Review: Restrained Justice by Christopher Molleda

Set a decade after the divisive pain of the Civil War, Restrained Justice is an intimate slice of history from Christopher Molleda that strikes hard at old American wounds, while still hitting plenty of modern nerves.

Though this is a work of historical fiction, the issues at hand and the drama that unfolds in the small Texas town of Seguin expose the dark legacy of racism and injustice in the United States. With expositional tact and narrative flair, Molleda sucks readers into another world – the true Wild West – forcing them to reflect on the past, and look in the mirror.

Following the brutal maiming of one Mrs. Faust, and the slaying of a young immigrant girl, the town of Seguin is turned upside down, and the pressure quickly comes to bear on the local law enforcement: Sheriff Saur and Detective Lyons. Without any witnesses except the brother of the slain girl, there are few leads, and no obvious motive for the violent spree. Mr. Faust, the local druggist, is an obvious suspect, but he’s also a well-respected man, and nearly murdering his wife seems beyond the pale in the eyes of the townsfolk, and the eyes of his now-blind wife.

Just when the riverside trails run cold and the investigation appear to be hitting a dead end, an eyewitness to the crime appears. This key witness happens to be Isom Taylor, an ex-slave who claims to have seen Mr. Faust fleeing the scene of the murder, his bald head unmissable in the moonlight. As tempers continue to flair, old hatred emerges, and the shadow of the Civil War looms as darkly as the eyewitness’s skin. The crux of this novel is justice, as the title implies, and the complex waters of prejudice, violence, and cultural growth in the deep southern territory of Texas.

Despite being set more than a century ago, this book and the debates that rage within it are not dissimilar from many conversations still happening in the 21st century. Believing an entitled white man over the word of a black man is the foundation of countless stories in today’s news cycle, and this book shines a brutal light on the broken wheels of justice still chugging along in America. Molleda has created a powerful piece of timely fiction torn straight from reality that will leave people unsettled.

The execution of this novel is where the author stumbles, particularly in the technical details of speech patterns and dialogue. Given the Old West setting, the lack of contractions and relatively formal, awkward language throughout seem disconnected from the historical premise. This is a vital issue, as much of the plot revelations hinges on conversations, particularly in the later courtroom proceedings, so ensuring that the dialogic sections are authentic and colloquial would help sell the story further. Additionally, the narration is overly declarative, rather than descriptive or suggestive, which lacks flair and color.

All told, a reworking of certain crucial elements would help this book shine in the way this potent subject deserves, but as it stands the depth of the plot is impressive, and the issues that Molleda tackles are essential.