The Death of Sweet Mister
Daniel Woodrella
Read by Nicholas Tecosky

Hachette Audio
April 24, 2012 / ASIN: B007WZU8J4
Noir Fiction / Audiobook (Unabridged) - Appx 4 hours, 50 minutes
Amazon

Reviewed by Jo Rogers

The Death of Sweet Mister is not a story about physical death as you might think, but it's the story of the death of innocence. Sweet Mister is the nickname Shug Akins' mother, Glenda, gave him. Shug had grown into a lonely thirteen-year-old boy, sad and overweight. He lives with his mother and, sometimes, his "father." He's not too sure Red Akins is really his father, but that's what his mother told him.

With Glenda, you couldn't be sure. She was a pretty woman with black hair, brown eyes, milk-white skin and a slender figure. She had a way of making a man feel special, so men loved her. Red did, and called her his wife. He was away often, either on a crime spree or in prison. When he was at home, he made life miserable for Shug, calling him "fat boy." He was capable of violence, beating both Shug and Glenda when he lost his temper. In that respect, he was true to the color of his red hair, a bomb with a short fuse.

Then, Glenda met Jimmy Vin Pearce, a kind man with a green Thunderbird and nice clothes. Glenda called him when she was in a desperate fix and she needed help. He always came through, with rides, food or money, whatever she needed.

"The Death of Sweet Mister" is a poignant story of abuse, violence and has an end that the characters don't want, but seem driven to have. The story is set in the Ozarks, with all the social dysfunctions for which the area is famous. Glenda needs a man to provide for her since she is an alcoholic. Shug has to do the work if Glenda has any hope of keeping a job. The characters are true-to-life as the plot moves to its agonizing end. Listen to The Death of Sweet Misterand enjoy.