For those of you who missed this week’s announcement about the release of my latest novel, “Deep Blood,” this summer, see the 7 February post below. And here’s a little more info on some of the characters in the story:
Colt Harper: Sheriff of Lowndes County, Mississippi. Marine Corps veteran. Met John Carver in boot camp; Colt and John became friends and fought together in the Gulf War. When they lost mutual friend “Moonpie” Jones in the war, Colt took out his revenge on the Iraqis on the Kuwaiti border — an event that only he and John discuss, and only obliquely. He’s separated from his wife, Irene and currently seeing Lydia, who lives in an apartment in Columbus. Like most of the things in his life, Colt isn’t putting a lot of effort into the relationship.
John Carver: Chicago native, Colt’s best friend. Made his first trip to the Deep South to serve as Colt’s deputy. Big, strong and black, he doesn’t feel comfortable in Mississippi. He’s perplexed both by a culture he views as mostly white and mostly racist and by his boss’ apparent inability to separate himself from that culture.
Winston Harper: Colt’s father. Marine Corps veteran, too. An unrepentant alcoholic who spent most of his life being thrown into and bailed out of jails in north Mississippi and Alabama. Lives alone in a rented house (that he sometimes pays rent on) and stays in contact with Colt, even though their relationship is damaged beyond repair.
Irene Harper: Colt’s estranged wife. Irene considers herself a “proper” woman and is bitter toward Colt for the failure of their marriage — to which she contributed.
Lydia: Colt’s current girlfriend. A runaway from Houma, La., Lydia survived by dancing in New Orleans and Mississippi strip joints until she wound up in Mississippi, broke from a cocaine habit and looking for way out. She thinks she’s keeping Colt in the dark about her frequent breaking of the law regarding the possession and use of marijuana, but she’s not.
Rhonda Raines: A high school friend of Colt’s and the mother of Clifford, whose body Colt discovers at Lake Lowndes. Rhonda graduated from Ole Miss before returning to Columbus, where she raised Clifford as a single working mother. She and Colt share a deep friendship that each has acknowledged in the past and are still trying to fully understand.
Donelle: A friend of Clifford’s and apprentice hoodlum. Harbors a deep-seated resentment toward Colt and the entire Harper family.
Gideon Hayes: public defender and Donelle’s lawyer. Has known Colt since childhood and has the ability to get on Colt’s nerves just by showing up.
I’ll be posting updates here, so be sure to check in often. Also, check out the Wade Stuart novels via the “My Books” link at the top of the page.
Phillip Thompson 