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Baer Creighton #1
My Brother's Destroyer
A ᴍᴏᴏɴsʜɪɴᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴜʀʀᴇᴀʟ ɢɪꜰᴛ, ᴀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ sᴛʀᴏɴɢᴍᴀɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴅᴏɢ.
Yᴏᴜ'ʟʟ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜʀɴ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇs.
Baer Creighton is a gifted distiller of fruited moonshine, capable of detecting even the subtlest lies. He lives in the woods next to his house, philosophizes with his dog Fred, and writes letters to his high school love Ruth--who long ago chose Baer's brother.
Baer keeps a low profile. Everyone is happy drinking his sublime moonshine--until Fred goes missing. A week later, while Baer harvests apples in the moonlight, a chain of headlights emerges from the woods. A single truck tosses a bundle to the ditch.
When you discover who stole Fred, you'll know you've found a new master of the dark surreal.
And when you see what Baer does to him... Them...
You haven't read a novel like this.
I promise.
Yᴏᴜ'ʟʟ ʟᴀᴜɢʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜʀɴ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇs.
Baer Creighton is a gifted distiller of fruited moonshine, capable of detecting even the subtlest lies. He lives in the woods next to his house, philosophizes with his dog Fred, and writes letters to his high school love Ruth--who long ago chose Baer's brother.
Baer keeps a low profile. Everyone is happy drinking his sublime moonshine--until Fred goes missing. A week later, while Baer harvests apples in the moonlight, a chain of headlights emerges from the woods. A single truck tosses a bundle to the ditch.
When you discover who stole Fred, you'll know you've found a new master of the dark surreal.
And when you see what Baer does to him... Them...
You haven't read a novel like this.
I promise.
377 pages, ebook
First published December 16, 2013
8352 people are currently reading
1825 people want to read
About the author
Clayton Lindemuth
36 books127 followersAm I right? You're smarter than most, embrace old fashioned morals, love your country, dogs, and guns... and dig ruthless fiction...
Hi! I'm Clayton Lindemuth, and my novels embrace rural noir truth. Mind your own business, be slow to anger. But don't ever back down to evil. Justice happens when the wicked die.
If we're tracking so far, I wrote My Brother's Destroyer, and all the rest, just for you.
You'll stay awake too late, underline fun new ways to cuss, muse about new philosophies and read random passages to strangers to make the world a better place.
Literary depth. Thriller pace. If you've got the stomach to watch evil men die, dress for the woods and grab a lamp. We've work to do.
Hi! I'm Clayton Lindemuth, and my novels embrace rural noir truth. Mind your own business, be slow to anger. But don't ever back down to evil. Justice happens when the wicked die.
If we're tracking so far, I wrote My Brother's Destroyer, and all the rest, just for you.
You'll stay awake too late, underline fun new ways to cuss, muse about new philosophies and read random passages to strangers to make the world a better place.
Literary depth. Thriller pace. If you've got the stomach to watch evil men die, dress for the woods and grab a lamp. We've work to do.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 387 reviews
July 28, 2019
I am absolutely not in the target audience for this: I am old. I am female. I am not a fan of excessive violence.
But I do like dogs.
And I apparently really like Lindemuth!
His Creighton character shows how sometimes two wrongs (or three or four or a whole pot load full) do make a right.
Good introduction to a strong series. But be warned: It may not be for everyone.
But I do like dogs.
And I apparently really like Lindemuth!
His Creighton character shows how sometimes two wrongs (or three or four or a whole pot load full) do make a right.
Good introduction to a strong series. But be warned: It may not be for everyone.
October 6, 2020
Did not know it was based around dog fighting!
My Brother's Destroyer by Clayton Lindemuth is not the kind of book I thought it was going to be. It is mostly about a bunch of low life hicks that drink moonshine and bet on their favorite sport, dog fights. They steal dogs when they don't have enough dogs. That's when the main character, who is a moonshiner, gets mad. Someone steals his dog and throws it out near dead after the fight. I would not have picked it up if I knew it was about this. I thought it would be over after that, that was just to get the main guy mad but it wasn't. So if you're like me and don't like reading about dog fighting or dead dogs, pass on this. The rest of the book was getting revenge on the dog fighters and his brother.
My Brother's Destroyer by Clayton Lindemuth is not the kind of book I thought it was going to be. It is mostly about a bunch of low life hicks that drink moonshine and bet on their favorite sport, dog fights. They steal dogs when they don't have enough dogs. That's when the main character, who is a moonshiner, gets mad. Someone steals his dog and throws it out near dead after the fight. I would not have picked it up if I knew it was about this. I thought it would be over after that, that was just to get the main guy mad but it wasn't. So if you're like me and don't like reading about dog fighting or dead dogs, pass on this. The rest of the book was getting revenge on the dog fighters and his brother.
June 14, 2019
"Them days I didn’t have a past, just a future. Now I’m old, I got no future so I brood on what’s past."
First of all, at the beginning of the book there is a link that will take you to a sanitized version of the book, noting misspelled words and cussing. DON'T follow the link. Read the book as originally written. The "misspelled" words are actually the regional dialect used by the characters in their part of North Carolina. And if you're worried about the cussing you probably shouldn't be reading this book and series anyway - it's down and dirty.
Baer Creighton is fifty years old and it's been a hard life. He lives in the woods with his dog making fruited moonshine.
His brother claimed the only girl Baer ever loved and tried to kill him when he was younger.. He failed in his attempt but actually have Baer the rare talent to detect lies.
One day someone steals his dog, puts him in an organized dog fight, and then drops off an almost dead dog where Baer will find him.
And retribution comes calling from Baer to all concerned.
This is a great book. I loved the character of Baer, flawed as he is, and yes, he has his flaws but he also has a big heart.
I highly recommend this book. I'm now off to read book two in the series THE MUNDANE WORK OF VENGEANCE.
First of all, at the beginning of the book there is a link that will take you to a sanitized version of the book, noting misspelled words and cussing. DON'T follow the link. Read the book as originally written. The "misspelled" words are actually the regional dialect used by the characters in their part of North Carolina. And if you're worried about the cussing you probably shouldn't be reading this book and series anyway - it's down and dirty.
Baer Creighton is fifty years old and it's been a hard life. He lives in the woods with his dog making fruited moonshine.
His brother claimed the only girl Baer ever loved and tried to kill him when he was younger.. He failed in his attempt but actually have Baer the rare talent to detect lies.
One day someone steals his dog, puts him in an organized dog fight, and then drops off an almost dead dog where Baer will find him.
And retribution comes calling from Baer to all concerned.
This is a great book. I loved the character of Baer, flawed as he is, and yes, he has his flaws but he also has a big heart.
I highly recommend this book. I'm now off to read book two in the series THE MUNDANE WORK OF VENGEANCE.
July 11, 2019
Very interesting reading with great, intense scenes and incredible characters with a fascinating plot.
I enjoyed this author's descriptions and writing, and intend to read more.
I enjoyed this author's descriptions and writing, and intend to read more.
September 28, 2017
Reviewed by Sheri Hoyte for Reader Views (07/17)
“My Brother’s Destroyer” by Clayton Lindemuth is a thrilling story with intense, horrific drama, displaying the ultimate depths of pure evil, and the lengths one man will go to for vengeance.
As the result of an incident with his brother early in life, Baer Creighton acquired the uncanny ability to detect when people are lying – his eyes see red and he experiences physical pain. This uncharacteristic attribute, combined with his lack of faith in the general goodness of people, finds Baer spending most of his time at his home in the woods, focusing on distilling his highly sought after moonshine. His only companion is Fred, his pit bull.
Fred is stolen one night and forced to fight in an illegal fight circle, sponsored by Joe Stipe, the local thug, and attended by some of the more prominent citizens of Gleason County, including the police chief, the pastor, and Baer’s own brother, Larry. When Fred is left for dead, Baer knows he is on his own if the issue is going to be set straight. Things get out of control fast as tensions on both sides escalate, and Baer, in a seemingly hopeless situation, must reflect on some painful memories from the past, in order to carry out his need for retribution.
Fascinating story! This tale was gripping from the very start with the author’s enthralling writing style pulling readers into the drama on the first page. There are no fillers in this story – I found every word impactful and necessary to move the plot along at a swift pace, filling me with unsettling, yet somehow satisfying tension and anxiety, as I eagerly tried to get into Baer’s head. Written in authentic dialect, the tone is unique and impressive, a multi-dimensional experience transporting readers directly into each scene.
The characters are genuine and full of depth, with real struggles. With no tip-toeing around issues or personalities, they will compete for your emotions. Good or evil – love them or hate them, these characters will pull at your heart and imprint your mind. Strong feelings and emotions about every single one of them will ensue - guaranteed.
I highly recommend “My Brother’s Destroyer” by Clayton Lindemuth. His distinct writing style, with a unique blend of humor, sarcasm and darkness, will appeal to readers of thrilling suspense and horror and those that love a strong-willed protagonist on a mission. Loved this story!
“My Brother’s Destroyer” by Clayton Lindemuth is a thrilling story with intense, horrific drama, displaying the ultimate depths of pure evil, and the lengths one man will go to for vengeance.
