Feast for Thieves
When it came to robbing the bank, we wasn’t polished or nothing. With this one delightful sentence Sergeant Rowdy Slater – ex-paratrooper, sharpshooter, and convict – begins to tell the story of the year he was railroaded into serving as the minister of the community church in the small town of Cut Eye, Texas. It is 1946. Rowdy is out-of-work and hungry when he hears a voice telling him to “find the good meal and eat your fill.” Of course Rowdy is quite willing to comply, but the details of just how he should do that remain rather sketchy. What follows is an amusing tale of justice, sacrifice, repentance, and love.
It does not seem too bold to assume that the author’s years of research for his non-fiction books about the men who fought in WWII contribute to the authenticity and fluidity of this story. Rowdy is a charmer, whose attitudes, speech, and mannerisms work together to create an aura of authenticity in the midst of fantastical events. Many of the townsfolk, including the sheriff’s daughter, Bobbie Barker, are fascinating characters who make the reader care about their community. Altogether, this is a thoroughly enjoyable novel that I highly recommend.
