Eric Wilson, The Best of Evil

The Best of Evil

Eric Wilson

WaterBrook, September 2006, $13.99

ISBN: 1578569117

When he was six years old living in the northwest, he watched his mother die from a fall that he attributed to his Uncle Wyatt. He lived a violent life on the streets until he was almost assassinated by a former gang associate. During that moment when a gun was pointed at his head, he calmly found God. Now over two decades since his mom's death, Aramis Black lives with his older brother, guitar playing Johnny Ray in Nashville, and owns and operates a coffee shop.

On the day he is to hire a new employee, a man is murdered in his shop. The victim Darrell Mitchell tells Aramis to "turn your eyes from greed". Frighteningly, this was his mom's last words to Aramis. Johnny Ray takes Aramis on a drive to the grave of Meriwether Lewis and tells his sibling a strange tale that they are half brothers. Furthermore, he insists that Aramis is a descendant of the famous explorer, who Johnny Ray believes was killed by avaricious General Wilkinson and that Aramis' mother was also murdered because of that early nineteenth century deadly rivalry. He could be next, as he has the proof that could devastate the influential affluent descendants of Wilkinson, though Aramis has no idea what his brother is talking about.

Though the premise of tying the murder of Aramis' mother to the possible homicide of Lewis seems like fantasy, Eric Wilson makes it feel plausible, though still some doubters would insist that it is only a slight possibility, but all will agree this is a clever solid amateur sleuth tale. The storyline is fast-paced from the first murder at the lead character's espresso caf , and never slows down until the stirring climax. Readers also receive fascinating tidbits about Lewis after his adventure with Clark; these factoids are cleverly intertwined into the conspiracy. Believe it or not, THE BEST OF EVIL is a terrific thriller.