I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own. 

A prisoner and a woman determined to help solve mysteries band together and form a unique bond in author Bill Smoot’s “San Quentin Exodus.”

The Synopsis

James, a still-water-runs-deep boy, struggles to navigate the rough streets of Oakland, California, in the 80s. His only friend is a pit bull he rescues from dog fighting. On the cusp of college, James commits a crime that results in a prison term of thirty to life. Allison, a young Indiana girl obsessed with Nancy Drew novels, vows that her life’s mission will be to solve mysteries and help people. Introverted yet daring, Allison moves to Berkeley to teach prep school and volunteers as a tutor at San Quentin. She meets James when he is approaching fifty, learns his story, and after his parole denial, channels Nancy Drew to plan his improbable escape. San Quentin Exodux is a braided novel about two people whose lives cross in a quest to reset an ill-fated life. It is a story infused with misfortune and pain, but also with hope and a fierce humanity.

THE REVIEW

What a powerful and moving novel. The rich exploration of social class dynamics and prison culture is just the tip of the iceberg in this moving, emotionally driven narrative. The rich imagery that the author brings to life in their writing style captures the raw emotions that drive both protagonists and the supporting cast that helped them along the way, and the way the author immerses the reader in rich, unique settings that range from daunting and haunting to bright and hopeful keeps the reader invested in the narrative.

The heart of the story, of course, is the bond that forms between the two protagonists. The juxtaposition of both James and Allison‘s backstories and how they came to form their bond through a profound love of education, and the moving story of how two people from vastly different places can find common ground and even strive to find things like redemption, hope, and basic human decency to their fellow man, allows the story to shine brightly. The rich supporting cast of characters, with the depth of detail the author pours into this world, feels like they could easily draw the reader right into each scene, as if a film were playing in the reader’s mind!

THE VERDICT

Heartfelt, thought-provoking, and enthralling, Author Bill Smoot’s “San Quentin Exodus” is a must-read genre fiction drama that readers will not be able to put down. The twists and turns that take place in the personal lives of these two powerful characters and the unique bond they share delve into a deeper theme of human connection and compassion that will both inspire and pull at the heartstrings of each reader, leaving them eager for more from this wonderful tale and the author behind it. If you haven’t yet, please be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Bill Smoot’s bio begins in his coming-of-age years in Maysville, Kentucky, where he was blessed by loving parents and a friendly and familiar town. A boy of the fifties, he played baseball, spent time on his grandparents’ dairy farm, and showed their cows in the county fair. He was a Boy Scout.

He went off to Purdue University intending to study engineering, but changed his major to philosophy. He came of age politically working as editor of the student newspaper, The Purdue Exponent. As editor, he waged a battle with the administration for freedom of the student press, a struggle that led to the paper’s becoming independent. He became the subject of an FBI file, which he thought of as his merit badge in activism. 

At Northwestern University, Bill Smoot received his PhD in philosophy, specializing in ethics, existentialism, and the philosophy of art. He made his way west where he spent the years writing fiction and essays and teaching in a variety of schools and colleges. His love of teaching inspired him to interview teachers across the country and compile the interviews in a book, Conversations with Great Teachers. The book is dedicated to his mother, a Latin teacher.

For the past decade Bill Smoot has taught at Mount Tamalpais College in San Quentin Prison. He writes novels, short stories, and essays. He has just completed a novel about a classics professor obsesses with the Eleusinian Mystery religion of ancient Greece. He lives in Berkeley. Bill Smoot’s bio would not be complete without praise for his trusty German Shepherd, Artemis, who works as a therapy dog in various venues.

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