.
April 3, 2023
You'd think three murders in a small town would make for an interesting read, but I found myself trudging through each page. I should have stopped reading but I thought it would get better. It didn't.
When a highly-respected doctor, her sister and her brother are gunned down in their home, lots of suspects come to light. It seems everyone hated the doctor and had reasons to do away with her - but her whole family?
Jo is on the case. When her boyfriend is targeted as the murderer, she is determined to find the real story.
I think I was so bored because the same story was told so many times, in a few different ways, but SO MANY TIMES! I figured out the culprit way before it was announced - and that's never good.
You can expect dark secrets, small-town gossip, peach donuts, drugs, racists, teenage boys, a shitty "cure" for gayness and a yellow Mustang.
When a highly-respected doctor, her sister and her brother are gunned down in their home, lots of suspects come to light. It seems everyone hated the doctor and had reasons to do away with her - but her whole family?
Jo is on the case. When her boyfriend is targeted as the murderer, she is determined to find the real story.
I think I was so bored because the same story was told so many times, in a few different ways, but SO MANY TIMES! I figured out the culprit way before it was announced - and that's never good.
You can expect dark secrets, small-town gossip, peach donuts, drugs, racists, teenage boys, a shitty "cure" for gayness and a yellow Mustang.
December 9, 2024
Ugh that ending felt so lackluster and honestly I had to speed up the audio just to get through it.
Definitely felt like the story was dragging for a good while…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2023
It's 1976, and Josephine is moving back to the small town of West Mills in North Carolina. She has been gone since her mother moved her and her brother away to NYC when they were children. She's recently retired from her career and is looking forward to settling down in her childhood home and marrying her fiance, Lymp. Just as she moves home, LP's three half siblings are murdered and the people in town are tripping over each other pointing the finger at their neighbors that might have had a motivation to kill the three. Full of small town secrets, racial tensions, greed and dysfunctional families. This has several of the elements of a cozy mystery and was an enjoyable read. I'm hoping that Winslow writes more about the fascinating characters he has created in this community.
March 8, 2023
This book was a dud for me. I was really hoping to enjoy it. I think the classification (thriller) was were it went wrong. I was waiting to be thrilled. Unfortunately I was just bored.
March 19, 2023
not my typical read but enjoyed (ty book club) !!!! a cautionary tale about giving ur neighbors death threats in public parking lots
August 29, 2023
In the small, segregated town of West Mills, North Carolina, three adult siblings are found shot to death; local law enforcement doesn't really seem interested in a real investigation (presumably because the siblings were black), but the talk about town is that Lymp Seymore, their half sibling, did it. His fiancee, Jo, who recently relocated to the area from New York City, is disgusted that community members are whispering about something she thinks can't be true, so she sets out to find some real answers.
This is the kind of literary mystery that's really more about the people than the mystery - so there's no suspense to speak of, but there is a lot of character depth and it leaves you considering a lot of issues, about how we self-protect when it comes to our secrets/shames, about how talk about town/opinions/assumptions can really affect individuals' lives, about segregation/racism and the inequities in the justice/law enforcement system. You do get a bit of an amateur sleuthing feel, with Jo trying to clear Lymp's name. While she doesn't always get straight answers from the townspeople, her experiences show the reader a lot about small town life, bigotry, racism, and homophobia, and the perspectives of other characters lets the reader in on the fears they have about their secrets in one of those areas being revealed.
It moved pretty slowly and sometimes I felt like the straightforward narrative tone and the way the dialogue was written didn't let me feel like I could really sink in to the characters and feel them as three-dimensional people (maybe had something to do with the 1970s setting? also something to do with how I couldn't quite connect with just how immensely personally anyone seemed to take it if someone slighted a family member?) but overall thought it was well-written and another interesting angle on some themes I've really liked in different formats this year, about crime investigation and what it's like to be blamed for something unfairly and the racial/economic status disparities of it all, and about doubt/thinking about whether we really know our families/neighbors and what they're capable of.
3.5⭐️
This is the kind of literary mystery that's really more about the people than the mystery - so there's no suspense to speak of, but there is a lot of character depth and it leaves you considering a lot of issues, about how we self-protect when it comes to our secrets/shames, about how talk about town/opinions/assumptions can really affect individuals' lives, about segregation/racism and the inequities in the justice/law enforcement system. You do get a bit of an amateur sleuthing feel, with Jo trying to clear Lymp's name. While she doesn't always get straight answers from the townspeople, her experiences show the reader a lot about small town life, bigotry, racism, and homophobia, and the perspectives of other characters lets the reader in on the fears they have about their secrets in one of those areas being revealed.
It moved pretty slowly and sometimes I felt like the straightforward narrative tone and the way the dialogue was written didn't let me feel like I could really sink in to the characters and feel them as three-dimensional people (maybe had something to do with the 1970s setting? also something to do with how I couldn't quite connect with just how immensely personally anyone seemed to take it if someone slighted a family member?) but overall thought it was well-written and another interesting angle on some themes I've really liked in different formats this year, about crime investigation and what it's like to be blamed for something unfairly and the racial/economic status disparities of it all, and about doubt/thinking about whether we really know our families/neighbors and what they're capable of.
3.5⭐️
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February 8, 2023Atlanta Journal-Constitution review:
Interconnected family secrets, a whodunit murder mystery and the unshakable remnants of
bigotry spin North Carolina author De’Shawn Charles Winslow’s second novel “Decent People”
into an introspective and big-hearted examination of small-town Southern life. Returning to the
setting of his 2019 debut “In West Mills,” Winslow’s standalone work “Decent People” picks up
in 1976 when West Mills’ first Black doctor is murdered, along with her two siblings, and
follows three women who possess vastly different interests in the case.
Josephine “Jo” Wright left West Mills as a girl. Now retired, she’s returning to marry her old
schoolmate Olympus “Lymp” Seymore. Jo is shocked when Lymp is named a suspect in the
cold-blooded murders of his three half-siblings and sets out on a mission to clear her fiancé’s
name. She discovers that Eunice Manning Loving, a character Winslow resurrects from “In West
Mills,” had an altercation with Dr. Marian Harmon shortly before her death. Further
investigation reveals that Savannah Temple Russet, a white widow shunned by her family for her
interracial marriage, also threatened one of the dead siblings. And her father who owns property
the doctor was leasing had words with her as well...
See THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION for the full review: https://www.ajc.com/life/arts-culture...
Interconnected family secrets, a whodunit murder mystery and the unshakable remnants of
bigotry spin North Carolina author De’Shawn Charles Winslow’s second novel “Decent People”
into an introspective and big-hearted examination of small-town Southern life. Returning to the
setting of his 2019 debut “In West Mills,” Winslow’s standalone work “Decent People” picks up
in 1976 when West Mills’ first Black doctor is murdered, along with her two siblings, and
follows three women who possess vastly different interests in the case.
Josephine “Jo” Wright left West Mills as a girl. Now retired, she’s returning to marry her old
schoolmate Olympus “Lymp” Seymore. Jo is shocked when Lymp is named a suspect in the
cold-blooded murders of his three half-siblings and sets out on a mission to clear her fiancé’s
name. She discovers that Eunice Manning Loving, a character Winslow resurrects from “In West
Mills,” had an altercation with Dr. Marian Harmon shortly before her death. Further
investigation reveals that Savannah Temple Russet, a white widow shunned by her family for her
interracial marriage, also threatened one of the dead siblings. And her father who owns property
the doctor was leasing had words with her as well...
See THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION for the full review: https://www.ajc.com/life/arts-culture...
May 12, 2023
3.5 stars. The novel doesn’t really work as a mystery, but the story provides rich opportunities for the examination of small-town prejudices and social divisions based on race, class, sexuality, and gender as illustrated in the lives of the characters. The author is a bit heavy-handed in his messaging, and nothing is too surprising in the plot, but I found this mostly engaging and a satisfying follow up to Winslow’s previous novel, In West Mills.
January 18, 2023
In West Mills, North Carolina, three siblings are found dead at the foot of their staircase: two sisters and a brother. One sister is a Pediatrician. Around town there are very strong feelings about Doctor Marian. People dislike her. The good lady does not seemed concerned about whether she is liked or not. The chapters are titled by a character's name. There are whispers about the selling of drugs or some illegal care given to those who have become addicted.
