Jack Kean Books

Being a librarian in Mississippi I deeply appreciated Mr. Kean humorous view of life. I personally know several men for whom this is the first book they read since high school and that wasn't yesterday.
This is THE funniest book I've read in years.
It brings understanding to the male-female relationship. We women have wondered for years, "Why don't you just stop and ask?" Now we can know. That mournful groan we get when we ask our man to stop at the grocery store and pick up one simple little item has been explained.
This is a must read for anyone who needs a good laugh or wants an in-depth look at the workings of the male brain. S.K. Conner

This book by Malcolm Boyd is truly insightful. Death and dealing with different deaths are the main focuses, but the book weaves a tapestry that is neither simple nor surface. This book is not only for the elderly and is recommended reading for everyone.

A tale of murder, friendship, and protective family ties, this straight-forward, no words wasted, novel set in Purdy, Mississippi leaves the reader wondering just "who done it" and why! A border-line racist theme does not dimish the story of plodding lawyer, Vernon King, more loyal than astute, who goes way out on a limb for his friend, charged with the murder of an infant and the burning of a black church. An easy and enjoyable one-sitting read - especially considering that this is the first novel Jack Kean has written - you won't put it down until you turn the last page!

In rural Mississippi, attorney Vernon King enjoys his laidback lifestyle that enables him to lie in his hammock on most afternoons. However, Vernon's idyllic life is disturbed when arson destroy a nearby black church. The Feds, state, and local officials are all over the place trying to determine whether a hate crime was committed. The FBI interviewed Vernon twice during the two-week investigation.

Vernon's life becomes more complicated when the Feds arrest his neighbor dairy farmer Bill Wall for committing the crimes. However, the worst charge turns out to be murder as the body of a two-year old was found in the rubble. Bill hires Vernon to serve as his attorney. As Vernon struggles with a hostile media, ugly mobs, and the judicial system looking for an easy target, he also feels under confident as federal law differs from his area of expertise, Mississippi state law.

DEADLY SACRIFICE is an exciting regional legal thriller that will please sub-genre fans. The story line is very entertaining though at times Vernon pontificates about outside influence hurting the New South. Still, he is a warm, down home individual, and the support cast, for the most part, are fully developed people who bring the region to life. Jack Kean provides a superb tale that will give pleasure to sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner