Everyone Dies Famous    by Len Joy Order:  USA  Can BQB Publishing, 2020 (2020) Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Barbara Lingens For being such a short work, this one sure packs a punch. It begins and ends with a hurricane, and worlds happen in between. The story is so taut that you just have to stay with it to find out what happens. We meet many people - too many. It took me to Chapter 9 (out of 36) to feel comfortable that the name I was reading was who I thought it was. The reason Everyone Dies Famous is that we are in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else. We get a real feeling for what it's like to live with that. Over the years, certain events are never forgotten and neither are the authors of those events. For some, the only way to survive is to escape, but others who try cannot. So we have marriages that have failed and fathers and sons who have disappointed. There's an ex-wife who definitely wants to improve herself and an ex-husband who is trying to save the town. As these stories unwind against the tension brought about by shifting weather - sudden rain showers, strange light, thunder and lightning and finally the hurricane itself - the suspense becomes intense. Well-defined characters are a joy to follow, and this town has its share of unique individuals, especially among the men - Len Joy really excels at creating them. It's too bad we don't have more time to get to know some of them better, but that hurricane will not be put off. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews