Forgive Us Our Trespasses

by Monte Dutton

Solicitor Denny Frawley is a corrupt, ambitious prosecutor with his eye on the South Carolina Attorney-General’s position. But when the governor is caught buying cocaine in a stadium bathroom, Denny sets his political sights even higher. Hal Kinley, who has known Frawley all his life, is a good cop who has watched his friend grow into an unscrupulous monster. While Denny and his inner circle scramble to get the members of his self-destructive and equally ruthless family ready for the limelight, Kinley's son is drawn into their orbit. Kinley is determined to save his son and stop his old friend. The odds do not favor him.

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 29, 2016

About the author

Monte Dutton lives in Clinton, South Carolina. In high school, he played football for a state championship team, then attended Furman University, Greenville, S.C., graduating in 1980, B.A., cum laude, political science/history.

He has written regularly about NASCAR since 1993, and has written for the Gaston Gazette (Gastonia, NC) since 1996. He was named Writer of the Year by the Eastern Motorsports Press Association (Frank Blunk Award) in 2003 and Writer of the Year by the National Motorsports Press Association (George Cunningham Award) in 2008. His NASCAR writing has been syndicated by King Feature Syndicate in the form of a weekly page, “NASCAR This Week.”

Monte Dutton is also the author of Pride of Clinton, a history of high school football in his hometown, 1986; At Speed, 2000 (Potomac Books); Rebel with a Cause: A Season with NASCAR’s Tony Stewart, 2001 (Potomac Books); Jeff Gordon: The Racer, 2001 (Thomas Nelson); Postcards from Pit Road, 2003 (Potomac Books); Haul A** and Turn Left, 2005 (Warner Books), True to the Roots: Americana Music Revealed, 2006. (Bison Books); and is an Editor/Contributor of Taking Stock: Life in NASCAR’s Fast Lane, 2004 (Potomac Books).

The Audacity of Dope, 2011 (Neverland Publishing) is his first novel, and he is hard at work on his second.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book. It wasn't until the end that I decided I liked it. The plot is good, but there's too much exposition, and the characters frequently repeat thoughts. On the plus side, there were moments where the story moved along at a good pace. It's complex, with a lot of characters, and overall is well-thought out. And the ending was perfect. If the writing had been trimmed down, the story would have been great.

[Roan Poulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgive us our trespasses was for me a study of the light and dark capable in the same human soul. Monte does a great job illustrating the consequences should our souls choose the high or low roads, drawn in clear bright colors of morality.
Set in the bleeding heart of Americana, Monte draws his readers in with an unflinching portrayal of small town life. Not always pretty, but always genuine and authentic, the textures and smells of a blue jeans life waft from the pages like a rogue uncle that smells of cigarette smoke and stale coffee.
The main characters, Denny and Hal are opposite sides of the same coin. As the up and downsides of Denny's good nature come to bear, and we see a photo negative in Hal. The book left me a strong sense of what it might feel like to live in Latimohr.
What I liked most is how sure each man is that their path is right and just. Denny knows he's no saint, but his lies aren't just for constituents. All men believe they are the heroes of their own narratives I suppose. Some of the racial tensions felt forced to me, but to be honest the fault might lie with my own lack of experience in race relations.
Overall I very much enjoyed the book and found the ending satisfied my own desire for justice and redemption. Recommended for anyone looking for a story of dichotomy, dirty politics and home cooking.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

this has been my favorite of Monte's book and really showed he has hit his stride. He has become a master of flawed heroes and really despicable antagonists. While you know who did it he kept me hooked to see if they got away with it. well done!