Cross Dog Blues - by Richard M Brock (Paperback)

About the Book

"Cross Dog Blues brings the wild pioneers of the Delta blues exploding to life in this adventurous and evocative debut novel about the mysterious mission at the center of the invention of blues music. THEN: In 1915, Charlie Patton -- the enigmatic inventor of blues music -- founds a shadowy alliance with Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter and Blind Lemon Jefferson. A pact is made, and the seeds of revolution are sown. But, these three bluesman have no way of knowing the tragic series of events they are setting into motion, or the vast and lasting effect this pact will have on the world. Nor do they know the Ku Klux Klan is watching. NOW: In 2002, Franklyn O'Connor -- a rebellious, nineteen-year-old white kid -- flees his Upstate New York hometown on a train destined for the Crossroads in the Mississippi Delta. He has his mind set on one thing: tracking down his deadbeat father, who walked out on his family when Frank was five. With nothing but a backpack and the unsolicited assistance of the little old man called Furry Jenkins, Frank soon drifts into the middle of a combustible racial feud at the intersection of a still divided society. A shocking truth awaiting him down the line"--

Book Synopsis

AMAZON BEST SELLER in Historical Fiction and Historical Thrillers

AMAZON #1 BEST SELLER in Blues Books

4.5-Star Average Reader Review!

The acclaimed blues novel about division, unity, and American life that spans from 1903 to 2002 and plays out over the wails of the birth of the Delta blues. Fast, powerful, and entertaining.

"This is storytelling at its best." -Fortean Times Magazine

"Poignant . . . insightful. . . . A heartening read for blues fans as well as anyone interested in the history of American music and civil rights." -Kirkus Reviews

In 1915, in a moonlit room in a boarding house in Texas, Charlie Patton -- the enigmatic inventor of blues music -- founds a shadowy alliance with Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter and Blind Lemon Jefferson. A pact is made, and the seeds of revolution are sown. Back at the Dockery Plantation in the Mississippi Delta, with the help of the likes of Son House, Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson, and others, Charlie's plan spreads across the South, and then across the country. But these bluesmen have no way of knowing where this dangerous road will lead. Nor do they know the Ku Klux Klan is watching.

In 2002, Franklyn O'Connor -- an adventurous and penniless youth -- sits at a lonely bar in the train station of his small upstate New York hometown holding a one-way ticket to the Crossroads in the Mississippi Delta. There he hopes to track down his deadbeat father, who walked out on his family when Frank was five. With nothing but his rucksack and the unsolicited assistance of a little old man called Furry Jenkins, Frank soon unwittingly drifts into the middle of a combustible racial feud at the intersection of a still divided society. A shocking truth waiting down the line.

With the rambling pioneers of blues music leading an unforgettable cast of characters, this raw, rousing and often hilarious debut novel delivers a breathtaking view of life, livin', love and hate in America in the 20th century, and the mysterious beginnings of the music that provided the soundtrack for it all...THE BLUES.

Review Quotes

Kirkus Reviews - "Poignant . . . insightful. . . . A heartening read for blues fans as well as anyone interested in the history of American music and civil rights."

Fortean Times Magazine - "This is storytelling at its best."

5-Star Amazon Review - "Just an OUTSTANDINGLY GOOD READ!"

5-Star Amazon Review - "Amazing and honest."

5-Star Goodreads Review - "I can't even begin to tell you what an impact this book has had on me!"

5-Star Amazon Review - "Heavenly harmony is reached in the pages of this book."

5-Star Amazon Review - "Perhaps the best novel written about the birth of the blues. Cannot wait for Book 2."

5-Star Amazon Review - "A beautifully crafted page turner that really gets under your skin."

5-Star Amazon Review - "I love the stories, how they intertwine. It keeps you glued to the pages. I can hardly wait for the next two books."

5-Star Amazon Review - "This is a fine accomplishment for an author's first book."

5-Star Amazon Review - "I couldn't put it down!"

5-Star Amazon Review - "I loved everything about it."

5-Star Amazon Review - "What an amazing story! I could not stop reading."