THE BOYS WHO WOKE UP EARLY

Narrator Christopher Carley inhabits this sublime coming-of-age story set in Virginia in the late 1950s-60s. Seventeen-year-old Stony Shelor is a good person but ends up on probation after defending a girl. Carley deftly portrays easygoing Stony and his dissimilar friend Jack, a would-be detective, as the pair assist the overworked sheriff's department. Listeners will visit the story's warmly described rural community and enjoy its picnics, hunting, and fishing. Bootlegging, racism, and KKK activities are also part of the locale. Descriptions are so well written and rendered that listeners will feel they're actually witnessing events. As portrayed by Carley, Stony and Jack remain consistent and believable as their ingenuity and compassion save a mixed-race couple. Carley's best moments include Sheriff Agee's dealings with the boys and his kindness toward some tragic neighbors. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2019]