Book Review: Last of the Dixie Heroes

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Last of the Dixie Heroes     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Peter Abrahams
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Psychological Suspense   Thriller
Ballantine, Jun 2001, $24.95, 304 pp.

In Atlanta, Roy Hill believes he is living the American dream. He married the girl he loves and cherishes his eleven-year-old son Rhett. He is rapidly moving to the top at Chermerica Corporation.

However, Roy’s dream quickly turns into a nightmare. His wife leaves him for someone else and his son is turning violent and angry because a bully threatens him. To make matters even worse, Roy loses his job due to a merger of his company with another. His job becomes redundant.

Depressed, Roy joins his friend Gordo at a Civil War reenactment scene. He begins to spend his weekends at the reenactment sites because he believes that 1863, the only date in these Confederate reenactments, is a nicer period than his "real" life. Roy’s preference for the past soon leads to real bullets and perhaps a second battle for Atlanta with no General Sherman around.

LAST OF THE DIXIE HEROES is an exciting psychological thriller of an individual whose life is spinning so out of control he chooses to live it in the past of his great-grandfather. The story line is fast-paced and surprisingly, Peter Abrahams has created a story with less gore than usual. The spellbinding Peter with his descent into insanity makes the tale work in spite of major shortcomings of several of the secondary cast members. Mr. Abrahams shows much growth as a writer since A PERFECT CRIME.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner