SPANISH MOSS
(A Robineux Mystery)
By E.A. Cook
Rogue House Publishing
169 pages
Sometimes the story of how we
received a particular book can be as interesting as the book itself. Several weeks ago we walked into a very small
local bookstore. You know the kind, they
make most of their income in selling or trading used books. As we had a stack of such that were taking up
way too much space in our office, we thought we’d stop by this little store and
donate them to the owner. We will never
just trash a book, we love them too much. Thus this way they would hopefully
end up in the hands of other bibliophiles like us and along the way provide a
little sustaining income to the owner of the shop.
The charming lady who operated the
store was happy to take the books off our hands, especially seeing the
immaculate condition they were still in and we entered into a nice conversation
about what we both liked to read.
Finally, as we were starting to say our goodbyes, she held up her hand,
walked over to a shelf and picked up this small book with a light green
cover. She then explained it was written
by a local writer here Fort Collins
and she wanted us to have it. She
personally thought it was very well written.
And now on to our review of E.A.
Cook’s “Spanish Moss.” The protagonist,
Calvin, has been physically abused by his father most of his young life. When the man attempts to rape him at the age
of fifteen, Calvin kills him in self-defense and runs away. Via hitch-hiking, he wanders aimlessly
through the south for several years until one night he’s picked up by a sexual
predator. In his attempt to flee, the
boy causes car to crash off a bridge and into the waters of a dark and
foreboding swamp. Hours later, while
crouched on the limb of a tree; he is rescued by a Cajun named Esteen
Robinaux. Sensing the boy’s fear and
fragility, Esteen brings him to his mother, Miss Jovetta Robineux. Gifted with “the sight,” Miss Jovetta
welcomes young Calvin into their lives and informs him that he now has both a
home and a family for as long as he wants one.
Having never known such kindness,
the lad accepts cautiously but soon learns there is nothing phony about the
Robineux, they are exactly what they appear to be, good and loving people. In time he also meets Esteen’s only child, a
beautiful young woman named Sophie who happens to be a Medical Examiner for the
parish. It is through her Calvin
discovers the tragedy that befell the Robineuxs when Sophie’s mother, on a trip
to New Orleans,
was brutally raped and murdered. The
killer was never found. As his new life
progresses, Calvin begins to mature in both body and mind. Both Miss Jovetta and Esteen provide him with
sage life lessons while Sophie, a third-degree black-belt in Kenpo karate,
teaches her adopted brother how to defend himself properly.
Upon turning eighteen, Calvin decides
that the best way he can repay them is to go to New Orleans and hunt down the monster that
killed Camille Robineux. Though saddened
by this, the family respectfully accepts to his decision. They send him off with their prayers and well
wishes. At this point, Cook’s narrative
becomes a true mystery as Calvin, now calling himself Vin, starts his
investigations in New Orleans
by contacting newspaper reporter Jack Turpin and Police Detective Liam Nation,
both familiar with the old case. The
plot is convoluted and ultimately twist and turns on itself like a crazy
pretzel demanding that the reader stay alert as each new character brings a new
clue to the unfolding drama. Cook’s
depiction of the city and its popular landmarks add an authentic layer to this
fast paced story and there is very little wasted wordage. His writing is lean and mean, delivering an
abrupt but satisfying climax.
In the end, this little tome works nicely
as an introduction to a cast of colorful characters we’d very much like to see
return. Vin Robineux and his remarkable family
certainly deserve an encore.
