Blue Ridge

by T.R. Pearson

Book Overview

Ray Tatum is the new deputy sheriff of Hogarth, Virginia, until the discovery of a nearly complete set of human bones on the Appalachian Trail. Meanwhile, Ray's cousin, Paul, is summoned to New York to identify another body--the corpse of his son, whom he barely knew. A New York Times Notable Book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0141002166
• ISBN13: 9780141002163
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 10.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

After a long wait, a departure

T. R. Pearson departs the style that made him a favorite of mine, reminiscent of sitting on a porch with a glass of tea, listening to a series of raconteurs spinning yarns and gossip. His previous books, all set in the same imaginary County, flowed in a honeyed stream, causing more than one bursts of laughter. Now this more conventional yet totally original book has surfaced. And I for one am glad.

Very Enjoyable!!!

This was one great read, I am definitely going to check out Mr. Pearson's other books! "Blue Ridge" is really two stories alternating. One involves a new deputy sheriff investigating a death with the help of a high-string (female) park ranger near the Appalachin Trail in Virginia. (Right here the book had me, because these circumstances echoed the works of Bill Bryson and the transcendent Sharyn McCrumb.) The other story concerns a man who is summoned to New York City to identify what is supposed to be the body of his murdered son, whom he had never met. This man is visited by some very bad, yet elegant and polite, people who the dead son was involved with. The man is taken on a sort of tour of the city, much against his will, and there is some real suspense as to what the outcome of this trip will be. Mr. Pearson writes in such a whimsical and lyrical way, you can just hear the people speaking. I love his description of the deputy's aunt, a terrible cook, who expects him for dinner every week. Of the two stories, the New York story is more involving . The deputy's story is flavorful but not so involving, becoming more of a feisty romance. I highly recommend this wonderful novel, you will find yourself re-reading descriptive sentences over and over for the sheer pleasure of reading!

Excellent

Unlike all the other reviewers before me, I was not awaiting T.R. Pearson's novel, "Blue Ridge". In fact this novel is the first Pearson novel I've read, and I was well pleased. The novel actually consists of 2 stories that are not related, except that they have parallel themes. Ray Tatum joins the Hogarth VA sheriff's department and discovers a skeleton on the Appalachian Trail. He must solve the murder with the help of Kit Carson, a black woman with the park service. His story is told in third person. The other story is about Ray's cousin, Paul, an actuary, who travels from Roanoke to New York City to identify the reamins of an illegitimate son that he fathered back in the 1970's. His story is told in first person with Paul as the narrator. Each is story is captivating, and the characters are all well-drawn. I especially enjoyed the local characters in Hogarth County. Pearson has a gift for rich characters and strong plots. He is a writer that I intend to read again. "Blue Ridge" is an excellent novel.

Worth the Wait

Seven years is a long time to wait for a new book from a favorite author, but T.R. Pearson is worth that much time and more. His last novel, "Cry Me a River," appeared in 1993, and represented a sharp break in style from his earlier novels (especially the Neeley trilogy.) "River" surprised readers by using the framework of a crime novel to tell a story of human loss and longing.In "Blue Ridge," Pearson once again uses the crime novel to muse on the human heart, although he far exceeds the requirements of the genre in his flawless and witty writing and his thoughtfully realized characters. The story is divided into two parts: Ray Tatum, the newest member of the Hogarth, VA., Sheriff's department, must get to know his new neighbors the hard way: by discovering if one of them is a killer. Meanwhile, his cousin Paul, an actuary, travels to New York City to identify the remains of the illegitimate son he hardly knew. Ray's story is told in the third person, with the narrative point-of-view occasionally shared by Park Ranger Kit Carson. Paul speaks for himself, narrating events that grow increasingly far-removed from his tidy actuarial world.The two stories never intersect, but they share the theme of identity and belonging (or not-belonging.) The two murders are solved, as the genre seems to require, although traditional crime fans might find the solutions unsettling. But, as in any Pearson book, the pleasure is in the journey, not the arrival.

Oh, the Joy!

After waiting for what seemed like forever, my life has been blessed with a new work from T. R. Pearson! Once again, I was able to curl up and visit with the good Southern people of my heritage. Mr. Pearson's grasp of eating, speaking and BEING Southern has once again left this Georgia boy (now in the north) yearning for a good cup of chicory coffee laced with a hefty dollop of gossip. Pearson sets the standard by which I judge all other contemporary Southern novelists...and usually find them lacking.If you're from the South, or were raised by Southerners, this book is for you. If you're from the North, read this one anyway...it will further your education! :-)