The Ranks of Jody Brae: A Novel
"A large hand took my arm and shoulder and pulled me from the ground. I was groggy and semi-conscious, a stream of drool tethered to my lips, frozen to my five-day scruff. Everything spun suddenly as I was hoisted over a shoulder and carried off. With my eyelids frozen shut, I experienced everything by sound and sense. Two voices conversed, one familiar and one strangely accented, as plain and direct as a drill-sergeant's. I finally could open my eyes and saw the glare of siren lights, flashing wildly, somewhere near. All other forms and figures were blurred. I clutched the shoulder of the man who held me and prayed for salvation. If I had been captured, at least I would know, finally, who sought me. Whether Lovell, Levinsky, the force, the entire city or even the world itself, I would know. I braced for anything."
FROM CHAPTER 7 - The Ranks Of Jody Brae.
Q&A
>>Where did you get the idea for The Ranks of Jody Brae?
As a Boston native, I am fascinated by the city's complex social and political history. As a writer, I like to spin a good yarn. With The Ranks I wanted to create a fast-moving tale of political corruption and personal redemption set against the backdrop of 1960's Boston. Throughout the writing process, I had one goal in mind—to write a novel that I would want to read.
>>Is Jody Brae based on a real-life person? Is the story based on actual events?
No and no. Although the novel incorporates many historically accurate themes, it is a complete work of fiction.
>>Was there an arson epidemic in Boston during the 1960's?
I've never heard it described as an 'epidemic' but there were definitely periods of higher-than-average building fires. The Sixties was an era of tremendous racial and economic change for cities across the country. With race riots, failing public education and rapid suburbanization, many urban neighborhoods quickly turned to slums. Faced with plummeting real-estate values, landlords commonly torched their properties for insurance money.
>>How long have you been writing? What's your experience?
As an English major in college I dabbled in fiction, writing some short stories, poetry, etc. I got serious about writing ten years ago while working nights at a prison library in Boston (as an employee!). During that period I wrote a few short stories, several rough drafts and two complete unpublished novels. I consider the years leading up to the writing of The Ranks as my literary apprenticeship.
>>Boston has been a hotbed of fiction in recent years. So why another crime novel?
Although The Ranks would undoubtedly fall under the category of crime/detective fiction, I believe it moves far beyond the conventional framework of crime fiction. The story is much less about the actual plot and more about the transformation of the character Jody Brae. I believe that all good fiction operates on a number of different levels and I hope I've achieved that with this book.
>>Who are some of your influences, favorite authors?
In college I read the Classics, from Shelley to Steinbeck and everyone in between. More recently I've been into Alan Furst, W.G. Sebald, Cormac McCarthy and anything by John Banville.
>>What's next? Can we expect a sequel to The Ranks?
I am almost finished with the second novel of the series, Whiskey Point. Please stay tuned!
