Merrick McKnight is a recent victim of the downsizing of The Democrat, the newspaper published in his town in the Florida Panhandle. As the tale opens, he finds himself in a somewhat questionable relationship [although that might be glorifying it a bit] with a married stripper working one of the apparently numerous stripper bars and like establishments in the area. The area itself, Panama City and Panama City Beach, at the moment finds itself inundated with bikers there to attend its annual spring biker rally, the eponymous Thunder Beach. The author describes the Hathaway Bridge, giving onto the port of Panama City, as something which “connects two worlds – - one of dreams, of paradisiacal fantasies, of concrete condos, giant houses built on sand; the other, of small town sensibilities, deep South traditions, of papers mill and port and public Protestantism.” The “feel” of the Florida Panhandle is wonderfully evoked.
McKnight, fortunately, still teaches two classes at the local college, one in writing, one in philosophy, although he won’t be able to sustain any kind of existence if that doesn’t change soon. Dealing with his professional and personal problems is only complicated when a young woman who he cares about deeply finds herself in jeopardy, and he will go to any lengths to protect her.
The author effectively doles out tidbits that are intriguing, before furnishing the reader with more backstory information on his protagonist. Suffice it to say that things are not always as they initially appear. Another interesting technique has been implemented in that there are no formal chapters, only a couple of lines of extra space added at appropriate junctures.
The book ultimately turns out to be quite a page-turner, one which I unexpectedly consumed in only several hours after I opened it, and it is recommended.
[It should perhaps be noted that the book has also been released in hardcover, ISBN 978-1-935562-04-7, $24.95]
