As a native Texan I’m very familiar with East Texas, it’s beauty, reputation and unsavory history. This historical fiction is based on a true event which I had never heard about, set in the Seventies. It is apparent the author did lots of research. The atmosphere was authentic enough to smell the pines and feel the constant drizzling rain. History isn’t always the nostalgic vision we want it to be, nor are endings always happy. This main plot is interspersed with nuggets of random news stories. I really enjoyed the format. Younger generations will have no experience or knowledge of this type of reporting. I found them nostalgic and relevant to time period. The book kept me engaged and brought back many memories of times I visited the area. I found the story compelling and memorable.
A husband who works long stretches away at an offshore job on an oil rig comes home to find his wife and mother of their three year old both missing. The uninterested law enforcement did little and claims they probably left on their own. One small clue solved the mystery.
BoMac is a dogged newspaper reporter. The owner, his boss, is old money concerned only with profit. He strikes an unlikely friendship with a highly educated black teacher at the school. The politics in this small town is rife with greed, power and status going as high as a Congressman. There’s drug cartels, crime and money laundering. It is a powerful slice of history with the wealthy in power, the poor whites in the trailer park and the poor blacks across the railroad tracks. How far have we come since this time period?
Many thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Jar of Pennies” and to The John and Stephenie Yearwood Management Trust. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

I found this book quite an interesting tale that kept me engrossed the whole way through!
It's certainly is different than what I'm used to but I love a good change now and then.
A can't put down book that will leave you guessing and sometimes just plain out loud laughing.
I'll be honest here, it was the cover of the book that made me want to request it. I'm glad I did!
Wonderful characters that you will like as well.
I could relate to the small town feel myself as I grew up in one.
5.stars for a well written story. I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sometimes Texas can seem like another planet. The small towns stuck in desert where the residents face a battle everyday to survive and keep their families together.
Author John Yearwood gives us a fictional account of a string of murders and the characters weaving into and out of the investigation. He has developed this cast of characters so well you'd think this was a non-fiction book, I really had to check a couple of times. The small Eastern Texas community he builds as the back drop could be any of hundreds of real life towns. You get a clear picture in your mind of BoMac as he finds himself drawn into the investigation instead of just reporting it.

I'm definitely recommending this book to my reading circle, especially those from East Texas!

Thank you to John and Stephenie Yearwood Management Trust and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book was a little slow going at first and I was a little overwhelmed with all of the characters, but it quickly took of. This book had it all and it held my interest the entire time. This was one of those that I thought I would like, and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

This is a book that I will be recommending to people.

I was pleasantly surprised by this tale. It started out a bit slow and it took me a bit to make sure I understood who all the characters were. But then about 40% in, this one took off like a rocket. It has mystery, murder, and the best part is a little humor mixed in with an absolutely great creepy factor. Can’t really explain why I enjoyed it much, but it just hit the spot, I was laughing out loud several times, especially for the melon.
The story has it all, I highly recommend.
Received an ARC from John and Stephanie Yearwood Management Trust and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with 5 stars.