A number of recent novels have explored the persistence of violent racism in the south, but David Joy's eloquent, evocative writing and sharply drawn characters make ThosWe Thought We Knew a standout. The subject matter is not easy, but if you care about our society you will find this a memorable and rewarding read.m

David Joy's new novel, Those We Thought We Knew, stands out among new mystery releases. I expect a good mystery to have a complex plot that delivers suspense and surprises. I also want interesting, well-developed characters. What is harder to find in the mystery genre is exceptional literary prose. Those We Thought We Knew delivers on all three. There were sentences and paragraphs so eloquent I had to stop and reread them. The place descriptions and dialogue took me to rural North Carolina. When I finished the novel, I had to sit for a bit and absorb what I just read - it was that good. I'll be recommending this book to all my bookish friends.

This is the first time I've read a book by David Joy, but it will not be the last.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.

David Joy returns with another book set in the mountains of North Carolina, this time focusing on Toya Gardner, a graduate art student. Her thesis was centered on her family's history and it led her to create public art pieces that caused the people of the town to consider their own history, and the legacy of racism in the community. While some encouraged her to continue her work, others tried to shut it down and have her arrested and silenced for what they considered to be an affront to their heritage. Part of the book is spent investigating the crimes and the other part is a bit more philosophical as Joy lays out different viewpoints and experiences of the community, which parallel current events. Overall, a slow, but gripping story about racism and perceived power. This particular book of Joy's is in a similar vein to S.A. Cosby.

is a young black artist from Atlanta and has returned to her family’s home in the mountains of North Carolina. She is working on writing her graduate thesis. Once day, she ventures into the heart of town and she sees a Confederate monument. She vows to do something about it.

The police come across a drunk man sleeping in his car. They think nothing more of him and toss him in jail for the night when they discover a notebook in his car. While he is a drunk, he is also a high-ranking member of the Klan, and his notebook contains threats to many locals.

This is a tale of the dark underbelly of a community. When everyone you’ve even known turns out to be a monster, what do you do?

This is a very slow-moving read. At times I felt my mind wandering, but it seemed like such a great story I didn’t want to not read it. I did enjoy how descriptive and atmospheric the book was. I felt like I was right there with the characters. This book does dive deep and there is a nice murder mystery. I will say that I was generally turned off because of how slow this one was. I really struggled with it despite wanting to love it. That being said I do think that it is a good read, and worth doing.

If you are looking for a descriptive and beautifully atmospheric read, then I hope you check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

It’s said that an image is worth a thousand words. So, when Toya, a young graduate student returns to her ancestral home and encounters the monument of a Confederate soldier in the town square, she feels smacked upside the side of the head. She’s an artist, a situation artist if you will, and has already done one piece in town to confront a past injustice.
Meanwhile, sheriff’s deputies find a man sleeping in his station wagon. A search of the car uncovers his Klan uniform and a notebook with a list of names.
As the town veers towards a confrontation, the title comes into play. This is a town where many families go back generations, but do they really know each other? “The line in the sand was drawn and both sides were chomping at the bit.”
The writing is truly atmospheric, the town and surrounding area are just as much characters as the individuals portrayed. The first section sets up the situation and from there it moves at a fast pace. I can typically gauge how well written a book is by the number of phrases I highlight. Let me just say, I was highlighting a lot of this book.
What I loved about this book is the layers of the fight. At one level, it’s white robes, protests and “fighting over a piece of granite”. At another, it’s business suits and political landscapes. But it’s also those who don’t even think of themselves as having a racist bone in their body. Joy’s writing is not at all didactic. It’s clear as day, but definitely shows, not tells us. It raises questions that will have many readers doing some serious reflection. I will admit to being one of those readers.
The book is perfect for those that want a deeper murder mystery.
My thanks to Netgalley and GP Putnam & Sons for an advance copy of this book.

Tense and brilliant. This novel had so many twists and turns that I was guessing until the last page. A definite pageturner.

This is the second book I've read from this author and I have enjoyed them both greatly. The descriptions of the town and different locales in the area are amazingly detailed and quite lovely. The story itself is unique and the ending is quite a surprise. At least it was to me.
I felt totally immersed in this town and it felt like the characters were close neighbors of mine. If you're looking for a book that is very well written and one that you can get lost in, this is your book!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It is spectacularly written. Kudos to the author!

For years I've been drawn into David Joy's writing because reading one of his novels is like smelling the air or tasting the food. You're transported. He so richly paints a picture of what it's like to be in his world, even when that world is marred with hatred and bias. Those We Thought We Knew is such a captivating and difficult story, similar to Razorblade Tears or A Time to Kill, shining a light on grief and loss against an unfair prejudice. It was lovely and mysterious and will sit with you long after the pages are over.

"The world was surely split in two, but discerning who stood on what side was not black and white. It was gray, and gray was the scarier color because so often you couldn't pin it down."

Those We Thought We Knew by David Joy is a beautifully written Southern tale.
David Joy is an incredible writer. His attention to detail is impressive. This has exceeded all my expectations!
This was a fast-paced read that me devouring the pages.
Suspenseful and riveting I was hooked. And honestly I can’t wait to read his backlist and future reads.
This was outta this world. And deserves a standing ovation IMO!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Two horrific crimes take place in the mountains of a small North Carolina town.
Racism.. Klan involement, and finding that some of the worst actions and thoughts come from those we least expect.
Fast moving, short chapters.
Love this author, this is the third book that I’ve read of his!

Thank you to Netgalley and Putman Books for the ARC!

Southern noir novel centered around racial tensions in a rural North Carolina town, this was a gut wrenchingly accurate look at the evils hiding inplain sight. Simply fantastic, David Joy is such an incredible talent.

Those We Thought We Knew is dark and gritty and it broke my heart. But, it is also timely and thought provoking. As someone from the South I have heard the same arguments over and over about the Confederate flag and Confederate statues and "what they really mean". I feel like Joy did a wonderful job of confronting this history and the complexity of people's feelings. I flew through this one and was completely surprised by the twist at the end. I highly recommend Those We Thought We Knew, especially for fans of dark, gritty, suspenseful books. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC of this novel!

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group, and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for this advance copy.

5/5. This is the fifth novel by David Joy that I have read, and it did not disappoint! It was similar to and different than his previous novels. It was similar in that it took place in the mountains of Appalachia, had well-developed main characters, and many similes that delighted me as I swore I could hear them roll off David Joy’s tongue as I read. Those We Thought We Knew was different from his earlier novels because it featured a different social issue than the opioid crisis that figures so prominently. Those We Thought We knew looks at the devastating and far-reaching consequences when residents are forced to look at what they were taught and what they hold as truth. It makes me think about privilege and what is owed to those who don’t hold the same privilege. When Toya, a young Black woman who came into town and shook things up, was asked why, she said, “An open would cannot heal.” David Joy’s latest novel pulls off the bandage and looks at entitlement, racism, loss, gentrification, and other important social issues that are prevalent across America.

Those We Though We Knew packs an incredible punch. Taking place in rural North Carolina, it tells the story of a young black artist returning to her grandmother’s home, and of her murder due to her activism about a Confederate statue. It can be difficult to read, as it makes the reader uncomfortable while discussing the issue of inherent racism, and not just in the rural South. Well written, and almost never preachy, it’s an incredibly remarkable book.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing and ARC of the book.

This book was less gritty than the last Joy book I read. It was very timely as it deals with the murder of a young, motivated and forward thinking black woman in a conservative area of the South. It followed the woman’s family and the history of the family with local police chief. I found myself rooting for the family to find the killer and eventual peace. I was surprised by the ending. Excellent read.

SO many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to read Those We Thought We Knew by David Joy.

Omg this book. I would give it a parade if I could.
The subject matter is timely. And it's important.
The characters are jump-off-the-page honestly, sometimes brutally, written.
The setting rich in description and atmosphere, with spot-on rich, stylish dialogue.
The writing is brilliant. Lyrical and raw and mesmerizing. Hopeful and heartbreaking.
Asking tough, necessary, questions.

An important book.

You can't go wrong with a book from David Joy. This one may be the most personal one yet.
The flow and style make the words poetic. And there is always passion coming across.
Vulnerable at times, and ferocious, this is a must read.
This story will probably make you uncomfortable, but that may need to be needed to address the topics.

Those We Thought We Knew tells us of Toya Gardner, an art graduate student from Atlanta with deep ancestral roots in the original African American community in Cullowhee, N.C. Her mother is an Atlanta attorney, but her grandmother is an Appalachian widow living on her homeplace. Toya is visiting for the summer, taking advantage of connections at the local university to work on her thesis project.

Joy excels at taking readers straight to the story and the opening here is no exception. Toya’s already rallied a team of activists to pull off a three-dimensional protest piece on campus. Law enforcement and the press push in and as the opening sequence winds down we find Toya walking off steam in downtown Sylva when she comes across the monument for the first time.

One envisions Bree Newsome tearing down the confederate flag in Columbia, S.C. in 2015. A roar of righteous indignation. A statement of purpose. Toya refuses to remain silent. In Joy's novel the real-life protest movement comes alive as a result of her actions. The back story meets the main story and as the two sides clash, a life is suddenly lost.

A few things should be said about the fiction techniques Joy deploys. As a mystery, the plot clues are well paced and subtle.He casts several shiny objects for readers to bite, not knowing if it’s the hook or the bait. The way the author uses time is also of note. Instead of getting caught in a bear trap trying to dramatize every detail and story path, he uses off-scene action to move the story quickly, to open chapters following major events and tell you what happened in the aftermath before picking up dramatized scenes. This works well and allows the reader to move along the surface of the story and imagine the mentioned events. Otherwise this story could become unwieldy.

I gave four starts because of two things. One, the dialogue and major philosophical conflicts are not much more than what we've read on social media flame threads for the last 15 years. I didn't find anything new, but then again I've been a journalist imbued in these issues the entire time. Maybe David's message will be new to some readers. It was old hat to me and not compelling as argument. Second, the secondary story and resolution of both plots falls incredibly flat for me.

I consider David Joy one of the best writers working today. His stories resonate deeply with me as a North Carolinian and I hold him to the highest standards as a reader and a Tar Heel. I'm certain this book will be important.

A young activist girl is killed while attending a protest march in a Southern small town. The object of the protest is a statue. There is a lot the author is trying to get across here, some moral to the story that we are all bad people and are all racist. Joy has great skill with his previous novels, and he glimpses at that work here. He certainly diverges away with a highly emotional and sad novel. I was not blown away, but did feel just plain sad after.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC for THOSE WE THOUGHT WE KNEW by David Joy through a Self Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy week!