The reaction to the murders by the community is an irritant. Hearing such horrible news leaves every one extremely controlled. No one gasps, no one cries, no one collapses no one acts shocked. Black people usually react more loudly about deaths especially violent deaths and multiple deaths. Here in West Mills it is as if three boxes of Girl Scout cookies have landed at the wrong address. Perhaps, these folks carry their shock in a different way. By the time of the funeral, moods will have probably changed. It is an original novel. I find myself worried about La Roy. What about you?
It is still compelling to read about how the wealthy deal with emotional pain. Does their money soothe them? It is a very good novel about neighbors and clans.
The reaction to the murders by the community is an irritant. Hearing such horrible news leaves every one extremely controlled. No one gasps, no one cries, no one collapses no one acts shocked. Black people usually react more loudly about deaths especially violent deaths and multiple deaths. Here in West Mills it is as if three boxes of Girl Scout cookies have landed at the wrong address. Perhaps, these folks carry their shock in a different way. By the time of the funeral, moods will have probably changed. It is an original novel. I find myself worried about La Roy. What about you?
It is still compelling to read about how the wealthy deal with emotional pain. Does their money soothe them? It is a very good novel about neighbors and clans.
April 22, 2023
(Lady Gaga voice) That’s gossip.
It’s a small and juicy small town whodunnit that I enjoyed along the way for the characters and the depiction of the town but the reveal of who in fact dunnit very much left me going “oh……okay.”
It’s a small and juicy small town whodunnit that I enjoyed along the way for the characters and the depiction of the town but the reveal of who in fact dunnit very much left me going “oh……okay.”
February 25, 2024
Interesting murder mystery set in small town North Carolina in the mid 1900’s!
Found at a cute bookshop in Houston called Kindred Spirits!
Found at a cute bookshop in Houston called Kindred Spirits!
January 13, 2023
I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
3.5 stars rounded up. There are a lot more layers to this book than the blurb suggests. It raises some important topics of the time period. Some reveals I didn’t see coming. I would have gone with a full four stars, but the ending was rushed. More explanation could have been given for why the person did it. There were still loose ends with some characters. Also, there were a lot of characters introduced in the beginning, and it took awhile to keep track of them. I do hope this book gets recognition, though. I would recommend it to friends.
3.5 stars rounded up. There are a lot more layers to this book than the blurb suggests. It raises some important topics of the time period. Some reveals I didn’t see coming. I would have gone with a full four stars, but the ending was rushed. More explanation could have been given for why the person did it. There were still loose ends with some characters. Also, there were a lot of characters introduced in the beginning, and it took awhile to keep track of them. I do hope this book gets recognition, though. I would recommend it to friends.
March 13, 2023
This book reiterates why I dislike the mystery genre. Every chapter devoted to Jo and her amateur sleuthing seemed so absurd. The discovery of the killer and why was such a colossal let down. I was tempted to bump my rating up a star because I liked the back stories for Eunice and Savannah, but I simply couldn't justify a rating that equates to "it was ok" when I didn't enjoy the book in its entirety (I was on the verge of giving up after the second chapter).
March 13, 2023
Just an incredible read. An intricate novel of the Deep South wrapped in a page-turning mystery. Loved it.
April 30, 2023
I love the book and the author. De'Shawn grew up a mile from me. Can't wait to tell his mom how much I enjoyed the book
January 28, 2023
Josephine (Jo) Wright retires from Harlem, New York and returns to her hometown, West Mills, North Carolina. It’s a tiny town, and it’s 1976. Upon her return, her fiancé, Lymp, is the main suspect of murdering the town’s Black physician, Marian Harmon, along with Marian’s brother and sister. Why? Because Lymp lives next door to them, and he’s Marian’s half-brother. Plus, Lymp had asked Marian for a loan a while back, and he trashed-talked her. The white authorities have little interest in investigating the murders. They are happy to arrest Lymp and be done with it.
Jo decides to sleuth her way into figuring out who killed the trio and why. This is a small town, and everyone knows everyone’s business. Plus, it’s a segregated town, with the canal as the dividing line in town.
Being that it’s 1976, no one is “woke” as they are now. Racism is rampant. Author De’Shawn Charles Winslow adds another component: a gay black boy. In 1976 it was believed that there was a “cure” for queer. Dr. Harmon just happened to have a “cure” to “have the gay removed”. In an NPR interview, Winslow stated that although his own parents didn’t do any formal “cure” for him, they did try to force him to do more “masculine” things but gave up. Winslow also stated that he writes these characters so that readers can understand them better.
