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Critic's Corner
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"Back when it happened, back in 1972, there wasn't an adult in the county who didn't know every detail of the crime. "Lige Haney, editor of the DeClare Democrat, kept the story on the front page for months . . . But none of the news had the staying power of murder and abduction—a young mother stabbed to death, her ten-month-old son missing—the worst crime ever committed in DeClare, Oklahoma." Almost 30 years after the sensational crime in DeClare, a young man, Dr. Mark Albright, waits in a Los Angeles airport for his flight which will take him to Tulsa, Oklahoma. From Tulsa he will rent a car and drive to DeClare, a small town in eastern Oklahoma. Mark is hesitant about the trip, "Once he even grabbed his bag and left the terminal, but he changed his mind. Again." Mark is torn about the trip because he's not sure he should be going. He'd only recently found out that he was adopted. A fact his parents never revealed to him in all his years. Now, both his parents are dead. Mark found his birth certificate in his father's old trunk along with a copy of the adoption record. Although he's a successful veterinarian in Beverly Hills and has a good life, curiosity pushes him to find his birth mother—Gaylene Harjo. "Shoot the Moon," is Billie Letts' third novel. She is the author of numerous highly acclaimed short stories and screenplays. Her first novel, "Where the Heart Is, won the Walker Percy Award, sold more than three million copies, and became a major motion picture. Her second novel, "The Honk and Holler Opening Soon," was a featured alternate of The Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club, and was named the first "Oklahoma Reads Oklahoma" selection. Letts is a former professor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and lives in Oklahoma with her husband, Dennis. "Shoot the Moon" is Letts at her very best. As in her other works, she uses humor to relieve tension and heighten characterizations. But in this story of small town Oklahoma she adds a dimension of mystery and intrigue that is sure to make "Shoot the Moon" a bestseller. Her voice is distinctively Oklahoma and this lends credibility to each of her characters. The writing style is polished and yet has a southern charm that draws you in and hugs you like an old friend. When Mark Albright arrives in DeClare, he has no idea what a hornet's nest he is about to stir up. The elderly domino players at Teeve's Place might say this stranger in town is about to Shoot the Moon—take all the tricks in a domino parlay. Teeve Harjo is the ex-wife of one Navy Harjo who just up and took off one day leaving Teeve and her daughter Ivy to fend for themselves. This she did, thank you very much, by making Navy's old domino parlor into a place where both old and young could enjoy themselves. Navy Harjo is a brother of Gaylene's and a half brother to Arthur McFadden. Mark meets the town folks one by one. He's careful not to reveal why he's come to DeClare and this naturally causes a bit of a stir among the locals. O Boy Daniels, the sheriff, is a rough customer who is particularly interested in why Mark is asking questions about Gaylene Harjo. O Boy (yes, that's his nickname) has good cause to be concerned. O Boy investigated the death of Gaylene and the disappearance of her little son Nicky Jack. He's a wife beater and a bad father to his only child Kippy who has downs syndrome. Rowena Whitekiller, was Gaylene's lifelong friend, but is hesitant to talk to the man asking questions about Gaylene. After all, her friend died so long ago and she couldn't figure out why anyone would want to bring up such a horrible event now. Mark is shocked to learn that his birth mother has been murdered. He also learns that Joe Dawson was accused of her murder but never got to the courthouse. Joe committed suicide with the very knife that killed Gaylene. Joe's son Amax doesn't believe his father was guilty and has spent years trying to prove him innocent. Arthur McFadden, a man with a cold blue-eyed stare, talked with Mark and had nothing good to say about Gaylene. Arthur owns and operates the local radio station. A business his ex- wife left to him with one stipulation that he keeps her alcoholic, drugged-out son, on the staff. She left Arthur and returned to Atlanta. Not much humor in Arthur's life, but there's not a lot of sympathy for him either. McFadden's stepson, Kyle is as described above but has quite a different take on Gaylene Harjo than his stepfather. Mark is understandably shocked by all the events he learns about his mother, but the mystery thickens, like grits left on the stove too long, when he starts questioning just who in DeClare might be his father. The news that Nicky Jack Harjo aka Mark Albright is back in town travels through town and across the state like a prairie fire. In any small town like DeClare, no one can keep a secret too long. That's what most folks think, but someone in DeClare has kept more than one secret regarding Gaylene and her murder. As Mark investigates his mother's murder and questions the identify of his father, a story unfolds sure to shock even the good old boys at Teeve's Place. I know it shocked me and I've reviewed way too many mystery novels to have any shock left uncovered. Letts knows how to spin spirals and twists as strong as a spring tornado. "Shoot the Moon" is not only a wild and wooly mystery, but it holds a love story that is as tender as it is surprising. Brava to Billie Letts for yet another slice of Americana that goes straight to the heart. Copyright July 2004, all rights reserved Save Up to 30% on this book at Amazon.com Jones is a published writer and book reviewer for Tulsa World newspaper. To comment on this review you may email pattij777@aol.com |
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Shoot
the Moon
