Edgar Award-Winning Historical Mystery Novel
The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale is an Edgar Award-winning novel that combines morality tale with page-turning thriller. Set in 1933 East Texas during the Depression, this classic American story explores themes of race, justice, and innocence through the eyes of young Harry Collins.
Plot Summary
When Harry Collins and his sister discover the brutally murdered body of a black woman in the bottoms of the Sabine River, their small East Texas town becomes charged with racial tension. The discovery of a second victim—a white woman—sets off a chain of events that threatens an innocent man's life. Harry and his sister must uncover the truth behind these murders before mob justice claims another victim.
About the Author - Joe R. Lansdale
Joe R. Lansdale is an acclaimed author of over thirty novels and numerous short stories. His distinguished career includes:
- Edgar Award winner
- Eight Bram Stoker Awards
- Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award
- British Fantasy Award
- Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature
- Herodotus Historical Fiction Award
Lansdale's work has been adapted for film and television, including Cold in July (2014) starring Michael C. Hall, Bubba Hotep with Bruce Campbell, and the Sundance Channel series "Hap and Leonard." The Bottoms itself is currently in production as a film with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman.
Critical Acclaim
The Denver Post praised The Bottoms as "equal parts morality tale and page-turning thriller," noting its classic American storytelling with echoes of William Faulkner and Harper Lee. This Depression-era mystery delivers authentic Southern Gothic atmosphere while tackling difficult themes of racial injustice and moral courage.
Key Themes
This historical thriller explores race relations in 1930s rural Texas, examining how prejudice and violence shaped small-town America during the Depression. The narrative follows Harry's coming-of-age journey as he confronts the harsh realities of racism and seeks truth in a community divided by color and class.
Format Details
Available in paperback format, this vintage crime novel from the Black Lizard imprint represents some of the finest historical mystery fiction set in the American South.
