I am sad to say I DNF'd this about 70% through.

- Sexist & inadequate woman representation - adding to patriarchy
- It starts intriguing but then you get a history lesson about
- I see into way too many characters' backstories that were absolutely page fillers which is quite sad considering the book is so short
- There's almost no storyline and it's not uniform - plot where?
- Is this even a mystery?

- Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Illusion of Simple is a beautifully written and relatable story about life, love, friendship, loyalty, right and wrong, politics and its means to reach an end, deceit, and prejudice in general. It also shows a face of America that is very rarely spoken about in books with the seriousness that it deserves. The author has the power of using words to embellish a description of the good or the bad, and that is a powerful tool. I really enjoyed reading this book, what should be simple is, in fact, rather complicated, because we, human beings, have difficulty understanding and respecting each other.
I downloaded a free copy of this book through NetGalley and this is my unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and The University of Iowa for this ARC in exchange for an honest review… here are my thoughts.

This book started off as a promising read, the first 50-80 pages I was interested and loved where it was heading… the rest of the book… I can’t say the same. The whole plot of the book is a mystery (or so I thought) and yet I felt as though the majority of it was description of the town and community. Description of the town and community including main characters is important yes, but should it overshadow what is pitched as the main plot? No. I wanted more of a mystery, more suspense… less focus on characters who I felt minimal connection to.

If you care for description, character dialogue and all the interpersonal connections of a small town, you might like this one but don’t expect much of a storyline to follow especially easily.

Don’t get me wrong, the description of the town was painted clearly with a middle western vibe in a small town. The type of town that sweeps all their problems under the rug and are ill equipped to deal with a possible murder.
I enjoyed that perspective but there is a little bit of irony considering the title is ‘The Illusion of Simple’ and this book was anything but.

The storyline has potential but just wasn’t executed how I would have liked.

This book was not one I ended up enjoying. Started out listening to it, but the narrator was just too dry, causing me to loose interest. There were parts of the story that were very good, but somehow they got lost along the way and there was quite a bit of finger pointing at certain groups of people. Switching to book form didn’t help much as I just didn’t resonate with the overall story.

Gritty crime drama set in small town Kansas? Yes, please. Where many of the like stray towards caricatures, The Illusion of Simple builds genuine characters you can almost reach out and touch. The story is certainly meandering at times, but worth the journey.

This was a very good and controversial book. The story starts with a group of girls discovering a human hand and then from then on the story starts. The story is set in the small town of Kansas.

The story is really written in a realistic way of what the life was really like during the 1980s--racism, politics, betrayal of friendships and loyalty, bad economy...it feels like you are thrown back into that time. Though it's a work of fiction, you actually feel like you are a part of the story. There were some parts of the story that were only boring but then the story soon grew into me. I really like the author's style of writing and he did a good job of making the story as realistic as possible.

Overall, it was a good book--worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Charles Forrest Jones has given us an important and timely gift. The Illusion of Simple does what the best fiction is supposed to do: it creates empathy and understanding through masterful storytelling. The characters are well-developed and Jones’ keen rendering of place—sometimes lovingly, sometimes shining a harsh light on truths we need to see—makes this an exceptional and compelling read. Highly recommended.

The Illusion of Simple is not a Simple story but the complications highlight the vagaries of human nature. For me, individual sentences brought this book to life—especially this one which captures the essence of the story--“the first pulse to take is your own.”

An interconnected Kansas town where young girls out scoutin find a human hand in a glove—an auspicious beginning of a rambling murder mystery filled with personalities, racial biases and political intrigue. Our protagonist, sheriff Billy Spire, follows the leads to understand the murder of a VietNam vet who lives in isolation with his Vietnamese wife.

The funeral, performed by a young, naïve Catholic priest and attended by most of the town sets the stage further with intriguing characters with small town, political, and religious characters. The dying town has been given the dilemma of developing enterprises, justice, and virtue.

A deep look at human nature, contrasting innocence and greed; hope and desperation; authenticity and deceit. A book that will make you want to take your own pulse first.

My first book to read by this author but I cannot wait to read more. Beautifully written and you think about it long after you finish it. Highly recommend!

As the title would suggest, The Illusion of Simple is a novel wherein even the simplest things are more complex than they seem. There's more to every story. With the story set in western Kansas, as a reader, it's hard not to think back to In Cold Blood at certain unsavoury moments. The novel delves into the specifics of the lives of the people in Ewing County and uncovers the secret dealings of those trying to keep the county afloat. For anyone familiar with rural North American living, this book will feel apt in the ways it captures the desperation of a dying town.

