Real Bad Things

Residents of Maud Bottoms know that the Arkansas River is deadly, but it also serves to hide all manner of sins in the small town. Twenty-five years after Jane’s murder confession was dismissed for lack of evidence, a body is found in the murky waters, bring up memories from her past. As she reconnects with friends, family, and her former girlfriend, repressed memories come to light, revealing that no one, least of all Jane, really knows what happened the night her stepfather died. From the first onslaught of fragmented and frenetic detail, Ford (Cottonmouths) crafts a compelling psychological suspense. The atmosphere of apprehension and unease intensifies as tension builds and twists abound. Narrator Donna Postel gives an anxious, emotive performance of the dual narrative. The varied extent of her Arkansas accent may seem inconsistent, but this exemplifies Jane’s efforts to escape her past.