In Troubled Waters (Contemporary American Fiction)

“What makes this a brilliant book is its ability to transcend the theme of latent small-town racism to become a resonant exploration of family relations.” – Bret Lott, The New York Times Book Review
 
When 91-year old Tom Glover hires two boys—one black, one white—to watch over his Alzheimer’s-stricken son-in-law, long-simmering racial tensions in a small Florida town finally boil over. As Tom and his family face the hostilities of the neighborhood, Tom must also face the hate-filled legacy of the South’s racist past and his own shameful memories of his relationship with a childhood companion. Masterfully interweaving the issues of family relationships, debilitating illness, and racial conflicts, Beverly Coyle tells a story that is gripping, funny, compassionate, and wise.
 
“A distinguished novel . . . Radiant . . . Readers will feel at home and secure with Beverly Coyle.” – The Boston Globe