Cypress Grove (2003) by James Sallis

Tom C's Books, Films, Work and Organisation Podcast

In this episode I discuss the literary crime fiction novel Cypress Grove by James Sallis, first published in 2003. I start with some reflections on the enduring popularity and variety of the crime/detective fiction genre in general. Then I move into discussing Sallis' detective protagonist, John Turner, and the past/present chapter structure of the book, which alternates between turner helping solve a case in a small rural town and flashback vignettes from different earlier phases in his life and career. I suggest that detective fictions have many implications for problem-solving in work, but also much more deeply for dealing with ethics in work, relationships and community, while living with work that carries the mood of difficult emotions, tragic events and traumatic outcomes. - The Guardian (2008) James Sallis: Thought Crime (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/oct/21/james-sallis-crime-salt-river)