Review: The Seavers Conspiracy by Travis Pearson

A surprisingly spry auditor faces down the corruption and violence of a disintegrating town in The Seavers Conspiracy by author Travis Pearson. Steeped in modern-day, close-to-home themes and stacked with a vivid cast of characters, this is a swirling mystery that moves quick and twists often.

When Becka calls her Uncle Randall for help in her small town of Seavers, she doesn’t know that she is placing him directly in the crosshairs of a vicious and powerful cabal controlling the city government. Randall isn’t just an old man with a good heart – he is also an entertaining protagonist that anyone would want in their corner.

Using an impressive array of street smarts and relying on the strength of community in small town America, Randall works with a powerhouse of a partner named Ida to expose the secrets the city council is desperate to keep hidden. The slow burn of their unexpected romance adds another appealing angle to this tangled tale.

Beau Jackson and Walt Winslow are the cold-hearted savages at the core of the conspiracy, slowly squeezing an iron fist around the throats of local business owners. When underhanded financial scandals don’t work, brutal violence is the second choice, and the body count begins to climb. Fortunately, Randall is as skilled with his cane as he is with a calculator, and steps us as the unlikely hero a number of times in these pages. The ragtag group of local defenders is surely outgunned, but each of the characters has their own powerful motives, and are fiercely hungry for justice.

Leaving the door wide open for the ongoing adventures of Randall in the town of Seavers, the book has a somewhat predictable resolution, but the journey to get there is worth the effort. The plot, with all of its surprises and turns, never becomes too complex to follow, and if anything, the author could leave a bit more mystery between the lines. The narration is occasionally spoon-fed to readers, with small summaries of events, laying out a clear path between plot points.

The dialogue often serves the same purpose, especially at the beginning of the novel. Exposition is important, but developing an organic sense of communication between characters is essential. Randall, Becka, Ida and Diego all have conversations that feel as if they are designed to progress the plot and share information, but sometimes do so in clumsy, heavy-handed ways, as if not trusting the audience. There is also room for editing and polishing, as some phrasing is awkward or overly wordy, and other scenes could be trimmed or eliminated entirely.

That being said, Pearson accomplishes quite a bit in 200 pages, and keeps readers guessing until the last 20. There are moments of visceral violence, and other stirring passages reflecting the kindness, humor, resolve, and honor of these well-drawn characters. While the language may not always be perfectly chosen, the underlying message of this story is clear and compelling. For anyone who enjoys an immersive and suspenseful read with an everyman protagonist, The Seavers Conspiracy is a quick, action-packed thrill of a novel.