What Jo discovers is a small town full of racism, greed, shame, cover-ups, illicit affairs, and finger pointing. While she attempts to clear Lymps name and reputation, she discovers a list of suspects who have reason for murder. This is an interesting whodunit in that it’s really a study of a community.
I listened to the audio, narrated by the amazing Bahni Turpin. I highly recommend the audio.
Jo decides to sleuth her way into figuring out who killed the trio and why. This is a small town, and everyone knows everyone’s business. Plus, it’s a segregated town, with the canal as the dividing line in town.
Being that it’s 1976, no one is “woke” as they are now. Racism is rampant. Author De’Shawn Charles Winslow adds another component: a gay black boy. In 1976 it was believed that there was a “cure” for queer. Dr. Harmon just happened to have a “cure” to “have the gay removed”. In an NPR interview, Winslow stated that although his own parents didn’t do any formal “cure” for him, they did try to force him to do more “masculine” things but gave up. Winslow also stated that he writes these characters so that readers can understand them better.
What Jo discovers is a small town full of racism, greed, shame, cover-ups, illicit affairs, and finger pointing. While she attempts to clear Lymps name and reputation, she discovers a list of suspects who have reason for murder. This is an interesting whodunit in that it’s really a study of a community.
I listened to the audio, narrated by the amazing Bahni Turpin. I highly recommend the audio.
February 18, 2024
In 1976 a reputable Black doctor, and her two siblings, are murdered in the small town of West Mills, North Carolina. The obvious suspect is their estranged half-brother, Olympus, but his fiance, Jo, is determined to prove he didn't do it, and as she does an unofficial investigation of her own, she discovers that there are many people that have reasons to want the Harmon siblings dead.
This was fantastic! While it is labeled as a thriller, and I guess it technically is, this was far more character driven than the standard plot driven thrillers I'm used to. This was much more about this small town and the lives of people in it. De'Shawn Charles Winslow expertly balanced issues of racism, homophobia, and classism while weaving in intricate relationships among the townspeople. This was full of emotionally charged relationships that I was really invested in! And the short 260 page count kept this moving a great pace!
This was fantastic! While it is labeled as a thriller, and I guess it technically is, this was far more character driven than the standard plot driven thrillers I'm used to. This was much more about this small town and the lives of people in it. De'Shawn Charles Winslow expertly balanced issues of racism, homophobia, and classism while weaving in intricate relationships among the townspeople. This was full of emotionally charged relationships that I was really invested in! And the short 260 page count kept this moving a great pace!
January 27, 2023
It’s 1976 in the still-segregated town of West Mills N Carolina, and two sisters and a brother are found shot to death in their home. Their half-brother Olympus (Lymp) is the main suspect having been heard just days before threatening to kill them. He is taken into police custody but, without enough evidence, he is released but many in the town still think he’s the culprit. His fiance, Josephine Wright isn’t altogether sure of his innocence herself but is determined to find out the truth and there are plenty of others who were seen having heated words with the sisters just prior to the murders.
Decent People is the second book by De’Shawn Charles Winslow but the first I’ve read and it works quite well as a standalone. It is at once a compelling mystery and an interesting portrait of race, class, and family in the ‘70s American south. The story is divided between various povs but it is easy to keep them separate. A well-written, well-plotted tale that grabbed me from the first page and kept my interest throughout.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Decent People is the second book by De’Shawn Charles Winslow but the first I’ve read and it works quite well as a standalone. It is at once a compelling mystery and an interesting portrait of race, class, and family in the ‘70s American south. The story is divided between various povs but it is easy to keep them separate. A well-written, well-plotted tale that grabbed me from the first page and kept my interest throughout.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
January 30, 2023
"#DecentPeople" is a terrific read! My first novel by Mr. Winslow, but I'll be visiting his first novel "In West Mills". I loved these characters - their hubris, their passion, their confusion and their secrets. Just good people trying to do the right thing, however subjective their "right" might be (I'm talking to you, Eunice!). Heartbreaking to see how they try to live within the confines thrust upon them by 1960s society, yet these folks do a great job of maintaining their humanity despite such huge odds. The white folks, not so much. They appear to be looking out for #1, and only #1. Sigh. Heavy, heavy sigh.
All said, an excellent book, highly recommend.
P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.
All said, an excellent book, highly recommend.
P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.
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