Set in Jackson, Mississippi, Blood on the Leaves weaves around wonderfully drawn three-dimensional characters amid social injustice and long suppressed memories. The catalyst is in the actions of one charismatic Professor Martin Matheson, a disputatious community leader, who uses his classroom as a medium to resurface 30-40 year old unsolved crimes involving murdered/lynched blacks. He wantonly distributes the names and addresses of whites suspected of carrying out theses deadly deeds and when the white named suspects are murdered in similar manners as the black victims, pandemonium breaks loose and Matheson is arrested and charged with murder. The community is immediately split along moral and racial divides. The core of the story centers on theatrical courtroom scenes of Professor Matheson's trial; however, it is the internal struggles of the key characters that add depth and drama to the plot. For example, prosecuting attorney James Reynolds is the only black assistant DA with an impeccable win ratio and is also a social acquaintance of the defendant. Reynolds is assigned to prosecute Matheson against his wishes by his racist and inept boss (the County's District Attorney). He suffers from haunting, sleep-depriving nightmares, and wrestles with his own internal morals regarding justice and duty. Todd Miller, Matheson's defense attorney, is a white Civil Rights lawyer who was disowned and disenfranchised by his family in the 1950's for his liberal political views. Stetson also interjects ingenious subtle references to and commentaries on modern day political groups and social issues that trigger deep internal examination on the reader's part. Bravo, Mr. Stetson! This book is extremely well done - a true page-turner until the very end! When I finished Blood on the Leaves, I was emotionally drained but thoroughly entertained! Stetson's skill as a playwright brought the story to life via dialogue, carefully crafted scenes and vivid imagery. It is a suspenseful, thought-provoking story that grapples with age-old concepts of revenge, redemption, and morality! This book is most definitely on my 2004 favorites list and I am looking forward to the next release.
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In summer 2004, I reviewed for Mystery Scene Magazine and wrote a piece on Jeff Stetson's powerful debut novel, which takes its title from the lyrics of a haunting song: "Southern trees bear strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root . . ." I have never forgotten this vivid book. This morning, reading of racial injustice in Jena, Louisiana, I thought again of BLOOD ON THE LEAVES. If only those schoolboys sitting under their "whites' only" tree, its branches hung with empty nooses, would take the time to read Stetson's novel, to think things through and put themselves in another's place. While its plot hinges on racial conflicts, Stetson's story is far from black and white. Like the world we live in, the book's fictional world is richly nuanced with complex personalities struggling to determine where they stand on the continuum from justice to vengeance. Three years after reading BLOOD ON THE LEAVES, I still remember how Stetson's writing shines and how his themes resonate. Too bad the conflicts he wrote about are not a thing of the past. I wish we could all forget to hate.
—Rosemary
