#PopsugarReading Challenge Book 43: The Trees

Popsugar Reading Challenge category: A horror book by a BIPOC author.
The Trees, by Percival Everett.

As horror books go, this one is less frightening than hopeful, because the "victims" are all nasty racists, directly or indirectly connected with lynchings. The first bodies found are sons and grandsons of the killers of Emmett Till, and a body resembling Till's is found at the scene - then disappears. Soon there are more murders, all following the same pattern.

Two Black detectives arrive from the Mississippi version of the FBI, later joined by a female FBI agent with the unfortunate name of Herbie Hind (say it out loud). They, and the local sheriff, grow increasingly bewildered as the bodies pile up. At one point it looks like there's a rational explanation for the killings - but then all hell breaks loose.

There's dark humor throughout the book. The racist local cops are all such dimwits, they make Roscoe from The Dukes of Hazzard look like a genius.

I'm curious about the choice of title. I'd have gone with "Rise," or "Say Their Names," both themes throughout the book.

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