Paris Trout

By Pete Dexter,

Book cover of Paris Trout

Book description

Pete Dexter’s National Book Award–winning tour de force tells the mesmerizing story of a shocking crime that shatters lives and exposes the hypocrisies of a small Southern town.
 
The time and place: Cotton Point, Georgia, just after World War II. The event: the murder of a fourteen-year-old black girl by…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked Paris Trout as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

It's a great novel. I have never seen the film made in the 90s. Evil abounds in the character of Paris Trout, a miserly user who preys on the black community. He will kill for twenty cents.

My experience of reading was bonding with his victims, one of them a young girl, feeling I was as helpless as she was against Trout’s relentless hatred. 

The value was bonding, witnessing, acknowledging this much badness, and measuring out the beauty of innocence, too. Again, I think it is one of the great American novels.  

Twelve Palominos

By Joe Kilgore,

Book cover of Twelve Palominos

Joe Kilgore Author Of Misfortune’s Wake

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

In a previous career, I traveled extensively to many parts of the world. I always found new cultures, old traditions, strange languages, and exotic environments fascinating. Perhaps even more fascinating, were the expats I found who had traded in their home country for an existence far from where they were born and different from how they were reared. In many instances, I’ve attempted to incorporate—in Heinlein’s words—this stranger in a strange land motif in my work. It always seems to heighten my interest. I hope the reader’s as well. 

Joe's book list on expat adventures

What is my book about?

San Diego Private Investigator, Brig Ellis, is hired by a wealthy industrialist to help him acquire the final horse in a set of twelve palomino miniatures that once belonged to the last Emperor of China. What begins as a seemingly reasonable assignment quickly morphs into something much more malevolent.

The gumshoe has to deal not only with brigands, kidnappers, and commies, but also with the beautiful, enigmatic daughter of the industrialist whose involvement raises the danger level exponentially. As complications and the body count rise, Ellis tries to make sure this ill-fated job won’t be his last.

Twelve Palominos

By Joe Kilgore,

What is this book about?

San Diego Private Investigator, Brig Ellis, is hired by a wealthy industrialist to help him acquire the final horse in a set of twelve palomino miniatures that once belonged to the last Emperor of China. What begins as a seemingly reasonable assignment quickly morphs into something much more sinister. The intrepid gumshoe finds himself having to bargain with brigands, kibitz with kidnappers, clash with commies, and duel with a stone cold assassin incapable of feeling pain. All while navigating potentially deadly pitfalls instigated by his employer's beautiful but enigmatic daughter. Conflict and danger increase at warp speed as Ellis tries…


Want books like Paris Trout?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Paris Trout.

Browse books like Paris Trout

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Paris, the Deep South, and Los Angeles?

Paris 378 books
The Deep South 18 books
Los Angeles 358 books