As the result of an incident with his brother early in life, Baer Creighton acquired the uncanny ability to detect when people are lying – his eyes see red and he experiences physical pain. This uncharacteristic attribute, combined with his lack of faith in the general goodness of people, finds Baer spending most of his time at his home in the woods, focusing on distilling his highly sought after moonshine. His only companion is Fred, his pit bull.
Fred is stolen one night and forced to fight in an illegal fight circle, sponsored by Joe Stipe, the local thug, and attended by some of the more prominent citizens of Gleason County, including the police chief, the pastor, and Baer’s own brother, Larry. When Fred is left for dead, Baer knows he is on his own if the issue is going to be set straight. Things get out of control fast as tensions on both sides escalate, and Baer, in a seemingly hopeless situation, must reflect on some painful memories from the past, in order to carry out his need for retribution.
Fascinating story! This tale was gripping from the very start with the author’s enthralling writing style pulling readers into the drama on the first page. There are no fillers in this story – I found every word impactful and necessary to move the plot along at a swift pace, filling me with unsettling, yet somehow satisfying tension and anxiety, as I eagerly tried to get into Baer’s head. Written in authentic dialect, the tone is unique and impressive, a multi-dimensional experience transporting readers directly into each scene.
The characters are genuine and full of depth, with real struggles. With no tip-toeing around issues or personalities, they will compete for your emotions. Good or evil – love them or hate them, these characters will pull at your heart and imprint your mind. Strong feelings and emotions about every single one of them will ensue - guaranteed.
I highly recommend “My Brother’s Destroyer” by Clayton Lindemuth. His distinct writing style, with a unique blend of humor, sarcasm and darkness, will appeal to readers of thrilling suspense and horror and those that love a strong-willed protagonist on a mission. Loved this story!
April 17, 2018
A nearly unparalleled work of modern American literature.
Wow. I just finished digesting the exploits of one Baer Creighton--a flawed superman of sorts, in his own right--and a new hero of mine for the rest of my days.
I'd never heard of Clayton Lindemuth before I came across My Brother's Destroyer. I read the positive reviews and smiled at the descriptive references to "literary depth." 'Oh come on," I thought. Boy was I in for a pleasant awakening!
Lindemuth is one of the finest authors I've ever read, ever. And that includes writers like Cormac McCarthy, Harper Lee, John Steinbeck, James Faulkner and even old Samuel Clemens himself. I laughed, I cried, I worried and I trembled as I followed Baer through the mystical woods of North Carolina and the sultry streets of small-town America. Between the things Creighton would say (usually to himself or to his dog) or think, I must have underlined over a hundred passages in all.
Other reviewers have aptly described the plot better than I could so I won't waste your time reiterating, but it suffices me to say that it's a wonderful story--simple, yes, but the depth is...well, "literary," in point of fact. :)
So do yourself a favor: don't hesitate and don't overthink it. Just grab a copy of this mighty work and see for yourself what makes it the one of the most valuable diamonds-in-the-rough I've ever come across in all my experience in reading American literature. I know that's high praise but I mean it--I can only think of several novels that have meant as much to me in my life.
Wow. I just finished digesting the exploits of one Baer Creighton--a flawed superman of sorts, in his own right--and a new hero of mine for the rest of my days.
I'd never heard of Clayton Lindemuth before I came across My Brother's Destroyer. I read the positive reviews and smiled at the descriptive references to "literary depth." 'Oh come on," I thought. Boy was I in for a pleasant awakening!
Lindemuth is one of the finest authors I've ever read, ever. And that includes writers like Cormac McCarthy, Harper Lee, John Steinbeck, James Faulkner and even old Samuel Clemens himself. I laughed, I cried, I worried and I trembled as I followed Baer through the mystical woods of North Carolina and the sultry streets of small-town America. Between the things Creighton would say (usually to himself or to his dog) or think, I must have underlined over a hundred passages in all.
Other reviewers have aptly described the plot better than I could so I won't waste your time reiterating, but it suffices me to say that it's a wonderful story--simple, yes, but the depth is...well, "literary," in point of fact. :)
So do yourself a favor: don't hesitate and don't overthink it. Just grab a copy of this mighty work and see for yourself what makes it the one of the most valuable diamonds-in-the-rough I've ever come across in all my experience in reading American literature. I know that's high praise but I mean it--I can only think of several novels that have meant as much to me in my life.
January 21, 2020
My Brother’s Destroyer is an offbeat, often tedious tale about a backwoods character named Baer Creighton who sounds like he wandered off the Deliverance movie set.
