Trestles over Darkness — C.C. Risenhoover

Racism, murder and the deep friendship that exists between a black man and a white boy drives this compelling tale set in post-World War II Louisiana. Not since C.C. Risenhoover's triumphant and uplifting novel WHITE HEAT has there been a more beautifully spun story of racial relationships in such a tumultuous era.

Twelve-year-old Johnny Tobin, who marches to a different drummer â€" and whose intellect, sense of humor and idealism drive some townspeople and the local Baptist preacher up the wall â€" is seemingly the only person interested in finding out who is responsible for the murders of an entire black family. When he enlists the help of his black friend, Ben Jim Cade, a man with a mysterious past, things get hotter than Hades.

The characters introduced in this fascinating and riveting book are as humanly flawed as they are unforgettable. They include a racist Baptist preacher with little knowledge of the Bible, a drunkard sheriff, a high-minded school principal caught up in an affair with the football coach's wife, and a Catholic priest banished to the small town for past sins. The coach's wife is not what she seems, nor is an ex-convict who builds caskets for the prison and sells bootleg whiskey.

When it comes time to take a stand, Johnny discovers that people who talk one way often act another â€" and logic is not always applicable when investigating murder.

If you like Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, you'll like Johnny Tobin. And you will be mesmerized by the strange and powerful conclusion of TRESTLES OVER DARKNESS.