Black Water Rising
| Author | Attica Locke |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime fiction |
| Published | 2009 |
| Followed by | Pleasantville (2015) |
Black Water Rising is a 2009 mystery thriller novel by Attica Locke. Its sequel is titled Pleasantville (2015).
Plot summary
[edit]In 1981, Jay Porter, a Black personal injury attorney in Houston, takes his pregnant wife on a nighttime boat tour of the Buffalo Bayou. They hear the sound of gunshots and a person falling into the water, and Jay dives in to rescue a white woman. The woman refuses to explain what happened and Jay later learns that a man was also killed on the Bayou that night.
Reception
[edit]The novel received positive reviews from critics,[1] although some critics felt that it was overwritten.[2] In The Independent, Stuart Evers felt that the use of "convoluted similes" were "minor faults in an impressive, well-plotted and intelligent crime drama."[3] Kirkus Reviews wrote that "Locke expertly etches a portrait of her anxiety-ridden protagonist, and she animates the complex plot with the assurance of a practiced screenwriter."[4] Publishers Weekly wrote that Locke "steers a gritty drama to a satisfying end, though a sluggish subplot involving labor union issues undermines the novels grander ambitions."[5]
References
[edit]- ^ O'Connell, John (2009-11-28). "Black Water Rising by Attica Locke". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (2009-06-21). "What's Black and White and Muddied? A Byzantine Houston Case". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
- ^ "Black Water Rising, By Attica Locke". The Independent. 2009-11-27. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
- ^ BLACK WATER RISING | Kirkus Reviews.
- ^ "Black Water Rising by Attica Locke". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2025-05-19.