Baby Moses by John Cowlin

Greed, bigotry, history, and revenge collide in Baby Moses, a gritty and soulful southern drama by John Cowlin.

When a young black man comes back home after a hard seven years, trouble has no problem finding him, as his path is crossed by two thieves on a slippery slope of violence and burglary. Defending the only mother he’s ever known, the dignity of his community, and his fundamental rights as a man, Moses quietly and confidently steps into the fray, but his sharp mind and quick tongue may be too untamed to keep him safe.

This powerful story is carefully built piece by piece, with each narrative perspective luring readers further into the drama, but along the way, the author explores a broad and nuanced range of themes. From divine salvation and judgment on earth to the facades of brotherhood and the siren song of vengeance, both the “good” and “bad” guys provide moments of insight and casual wisdom. Cowlin proves his skill as a storyteller, infusing the prose with passages of hope, poisonous bigotry, and an authentic sense of mood and place.

With language pulled perfectly from the jagged South, and descriptive lines that summon the specter of the 1950s, this detailed, sensitive, and compelling novel is one you’ll want to savor, but Cowlin makes it hard to stop reading.

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