I'm a huge lover of mysteries, whether it be found on television or in the pages of a book. The first fact I learned about "The Bottoms" was this: it was required reading in my college Intro to Literature class. As an English major, this made me interested in it immediately. The second fact I learned was that it was a mystery. As a huge mystery fan, this made me ECSTATIC.
"The Bottoms" tells the story of a young boy, Harry, growing up in East Texas during the 1930's. After staying out too late on a dark night, he and his younger sister come across a horribly cut up body of an African American woman. To his surprise, no one except his own father seems to care enough to investigate. It isn't until the body of a white woman, killed in an identical way, does the town begin to intervene in their own way (which, to them, is lynchings and involving the KKK). Harry decides he must stop the madness and he, his sister, his grandma, and his almost paralyzed dog go on a secret investigation to find the perpetrator.
When I first opened it up and started, it moved kind of slow. However, it eventually picked up the pace, and became a very interesting read. It's like "To Kill a Mockingbird" meets a very violent episode of "Criminal Minds". It gives a very realistic (and sometimes graphic) depiction of the tension between two races during the 30's, all while giving a thrilling, multiple homicide mystery to keep up with at the same time. Although it's far from Harper Lee or Agatha Christie, it's an intriguing read that will keep you on the verge of tears and on the edge of your seat all at the same time.