Mayhem in Mayberry: Misadventures of A P.I. in Southern Appalachia

by Brian Lee Knopp

As a licensed private investigator in western North Carolina, Brian Lee Knopp could outrun enraged pit bulls, slink unseen and unheard through the tangled forests, and find missing evidence in the bottom of a dumpster. To get the goods on his subjects, he would perch in trees, lie motionless for hours in camoflage, drive rented sports cars and U-haul trucks, ride horses and bikes, even paddle whitewater kayaks. He could talk his way out of almost every predicament imaginable--except how to succeed as a P.I. without failing as a human being. Mayhem in Mayberry is a fearless, take-no-prisoners account of P.I. culture, an unforgettable portrait of personal loss and failure, and a blistering ride through Southern Appalachia. Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat,Pray,Love, praises the "I love this author and I love this book! Brian Lee Knopp is one of the most natural writers I've ever encountered, and he tells this all-to-true story with sinewy wit and sublime grace . . . ."

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Brian Lee Knopp is teaches nonfiction writing for the Great Smokies Writing Program at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Before becoming a writer, Knopp was a private investigator. Before that, he was a sheep-shearer.

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a delightful, descriptive account of the (mis)adventures of the author as he set about investigating cases for local law firms and insurance companies. The investigatees are not the "Paris of the South" types who hang out at downtown Asheville's Friday night drum circle or cruise the Parkway on their Honda Goldwings. These are the gritty mountain people who are suspicious of outsiders, who strive to maintain their privacy at all costs and who, largely, prefer to live by their own rules. Because this area has been my "backyard" for years now, I'm very familiar with just how difficult it can be to go into these communities and not arouse suspicion. I found the language descriptive; the stories delightful, and the book as a whole, well-written. I chose this book because it's been a best seller at our local independent bookstore for some time now, and I can see why - it's an engaging read, and really captures the essence of the "old timey" western NC that's dying a slow death due to the internet, cable TV, and the like.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book challenged me to continue it - because at first, I found it to be a collection of disjointed stories, with many of them leaving me wanting for more; like there was a missing resolution to many of the stories. That changed when I got toward the end of the book - specifically with The Winds of Shock. I think I re-read that chapter at least three times before moving on; I won't spoil it, but something about that chapter really resonated with me and changed my perspective on this book.

There's reviewers in here that object to the characterization of the people in Western North Carolina, and I'm not going to discount those concerns, but you have to remember the people that Brian would have interacted with throughout his time as a PI. As someone that has lived in Western North Carolina for the better part of two decades, and performed AR collection services for the first four years being here, he's not misrepresenting the elements that you encounter in these kinds of professions.

All in all - I enjoyed this book and found his writing style to be engaging with some really good stories, many of which I would have loved to have had additional closure on.

[Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up at Malaprops in 2014 but it sat on my shelf for almost 15 years. (Sorry Mr. Knopp - I've been busy!)

Wish I'd read it sooner because it's really entertaining and informative, especially if you have any familiarity at all with WNC.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because 1) It's set in Western North Carolina 2) I loved the author photo (going up in a chairlift with his girlfriend to Ghost Town in The Sky). I really wanted to like this. Knopp's a good writer, with tons of material (he recounts his years as a private investigator in the Blue Ridge). Unfortunately, there's little cohesion--snippets in place of what could've been interesting narratives. Knopp has a gift for the phrase and the sentence, and clearly is talented. I just wish I'd gotten more.

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very entertaining nonfiction essays about a private investigator in Western North Carolina. If you ever thought it would be fun or cool to be a PI, this book will disabuse you -- hours and hours of unpleasant tedium marked by bonechilling terror when people who do NOT want to be monitored or served papers pull guns on you or when junkyard dogs try to rip your face off.

This book would be of particular interest, I think, to North Carolinians.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how this signed copy came my way, but it did. This is a memoir by a former PI in western North Carolina. There were some amusing stories, but didn't quite tip me fully into the "I liked it" from "It was okay", but was close so I rounded up. Could related to some of the characters he ran into, because I've seen some of the same, or their cousins, in my time up in the mountains.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little short and fast. I thought all of the chapters could be expanded quite a bit, but the stories were captivating, especially since they take place right in my general neck of the woods. BLK has a very keen sense of what defines different types of mountain folk and brings them alive in this book.

[John Sorensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read a book about a real-life Private Investigator. I wanted to actually read about what it was like - not the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum version that is 100% fiction. I wanted real-life, somewhat mundane, occasionally exciting - this is what it is like. This book delivered in spades. The quality of writing and metaphors truly made this a fun read.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sublime...perfect blend of wit, humor, and extremely poignant. So true to the North Carolina I know. If you find fault with Mr. Knopp's view of this beautiful state then you do not really see the beauty, wonder, and strange diversity that it encompasses. Highly recommend.

[Joel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amusing, kind of frustrating, I would have liked longer stories, not so many snippets

[Roscoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would highly recommend

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading it, yet didn't love it. There were some chapters I could have done without - I didn't understand why they were in the book.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using short anecdotes & chapters, the author recounts his life as a private investigator in the south. This is an interesting, literate, brief memoir.