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Pillars of Salt

By: J.A. Adams
Published by: Atmosphere Press
Publication Date: August 2021
ISBN: 978-1-63752-825-9
Reviewed By: Amy Lignor
Review Date: October 30, 2021

Harvey Doucet committed suicide; something no one would have ever assumed a die-hard Catholic and successful businessman would ever do. One of his sons, Major Harvey “H” Doucet Jr., asks for an emergency leave when he hears this horrific and confusing information, and travels from North Carolina to Louisiana in order to discover the real truth.

Doucet Drilling, his father’s company, is also under the intense pressure of dealing with a tragedy when “H” arrives. An oil rig they owned and operated mistakenly drilled into a salt mine, collapsing the mine and killing numerous workers. Sapphire Salt sues Doucet and a partner company, Calco Oil – each of which blames the other for the error-filled map that caused the accident in the first place.

Joining his dead father’s bodyguard, Placide, H brings about an investigation into Harvey Sr.’s demise. From a car that tries to run him off the road; to an explosion that was meant to take H and Placide’s lives, the duo end up searching for answers in Memphis – uncovering evidence of a fraud. As more secrets come to light, even H’s Aunt Ethel and Uncle Louis are threatened, and another odd, unexplainable “suicide” occurs.

Victor, the youngest Doucet son, also has a large part to play in the tale, bringing about even more barriers and drama to stand in his brother’s way. Add this to quite literally stunning descriptions of the Louisiana landscape and lives lived there, and you end up applauding the author for the clear, concise reality that brings the reader in and keeps them there until the last page comes to a close.

The book is an enjoyable read that keeps readers’ attention with plot twists, Louisiana locales, and real depictions of political and business corruption. In addition, the main character learns about the good souls that some people own, allowing him to put his father on a pedestal while convincing everyone that Harvey Sr. was a man to be appreciated and not slandered. Combined with danger, cliffhangers, and thrilling encounters where the hunters become the prey in the blink of an eye, Pillars of Salt is a fast-paced read that hits upon everything from greed to fraud...to all out murder.

Quill says: Whether a reader who craves the ultimate visual scenes, or a thriller-fan who loves to guess at the next step, Pillars of Salt is a book you will truly enjoy!