Quick-ish: "Lightwood" by Steph Post

Quick-ish: Lightwood by Steph Post, 2017, 9781943818303.

Post's second novel had a very appreciative review by Crimespree magazine so I requested this novel. It's a straight forward novel of crime, love, and revenge with the middle son of a small Florida crime family coming home after prison.

Judah did a few years in Starke without any visits from family or friends. He exchanged a few letters but was alone. When he gets out of prison he has no one to pick him up either. Judah ends up walking and hitch hiking his way back to Silas, FL. Judah goes to his hometown not because he wants to but because he has no where else to go.

Fortunately, after Judah has been during some celebratory/nothin-else-to-do drinking his lifelong pal Ramey. The beautiful Ramey has never been a romantic interest but immediately becomes one. Judah sees things looking up but cannot avoid his mean father, Sherwood, any longer.

Things happen as Sherwood has Judah assist in robbing a nearby, small-time biker gang of drug proceeds. Sherwood is informed of the cash transit by the nephew of a holy roller preacher who deals in loansharking and other shenanigans. When the bikers cannot pay off their debt to the preacher even more trouble ensues.

The story ends up a four way fight among Judah/Ramey, Sherwood and his other son, the bikers, and the preacher, Sister Tulah.  It's a love story of Judah and Ramey wrapped up with Judah's anger at his abusive father and revenge for the bikers who end up putting Judah's other brother in a coma.

I enjoyed the story. I think Ramey is a better female character than the ones I usually read about. Judah is surprisingly stable for someone who just got out of prison, has an abusive family, drinks too much, and has not real job experience. The biker gang is a small town outfit of only seven or so guys. The gang is on it's last legs with a Club President who is not cut out for the job.

Comments:
1. M14 rifle love.
2. Car love.
3. Lots of cigarettes.
4. Florida forests.
5. "Bucking your controlling parents who might just murder you" love.