The Little Friend

, by Donna Tarte, goes in a direction I did not expect. It's surprisingly suspenseful. I thought it would be more of a coming of age story than suspense novel. The imagery is fantastic. And having lived in the South, I feel like the attitudes and customs were accurately captured. (which should be expected from someone who grew up in Mississippi) The subtlety of the racism isn't really a plot point, it's just there. It's part of the environment and the backdrop of the story....it's not about that. Recommended read.