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 Local author breaks story A Review By Monique Bos Tybee resident, former city editor and “Savannah Morning News” political reporter Larry Peterson debuts as a novelist with “City Editor.” Set in the fictional town of Cornwall, S.C. -- located in the Lowcountry between Savannah and Charleston -- the novel chronicles a few days in the life of “Times-Herald” city editor Jack Donahue. During a brief visit, the state’s governor denies rumors of a plan to build a facility for repeat sexual offenders in Cornwall. However, one of Donahue’s sources leaks him a memo sent by a Department of Corrections official that details comprehensive plans for the facility. Although the paper’s managing editor, Anita Sue Crockett, wants Donahue to pursue the lead, the executive editor, Chester Rutledge, squelches the story, shuffles staff and fires one reporter. These actions lead Donahue, Crockett and several loyal colleagues to investigate. As they uncover suspicious real estate deals, money transfers and complex family connections, tension escalates, resulting in a murder. Peterson writes like a journalist. His straightforward, factual style moves the narrative along quickly but doesn’t always allow his characters and sense of place to develop. Some of the action scenes are a bit awkward, and the number of minor characters is bewildering at times. Readers receive a strong sense of Donahue’s ethics and approach to his job. What they don’t get is much information about his background, which apparently includes some earlier career controversies, and his relationship with his wife and daughter. In addition, while the supporting characters are lively -- sometimes even stretching credibility -- they also are fairly one-dimensional, from the pasteboard villain to the sympathetic, beautiful manager who just happens to have family money. Any complexity underlying motives, behavior and actions is never explored. The book’s strength, in addition to its fast pace, is the detailed examination of the inner workings of a small-town daily newspaper. Peterson explains how news develops and investigates ethical issues, including source confidentiality and truthful reporting. He also talks about the Internet’s influence on papers and satirizes some management trends. According to Peterson, Savannah served as one of the models for Cornwall, and snippets of the fictional town -- including history, architecture and Lowcountry traditions -- will strike a chord with local readers. |
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