The Gone Dead

DEBUT Much like the first line of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, Benz's opening—"It's not exactly as she was picturing"—inspires readers to continue this debut novel, which follows in the picturesque style of the author's multi-best-booked story collection The Man Who Shot Out My Eyes Is Dead. The story centers on Billie James, who knows little of her father, Clifton, an underrated poet who died when she was four in an incident she cannot recall. Three decades later, she learns that she's inherited his modest, secluded home in the Mississippi Delta, as well as his belongings. As Billie uncovers his final writings, she simultaneously encounters locals who share more of her history than she ever knew. She also discovers that she went missing the day her father died, leaving her with a mystery to solve. The novel is beautifully written throughout, with descriptions of the land, sounds, and even Billie's dog, Rufus, especially enthralling. Benz's inclusion of Clifton's lost work make Billie's experiences authentic.