Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter was all the rage when it came out. It’s the 3rd book published by Tom Franklin, and also a 2010 Edgar Award winner.
This one takes place in Chabot, Mississippi, where the southern tongue and lifestyle are accurately and charmingly portrayed. Larry Ott is an awkward, reclusive bookworm. He’s been considered an outcast after a girl he dated in high school mysteriously disappeared back in the 1980s.
Now, years later, another young girl has gone missing. Larry is once again the subject of town gossip, and also the prime suspect—especially after a gunshot wound lands him in a coma. Local authorities must find out whether the injury is self-afflicted, or if the real killer is still on the loose.
The setting of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is perfect and spot-on. This book provides an intimate glimpse of the Mississippi lifestyle. Well, some parts of Mississippi, anyway.
The mystery in this one unfolds slowly, and the murderer’s identity is revealed early on, so there’s not much surprise where that’s concerned. But it doesn’t matter, because Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter tells a great story.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the relationship that forms between young Larry and detective Silas “32” Jones. They were best friends in the 1980s, which makes their dynamic and interactions more interesting.
This author hasn’t written a whole lot, and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is his biggest title to date. Other books by Tom Franklin include:
- The Tilted World (2013) (with Beth Ann Fennelly)
- Hell At the Breech (2003)
- Smonk (2006)
What did you think about this book?
Last Updated on January 15, 2026 by Sarah Ann
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