Baer Creighton is not your conventional hero. In addition to a supernatural ability to spot liars, Baer has conversations with dogs. And Baer hates dog fighting for sport so much that he decides to murder even those who only watch the local fights by poisoning their moonshine.
The story is told without any particular point — except perhaps as a primer on how to make moonshine. Much of the story is a struggle in trying to understand Baer’s hillbilly talk. Oddly, Baer is the only backwoods character in the book who speaks in hillbilly talk.
There are other elements to the story involving a lost love, plenty of hate, revenge, regret and an ending so disjointed it sounds like the author was drunk on the moonshine he writes page after page after page about.
Baer Creighton is not your conventional hero. In addition to a supernatural ability to spot liars, Baer has conversations with dogs. And Baer hates dog fighting for sport so much that he decides to murder even those who only watch the local fights by poisoning their moonshine.
The story is told without any particular point — except perhaps as a primer on how to make moonshine. Much of the story is a struggle in trying to understand Baer’s hillbilly talk. Oddly, Baer is the only backwoods character in the book who speaks in hillbilly talk.
There are other elements to the story involving a lost love, plenty of hate, revenge, regret and an ending so disjointed it sounds like the author was drunk on the moonshine he writes page after page after page about.
May 7, 2019
Wow. If you have any qualms about violence, stay 20 feet away from opening the cover of this one. In the remote hills of North Carolina, Baer Creighton has a moonshine still. Baer really does no one any harm. He loves his dog, Fred, and nurses a lifelong broken heart because his one true love, Ruth, married his brother years ago. But tragically, a man in a white truck steals Fred, sacrificing him to a pitbull fighting ring. Fred is ravished, even as Baer tries his best to save him. This sets Baer on a mission to find the person who stole Fred, and seek revenge. This is code of the hills violence amidst alcoholism, physical abuse, drug addiction, and much more. I listened to the story on Audible, and it took me three times to get past the language and violence to finally get invested in the story. ...and I don't mind violence/language in my reading material. This is just over the top. I admit, Baer is very Tony Sopranoish to me. I did really like him eventually even as his methods for revenge were outside my comfort zone. Baer's saving grace though was only the bad guys, the liars with the red eyes, felt his wrath. That caveat made it all worthwhile. I don't know if I will read the sequels. Time will tell. Yet I am glad I made myself finish this one.
April 29, 2019
Oh my gosh, first off this is a first time author for me and damn this was good. I have never read ruralnoir before this and it was so great. It had everything you could want in a book, hard headed main charterer but with a heart. Dog loving man and a true mountain man! His name is Baer Creighton and he loves his dog like no other human, that said the man can brew moonshine to die for and as for primal and brutal this is the story you want to read.
I bought his other two books in this series before I had even read ten pages and joined his online site, believe me I am not the only one who digs this author. Self published and now cracking into Amazon and many more sites. Love the language he uses because that is how they talk in the mountains and you pick it right up. Great story and can't wait until I start the next one, head over to his site (Clayton Lindemuth) and enjoy, he will talk to you anytime you want, super nice man!!! Please pick up a copy and sit back with a drink because folks it will be one hell of a ride for ya!! Keep reading as I always say!
I bought his other two books in this series before I had even read ten pages and joined his online site, believe me I am not the only one who digs this author. Self published and now cracking into Amazon and many more sites. Love the language he uses because that is how they talk in the mountains and you pick it right up. Great story and can't wait until I start the next one, head over to his site (Clayton Lindemuth) and enjoy, he will talk to you anytime you want, super nice man!!! Please pick up a copy and sit back with a drink because folks it will be one hell of a ride for ya!! Keep reading as I always say!
April 6, 2018
Absolutely Riveting!!
This type novel isn’t something I’d usually pick up, I normally don’t read books with a lot of violence, but it was on my Bookbub suggestions list yesterday and sounded interesting, so I started reading about ten last night. I finished it about four morning. Could not put it down... I was trapped in the situation and couldn’t sleep until justice was done.
The topic of dog fighting for sport is one that has horrified me for years now. Starting 30 years ago, when my parent’s beloved Border Collie disappeared from their fenced front yard, to 15 years ago when a friend’s darling Boxer disappeared from her fenced front yard, to countless more dogs in the area than have vanished since without a trace... I have been doing a slow burn, knowing what is happening to these dogs yet unable to stop it.
Anyone that is willing to stand and watch while animals are torn apart for sport deserves the death penalty, in my not so humble opinion. I’m a native of the SE, though I transplanted myself to the West last year. Here I have found the general population to be much more intelligent and not so prone to poaching, dog fighting and cock fighting as they are in Alabama and Mississippi.
After reading this book, I’m thinking I may need to go home for a spell. I’m college educated and retired from a lucrative career, so I’m not your typical redneck, but I do know a few moonshiners. Apple Pie Brandy, Lemon Drop Shine... no holiday party or hunt club cookout would be complete without it. All I need to do is find out when and where the next fight is going to be?
Thank you, Clayton, for openly confronting a reality that most would like to pretend doesn’t exist. And by the way... I read a one star review that bluntly stated you didn’t use proper grammar in your novel, therefore you only got one star. Some folks just don’t get it. A moonshiner in the Appalachians, no education, 10th grade dropout... is not going to talk like the banker. Your style is perfect! Very true to life, and I will be reading the rest of your books.
This type novel isn’t something I’d usually pick up, I normally don’t read books with a lot of violence, but it was on my Bookbub suggestions list yesterday and sounded interesting, so I started reading about ten last night. I finished it about four morning. Could not put it down... I was trapped in the situation and couldn’t sleep until justice was done.
The topic of dog fighting for sport is one that has horrified me for years now. Starting 30 years ago, when my parent’s beloved Border Collie disappeared from their fenced front yard, to 15 years ago when a friend’s darling Boxer disappeared from her fenced front yard, to countless more dogs in the area than have vanished since without a trace... I have been doing a slow burn, knowing what is happening to these dogs yet unable to stop it.
Anyone that is willing to stand and watch while animals are torn apart for sport deserves the death penalty, in my not so humble opinion. I’m a native of the SE, though I transplanted myself to the West last year. Here I have found the general population to be much more intelligent and not so prone to poaching, dog fighting and cock fighting as they are in Alabama and Mississippi.
After reading this book, I’m thinking I may need to go home for a spell. I’m college educated and retired from a lucrative career, so I’m not your typical redneck, but I do know a few moonshiners. Apple Pie Brandy, Lemon Drop Shine... no holiday party or hunt club cookout would be complete without it. All I need to do is find out when and where the next fight is going to be?
Thank you, Clayton, for openly confronting a reality that most would like to pretend doesn’t exist. And by the way... I read a one star review that bluntly stated you didn’t use proper grammar in your novel, therefore you only got one star. Some folks just don’t get it. A moonshiner in the Appalachians, no education, 10th grade dropout... is not going to talk like the banker. Your style is perfect! Very true to life, and I will be reading the rest of your books.
October 9, 2019
This was a horrible, horrible book. So why did I give it 5 stars? Because I couldn't stop reading it. The story is so well told and so well-written I was swept along. Now that was not always a good feeling, in fact I'd liken it to be swept along by a tidal wave and getting caught in a riptide. You try to swim against it; you try to put it away, but you keep getting caught up and swept out again. Like a riptide, the best thing is to give in and let it bring you back to shore in the end. The horrible part of this book is the horrible things that happen to the main character and the horrible people he has to fight. Luckily, he's a man full of mountain savvy and true grit, with a spine of steel, a heart of gold (along with a tree full of it, but I don't want to give too much away here) for those he loves and the zeal of an avenging angel. This is not the usual book I would ever pick up but I must say, it's always good to go new places you might not always go. I'm also glad I never lived like this, met these people or had experiences like this in real life! The realistic storytelling of this book is enough for me, thank you very much! Oh and I got more of an education on the making of moonshine than I'd ever have wanted.
December 15, 2017
Wonderful book
It’s hell being a man that can see if you’re lying just by looking at your eyes and gets electric shocks at the same time. Baer Creighton loves his dog more than anything in this world and I pity the poor fools who hurt that dog. A great book that I recommend to everyone especially those who love their dogs the way Baer loved Fred.
It’s hell being a man that can see if you’re lying just by looking at your eyes and gets electric shocks at the same time. Baer Creighton loves his dog more than anything in this world and I pity the poor fools who hurt that dog. A great book that I recommend to everyone especially those who love their dogs the way Baer loved Fred.
July 24, 2017
Haunting.
I couldn't put this down.. A beautifully told tale of a man's love for his dog. A man with past regrets and coping the only way he knew how. Superb writing and great character development. I look forward to more from this writer.
I couldn't put this down.. A beautifully told tale of a man's love for his dog. A man with past regrets and coping the only way he knew how. Superb writing and great character development. I look forward to more from this writer.
March 18, 2020
This is the first book in the series about Baer Creighton, moonshine maker and mountain man. It was a fun read, I'll keep going. Plus, there's a talking dog, although it could be the moonshine.
