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The story of a conflict between
two families extending over two generations
up to a present of sometime in the 1930’s.
The young hero, Kinloch Armstrong, confronts
mysteries of the past because his wife,
a newcomer to the area and its local history,
makes friends with the opposing family. A
drinking party she goes to without him
results in a night time wreck and the death
of a local man. As the past gradually comes
to light, the two families once again become
involved in revelations, hatreds, conflicts
and (finally) resolution.
The setting—a small, dusty Mississippi
town—is, I still feel, very faithfully rendered,
as is the surrounding country, and many
of the minor characters are vivid.
At the time the novel appeared it
was widely praised, though many saw
evidences of Faulkner influence, etc.
The Theatre Guild showed interest
in basing a play on the characters and plot.
It was re-issued by McGraw-Hill in hard
cover in 1968, and by Avon in paperback
in the mid-eighties. Both now out of print.
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