Recently Tom had left a high pressure prestigious Mobile law firm to open his own practice. Lacking the rainmaker personality skills, he limps along working about twenty hours a week. This is brought to a halt when a call from his mother tells him that Hall is dead.

When Tom returns home he finds his mother is being kept in the dark about what happened, as his father confides that Hall was murdered and his body was dragged from the river some three days later.

This is Mike Stewart’s debut novel. The parts of the novel that pertain to the intricate workings of the law remind us that he is a practicing attorney. And Stewart sets his scene with minute descriptive detail. Long and complicated sentences are used in the presentation of every facet of each setting. However, the author journeys where few go when he outlines, and then specifies in detail the many unspoken understandings which are just taken for granted in some small southern towns. For example the relationship between elected law enforcement officials and leading business owners…

Relying on this unstated relationship with the sheriff, Sam has him share his entire police report with Tom and to brief Tom on their office’s knowledge of Hall’s nefarious doings. Soon Tom’s investigation takes him within Hall’s circle of acquaintances, lover and friends. This has predictable ramifications for Tom as he soon becomes a target.

The strength of Sins of the Brother is the structure of the very complex plot and the total immersion into the culture of a small southern town. In many ways, it is also the weakness, as the plot in places becomes slightly overcomplicated and the scene descriptions can become ponderous.

The characters are developed only to the extent needed for the roles they play. Other dimensions of their character are pretty much left to the reader’s imagination.

This is apparently the first of a series featuring Tom McInnes. One hopes that now that the scene is set, the sequel will be less weighty. But still… Sins of the Brother is an interesting read, and particularly intriguing if you want to know more about small rural southern towns.

--Thea Davis