Book Review: Blood in the Low Country by Paul Attaway

Book Title: Blood in the Low County
Book Author: Paul Attaway
Format: Paperback

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐) 

The first book review of 2021 is dedicated to Blood in the Low County. This book was hard for me to put down, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Reading Blood in the Low County was a good book for so many reasons. First, the book reminded me of one of my favorite shows that I like to listen to on Sirus XM: Forensic Files. I love Forensic Files because the mystery surrounding death is strategically unfolded for the audience. Attaway does the same with  Blood in the Low County. Second, the book presented a different dynamic between a mother and her sons. As a mother of three boys, I know how important my relationships with my sons are to me. However, Rose's relationship with her sons, Eli and Walker, irked my very core. Ultimately, Rose was a character that I could relate to because I am a single mother. However, as the plot unfolded, I began to loathe her. Rose was so consumed with validation from others that she neglected her husband, Monty, and her sons, Eli and Walker, Yet, in her eyes, she was the perfect Christian, mother, and wife.

When reading Blood in the Low County, I felt like I was experiencing the plot. Attaway made me forget my reality and transport me into the plot of the story. The twists and turns kept me engaged. At times, I was immersed in the text. The characters felt so real to me. I loved how the book portrayed the family dynamic. Whenever I thought that I had the plot figured out, Attaway made sure that I was wrong. I loved every moment spent reading Blood in the Low County.  

Even though Blood in the Low County is a fictional novel, the themes are very real. Attaway tackles very real themes without causing any triggers for its readers. Also, as a child of preachers, I appreciated the biblical references. I loved how Attaway exposed the very real experiences of Christians and how difficult it is to trust God when faced with hard situations. 

Overall, I highly recommend that you read this book. Blood in the Low County is well-written and engaging. Your book club will definitely enjoy discussing the details of this book. Have you read Blood in the Low County?

About the Book

Step back in time a bit. The year is 1973, and by all appearances, Monty Atkins has a wonderful life. Along with his wife, Rose, the girl of his dreams he met in college, they are raising two boys, Eli and Walker. Humble but competitive, Monty is slowly but steadily building a profitable and well-respected law practice in beautiful Charleston, SC. His hard work, steeped in a deeply engrained Protestant work ethic, is paying dividends in the form of a second home on Kiawah Island and membership in the exclusive Wappoo Country Club.Rose, an aspiring socialite, chairs committees and works tirelessly for her church and the school their boys attend. So, yes, Monty Atkins has a wonderful life, until he doesn’t. In a flash, everything changes when a brutal murder and a shocking betrayal turn their world upside down. Brewing beneath the surface lurks a conspiracy of lies about who they are and what they believe. The wellspring of deception and ensuing dysfunction that threaten to destroy all they have built is Rose’s past, a past she can’t outrun. In the hunt for the killer, Monty draws the ire of one of Charleston’s most prominent businessmen, who sets out to destroy him. Monty now faces a multi-front battle, one to save his family, one to save his business and one to save his life. Step back in time and immerse yourself in a taut, tension-filled thriller where the genteel veneer of life in the South lived by those for whom Sunday Bruch at the Club is as holy as that morning’s church service is stripped away.

About the Author

Paul was born and raised in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Paul and his wife, Lyn, met in college at Georgetown University and were married after Paul graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law. They moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1988 where Paul embarked on a thirty-year business career before retiring so he could write fiction. Paul and Lyn raised three children together in Phoenix and now split their time between Phoenix and Charleston, South Carolina.

 Blood in the Low County  is Paul Attaway’s debut novel. Writing this book, along with the move to Charleston, is a coming home of sorts, a return to the South. The history and culture of America’s South is rich, complicated, at times comical, sad, tragic, uplifting, and inspiring. Paul hopes that his novels can capture even a small bit of this tapestry.

Learn more about Paul Attaway by visiting his website: https://www.paulattaway.com.