Smart bets: Lawrence Thackston

Posted on by Edwin Arnaudin

Having set his first two novels in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (The Devil’s Courthouse) and South Carolina’s fictional Galeegi Islands (Tidal Pools), mystery writer Lawrence Thackston turned to his backyard for his new book, Carolina Cruel. The Orangeburg, S.C.-based author describes the thriller as “a Southern tale of race, politics, crime and corruption in which two reporters make startling connections between an executed mass murderer, the fallout from the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre and the hanging of one of the Palmetto State’s most prominent citizens.” Thackston will read from his latest work and sign copies at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva on Friday, Aug. 4, at 6:30 p.m. He’ll also be at Bearmeat’s Indian Den in Cherokee on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. citylightsnc.com. Photo courtesy of the author

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About Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin is a staff writer for Mountain Xpress. He also reviews films for ashevillemovies.com and is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) and North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA). Follow me @EdwinArnaudin
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