March 7, 2020
Starkly original "Country Noir" about Baer Creighton, a North Carolina moonshiner and Fred, his pit bull friend and companion. Baer lives very simply, walking everywhere while mostly tending his still in the woods outside town until the local power broker steals Fred and forces him to compete in his illegal dog fights. Mauled and blinded, Fred reunited with Baer who swears vengeance on everyone involved in the dog fights including his estranged brother Larry. The power broker puts a bounty on on Baer which escalates the war to it's anticipated climax....I liked Baer's independent spirit and his flawed humanity toward the love of his life and her daughter and children but the pace was somewhat meandering. I recommend it nonetheless.
November 17, 2018
Down-home!
What a way to spend your life. I am jealous? So many of us go through life not knowing what life can really be about. I downloaded books 2,3 after chapter five of book 1. Thank you!!
What a way to spend your life. I am jealous? So many of us go through life not knowing what life can really be about. I downloaded books 2,3 after chapter five of book 1. Thank you!!
August 13, 2019
It took awhile to get used to the southern vernacular - hillbilly slang. Different. But, the story drew me in and I grew to like Baer and his dog. A good read.
January 6, 2024
Had you guessing the whole time
December 19, 2019
My Brother's Destroyer by Clayton Lindemuth is a fine novel of Country Noir/Grit Lit.
The first novel in the series is about fifty-year-old Baer Creighton, a modern-day master crafter of illicit "likker" in small-town North Carolina. It is not giving anything away to tell early on, Baer develops an uncanny ability to tell if someone is lying or not after his brother tries to kill him through electrocution when both are teens. Baer apparently can also communicate with his dog, Fred.
From then on, Baer's main adversary is his brother and others his brother keeps company with, including a local crime baron that holds vicious dog fights for all sorts of men throughout the area.
One night while Baer is at his distillery encampment, someone in an unknown truck tosses something into the weeds and Baer discovers it is his barely alive, severely injured dog, Fred. Unbeknown to Baer, someone had stolen his dog as an opponent in the dogfighting pen and then discarded the dog to die along the roadway.
Baer than swears to avenge the dog and deal with those responsible for nearly killing his dog.
One attractive thing about the better writers when it comes to Country Noir is the ability to craft believable characters that are not hokey, pretentious or cliched. This includes creating nasty human villains with the ability to appear more dangerous than created villains in supernatural novels. Lindemuth does a wonderful job of creating a handful of despicable characters the reader hopes are headed toward a just end. At the same time, while the reader knows this is the first novel in a series and probably assumes Baer Creighton is going to survive, Lindemuth still creates an atmosphere of impending doom when it comes to Baer's future. The reader knows he is going to survive, but the reader still feels bad things will probably also happen to Baer.
Lindemuth also has an interesting way of phrasing his story, however, once the reader becomes accustomed to his style, the style is appreciated and enjoyed.
It is hard to believe Lindemuth's name is not spoken with the same reverence other modern-day writers in the Country Noir genre.
The first novel in the series is about fifty-year-old Baer Creighton, a modern-day master crafter of illicit "likker" in small-town North Carolina. It is not giving anything away to tell early on, Baer develops an uncanny ability to tell if someone is lying or not after his brother tries to kill him through electrocution when both are teens. Baer apparently can also communicate with his dog, Fred.
From then on, Baer's main adversary is his brother and others his brother keeps company with, including a local crime baron that holds vicious dog fights for all sorts of men throughout the area.
One night while Baer is at his distillery encampment, someone in an unknown truck tosses something into the weeds and Baer discovers it is his barely alive, severely injured dog, Fred. Unbeknown to Baer, someone had stolen his dog as an opponent in the dogfighting pen and then discarded the dog to die along the roadway.
Baer than swears to avenge the dog and deal with those responsible for nearly killing his dog.
One attractive thing about the better writers when it comes to Country Noir is the ability to craft believable characters that are not hokey, pretentious or cliched. This includes creating nasty human villains with the ability to appear more dangerous than created villains in supernatural novels. Lindemuth does a wonderful job of creating a handful of despicable characters the reader hopes are headed toward a just end. At the same time, while the reader knows this is the first novel in a series and probably assumes Baer Creighton is going to survive, Lindemuth still creates an atmosphere of impending doom when it comes to Baer's future. The reader knows he is going to survive, but the reader still feels bad things will probably also happen to Baer.
Lindemuth also has an interesting way of phrasing his story, however, once the reader becomes accustomed to his style, the style is appreciated and enjoyed.
It is hard to believe Lindemuth's name is not spoken with the same reverence other modern-day writers in the Country Noir genre.
