W. L. Heath (1924–2007)

W.L. Heath returns to the town of Morgan, Alabama, the scene of his brilliantly-executed novel VIOLENT SATURDAY, for another look at small-town rural life. Though an act of violence is also at the center of this story, ILL WIND is not a crime novel as VIOLENT SATURDAY partly was. Both books, however, are blessed with Heath's gently poetic descriptiveness and his real insight into the small-town mind. Whereas VIOLENT SATURDAY had as its initiating factor a bank robbery, ILL WIND does not have something quite so generically compelling. Yet it manages a fine sense of suspense, without really being what's thought of as a suspense novel. At the beginning of the story, well-liked civil servant Charlie Mott shoots himself, either accidentally or on purpose, in his office. He doesn't die immediately but is left in a coma. The social, political, and cultural ramifications of the shooting, and the vigorous debate (and gossip) about whether it was intentional or accidental, turn the town on its ear, and force several citizens to face just what kind of people they actually are, and what kind they want to be. Heath is an uncommonly fine writer, one whose work is unjustly forgotten. ILL WIND, by nature of its less melodramatic core, is not quite as exciting as VIOLENT SATURDAY, but it compels the reader forward and illuminates a certain branch of society wonderfully and with subtlety and grace.… (meer)

Once again, Heath presents a character study of a small Alabama town. This time, unlike VIOLENT SATURDAY, there is no bank robbery to act as a focal point for the goings-on. This time it is an accidental (or maybe not) self-inflicted bullet to the head of the town's tax collector. As he lingers near death, a political ballet plays itself out, with the most powerful characters maneuvering for their own advantage. With small exceptions, Heath's characters are multifaceted. He specializes in long scenes of dialogue that reveal his characters' feelings and motivations. There is not a lot of action after the gun goes off--but the two events that do qualify are both riveting. To say more would spoil the pleasures of this unassuming novel.… (meer)

This is not a book about a bank robbery, although a bank robbery plays a central role in the book's climax. Rather, it is a character study of a small Alabama town and of its citizens' loves, fears, and vices. It has more in common with John O'Hara's "Appointment in Samarra" than it does with a Lionel White or Donald Westlake caper yarn. This explains the points of view from which the story is told, including the description of the robbery. The ending of the book concerns how its characters have changed--or not--instead of whether the robbery was a success. Heath writes well, and this is a memorable, if not classic, tale.… (meer)