The novel is generous in the real estate given to summary and flashbacks which leads to a bit slower pace for the first half of the novel. Of course, this is done with the intent of character building but is something worth noting. There were some things that I questioned the practical need for their inclusion, but I understand why they may have been included if for nothing more than stylistic experimentation or expression.

All that said, I did enjoy the book and especially appreciated the way it ended. The ending was really satisfying, and I applaud the author for choosing to go in that direction. I would recommend it to others.

3.5/5

It's only January 9th but I do believe I have already read the book that will be my top read of the year!
I love grit lit and the best grit lit is set in Texas or Kansas. The Illusion of Simple is set in Kansas and as someone who once lived in Kansas, I was immediately drawn to this book and the descriptions of the small towns near Topeka. The people, the place, the situations, the diners--it's all here with a gripping story of a murder and how it all came about. Most of all, I think it is about identity politics. At least that is the message that rang clear for me. But every reader will walk away with something different and that truly is the hallmark of a darn good book. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

In Ewing, Kansas during the farm crisis of the 1980's, "farms failed, families moved, depopulation began. Large machines offset vanishing workers, then displaced those who tried to hang on...The local economy serve[d] only to sustain that which has endured." Stonewall Hospital, formerly a clothing store, was staffed by an old physician, Don Howard and his nurse wife "Mama Doc". The Ewing County Sheriff's Office had no budget to hire deputies.

Ayesha Perez was the champion of a needy girl troop, trying to provide the girls with unburdened freedom and adventure. "She is offended by affronts to the humanity of others." A trip to the depleted Arkansas riverbed...girls playing soccer with a clump of leather, a work glove. "Somebody lost a glove and left their hand inside."

Billy Spire, Sheriff of Ewing County, was called to the scene. "Billy Spire's appearance suggests a brutish and plodding intelligence or a serious drinking problem...he scarcely drinks." [Diet cola, please] "Billy learned distrust and physical toughness from a father who "showed his drinking buddies what true toughness looked like." Two "self-appointed" deputies came to assist. Owen Middleton, President of Stonewall Savings and Loan, "learned business at his daddy's knee, the intricacies and interplay of wealth, power, information and opportunity." Leo Ace, self appointed local historian, ran Ace's Auto Repair, the only repair shop in town. He sported an Elvis pompadour.

Ace found the pickup truck with a flat tire, a truck belonging to Russ Haycock. The Green Dodge truck sat unseen, on an elevated curve, between two straight stretches of highway. "There was one thing for sure, 'bad trouble and Russ Haycock always had a way of finding each other." The ties that bound the residents of Ewing, Kansas were told through backstories; tales of friendships, made and broken, dreams and reality, realized or crushed.

"The Illusion of Simple" by Charles Forrest Jones is a multifaceted mystery, part detective story, part commentary on issues including inclusion, joblessness, politics, love, hope and redemption. Detailed character development created a thorough understanding of the populace in this one horse town. This reader was left with feelings of hope for the small, midwestern, fictitious town. Highly recommended.

Thank you University of Iowa Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am originally from a small Kansas town so many of the things really brought me back. Where everyone knows everyone else and their past and that can sometimes be a good and bad thing at the same time. So many Kansas details, such as the one-finger wave!

There were a lot of characters and a lot going on but the story centered around Sherriff Billy Spires and Senator Middleton who grew up friends and brothers of sorts even though they weren’t actually related and had totally opposite personalities.

When a dead body of a local man is found by a troop of girl scouts, Sheriff Spires investigates what happened. Along the way, we hear from many different characters and at times we go back and learn the history of the characters, the way this was done was seamless and followed the story. It also delves into politics and what it takes to get things done in the legislature.

Beautifully written story about small towns and Kansas. I highly recommend.

Loved the cover of the book…very clever and interesting.

Thanks to NetGalley and University of Iowa Press for allowing me to read this book.

One thing I'll take from this book is Sheriff Spire's advice - the first pulse to take is your own! I really enjoyed this book. The sheriff's character and back story is well developed and draws you into a particular time and place in Kansas. The novel is engaging throughout and in addition to being a good detective story it also presents a frighteningly believable glimpse into American politics. .It's a great read and I strongly recommend it.