June 22, 2020
I almost never give 5 star reviews. I reserve them for books i consider classics; one of a kind wonders. This is one of those wonders. I started this book with false expectations and it took me a while to get into the flow and feeling of the book. One would expect the story of a moonshiner who has a talking dog and who is able to tell when folks are lying by telepathic powers, well....... you would expect that book to be funny. At least that's what i expected. Only it was not funny. It was dark. And once i became okay with that, i really really enjoyed reading this book. The main character, the moonshiner, is just trying to do what's right in the difficult world he lives in. His brother stole the one woman that was the love of his life, along with their daughter. The criminal underground of the county wants his moonshine operation. Some folks want him dead. Someone's stealing dogs for illegal dogfights. It's complicated. If you have trouble reading dialect, this book isn't for you, though the author makes available and easier to read version if that does bother you. It's masterful writing that builds and builds till it reaches a satisfying conclusion. I don't have anything bad to say about this book at all.
dnf
April 7, 2018The best thing I can say about this book is, thank Christ it was free. I get redneck speech, to a point...
Readers will never be able to accuse the author of having typos, as every other word is a non-word. The fact such speech drove me to distraction's on me.
DNF = no rating.
Readers will never be able to accuse the author of having typos, as every other word is a non-word. The fact such speech drove me to distraction's on me.
DNF = no rating.
November 13, 2017
Full of twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I felt anger and sadness,and perfect understanding. I couldn’t wait to finish ,
but I didn’t want it to end.
but I didn’t want it to end.
June 5, 2019
Don't waste your time!
Terrible! I had to write a certain number of words for the review. Well, I repeat, this was a terrible book.
Terrible! I had to write a certain number of words for the review. Well, I repeat, this was a terrible book.
June 23, 2019
Warning to dog lovers. This book contains scenes with dog fighting. I don’t know how it ends as I could not finish reading it.
May 24, 2020
This is a very different type of book. The main character is a moonshiner who bucks the locals boss' system. Our protagonist Baer's dog is kidnapped and killed in a illegal dog fighting ring. Add an old romance that keeps popping up, find his daughter and a tale in the backwoods is told. The story is not without violence and odd characters. Baer is a character you can't help liking even though is lawlessness is used against crooked people. The story drew me right along and I look forward to further books in the series.
April 29, 2020
This writer reminds me of Daniel Woodrell (Winter's Bone). Grim but the prose was breathtaking at times and really laugh out loud funny at times. I will read the next in the series
February 17, 2020
I learned a new term when I found this book: Grit Lit. Gritty literature, and this book is that.
I'm not a fan of dog fighting at all, but it didn't take away from the story for me. I found this a wonderful story, a study of how far a basically decent man can be pushed before he loses his decency.
I was born and raised a short ways from the area the book is set in, the mountains of North Carolina are beautiful and very scenic. As are the people who live there, this comes through in the book very well.
I'm not a fan of dog fighting at all, but it didn't take away from the story for me. I found this a wonderful story, a study of how far a basically decent man can be pushed before he loses his decency.
I was born and raised a short ways from the area the book is set in, the mountains of North Carolina are beautiful and very scenic. As are the people who live there, this comes through in the book very well.
November 15, 2020
Clayton Lindemuth is a breath of fresh air. My Brother's Destroyer comes out of nowhere and hits you like a baseball bat to the gut from an angry parent whose kid didn't make the team. In this current world of political correctness, hand-wringing and participation trophies, Lindemuth's stories take us back to a simpler time. A time when we could all agree on good and evil. When good men saw evil and took action. When the evil could be dealt with swiftly and permanently, without the wishy-washy handwringing we see in society today.
This is a brutal tale, I won't sugarcoat it. What happens to the bad guys isn't pretty. But real justice seldom is. In Baer Creighton, the author has created a flawed antihero we simply can not look away from. From his down-home, backwoods, and often hilarious thoughts and dialogue, to his antisocial habits, to his survival instincts and brutally efficient solutions, we become enamored with Baer and can't wait to see how he handles his next predicament.
The story covers some uncomfortable ground. Dog fighting, domestic abuse, illegal moonshining, questionable inter-family relationships and vigilante justice are just a few. Some readers will squirm. Others will revel in the guilty pleasure of it all.
A note about the narrator, Kain Foster. Seldom has an audiobook narrator become the character as skillfully, effortlessly and convincingly as this one has. Baer Creighton would be a tall order for any narrator, with his backwoods drawl, peculiar dialect and herky-jerky pacing. I wonder if I would have connected with the character, as much or on the same level, had I read the book rather than listened to Foster's narration of it? That's hard to say. Its a great story with very well written characters, but you get a sense that Kain Foster brings that additional dimension to the story experience.
5 stars each for the the story and the performance. Bravo to Clayton Lindemuth and Kain Foster.
This is a brutal tale, I won't sugarcoat it. What happens to the bad guys isn't pretty. But real justice seldom is. In Baer Creighton, the author has created a flawed antihero we simply can not look away from. From his down-home, backwoods, and often hilarious thoughts and dialogue, to his antisocial habits, to his survival instincts and brutally efficient solutions, we become enamored with Baer and can't wait to see how he handles his next predicament.
The story covers some uncomfortable ground. Dog fighting, domestic abuse, illegal moonshining, questionable inter-family relationships and vigilante justice are just a few. Some readers will squirm. Others will revel in the guilty pleasure of it all.
A note about the narrator, Kain Foster. Seldom has an audiobook narrator become the character as skillfully, effortlessly and convincingly as this one has. Baer Creighton would be a tall order for any narrator, with his backwoods drawl, peculiar dialect and herky-jerky pacing. I wonder if I would have connected with the character, as much or on the same level, had I read the book rather than listened to Foster's narration of it? That's hard to say. Its a great story with very well written characters, but you get a sense that Kain Foster brings that additional dimension to the story experience.
5 stars each for the the story and the performance. Bravo to Clayton Lindemuth and Kain Foster.
March 2, 2020
While this is a story about a man and his dog, this is not your typical "Man & His Dog" story.
The story takes place in a rural area with typical Small-Town characteristics. Dog-fighting and Moon-shining are fairly common behaviors. Our main character has been mistreated by everything dear to him in his early life and he retreats to live alone in the woods where he finds honesty in nature and his beloved dog. He supports himself by distilling a very high grade of flavored moonshine using techniques he learned from a WWII German Chemist who practiced this skill before him. He was betrayed by an older brother as a child and many more times in their adult lives taking from him the only woman he loved and trusted. As a child, his brother attempted to murder him by electrocution which left him with an extraordinary gift (curse) of an almost supernatural BS Detector. This was another reason he retreated from ordinary society as he found it almost impossible to live among all the deceit he found in the world around him. When his dog is stolen to be used in the blood-sport of Dog Fighting and then abandoned nearly dead and blinded where he will find him is more than he can tolerate. He is consumed with a desire for justice, Country Justice.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
The story takes place in a rural area with typical Small-Town characteristics. Dog-fighting and Moon-shining are fairly common behaviors. Our main character has been mistreated by everything dear to him in his early life and he retreats to live alone in the woods where he finds honesty in nature and his beloved dog. He supports himself by distilling a very high grade of flavored moonshine using techniques he learned from a WWII German Chemist who practiced this skill before him. He was betrayed by an older brother as a child and many more times in their adult lives taking from him the only woman he loved and trusted. As a child, his brother attempted to murder him by electrocution which left him with an extraordinary gift (curse) of an almost supernatural BS Detector. This was another reason he retreated from ordinary society as he found it almost impossible to live among all the deceit he found in the world around him. When his dog is stolen to be used in the blood-sport of Dog Fighting and then abandoned nearly dead and blinded where he will find him is more than he can tolerate. He is consumed with a desire for justice, Country Justice.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
April 23, 2019
My Brother’s Destroyer
This griping story of a brother that was robbed of his lady love and their child is out for vengeance. Now someone has used his dog Fred in a dog-fighting match and is near death. After the dog is taken home and nursed back from near death, Baer Creighton is out for revenge.
Baer has a talent of knowing when he’s being lied to. He isn’t happy about it, but he uses it to his advantage. This man of the hills is smart and cunning and does not stop until the people responsible have paid.
I had to take my time reading this because all kinds of memories were popping up from long ago when I was teaching and the students talked about the people in the hills and how they had their own rules for dealing with everything. I won’t go into details but it was unsettling to hear. This story became very real for me.
Clayton Lindemuth is a masterful story-teller. It is scary, unsettling and tense. Through his words I can see all that is happening. I enjoyed this book immensely.
This griping story of a brother that was robbed of his lady love and their child is out for vengeance. Now someone has used his dog Fred in a dog-fighting match and is near death. After the dog is taken home and nursed back from near death, Baer Creighton is out for revenge.
Baer has a talent of knowing when he’s being lied to. He isn’t happy about it, but he uses it to his advantage. This man of the hills is smart and cunning and does not stop until the people responsible have paid.
I had to take my time reading this because all kinds of memories were popping up from long ago when I was teaching and the students talked about the people in the hills and how they had their own rules for dealing with everything. I won’t go into details but it was unsettling to hear. This story became very real for me.
Clayton Lindemuth is a masterful story-teller. It is scary, unsettling and tense. Through his words I can see all that is happening. I enjoyed this book immensely.
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