A year after forest fires sweep through the town of Crow Valley and claim the life of Dale Jepson--karaoke legend, local prison guard, and "all-around good guy"--the community holds a karaoke competition. But when a convicted arsonist escapes from nearby Crow Valley Correctional, the residents learn there's more on the line than a trip to the National Karaoke Championships.
Bryan creates a small town that’s both quirky and disturbingly realistic. While her characters have flaws (be they cheaters or murderers), Bryan shows sympathy and respect for all of them. A surprising, darkly comic look at people dealing with tragedy and choosing to sing anyway.
Antic and darkly comic ... Though the many subplots don’t all cohere, Bryan provides entertainment with the ups and down of the competition and the bumbling efforts by Marcel to evade capture. There’s fun to be had, but this often buckles under its own weight.
