Beyond Tobacco Road

Beyond Tobacco Road, a novel of the Deep South, chronicles the Andersons of Montgomery, Alabama from 1970 until the late l990s. The Andersons are an old southern family with ties to aristocracy, debutante balls, bachelor clubs, and a gallant, if defeated, past. Although much has changed in the South since the Civil War, one’s place in society is still measured not by wealth, (although money usually lurks in the background), but by breeding and family name. Appearances are everything. The term gentleman is at the top of the Southern vocabulary, but polite society isn’t so polite when the sun goes down and the doors are closed. Beyond Tobacco Road explores a family controlled by matriarch Leona Anderson, a widow with two grown children, Chuck, and Beth. The Anderson’s closets hide so many skeletons it’s amazing the family can sleep at night. The book opens as 10-year-old Chuck arrives home unexpectedly from a weekend camping trip and hears his mother screaming. He runs into his parents’ bedroom to find his beloved father on the floor, dying from a heart attack brought on by discovering his wife in bed with his best friend. Phil Grady. Mr. Grady is on the other side of the bed getting dressed. Winston Anderson, founder and CEO of The First National Bank of Montgomery dies before Chuck’s eyes, though the paramedics do everything in their power to save him. Ten years later, in 1970. a college girl murdered during rough sex with Chuck’s college roommate, Preston Norwood. Preston is a celebrated quarterback for the college football team - a southern gentleman who can do no wrong. He convinces Chuck to help him bury the girl’s body in an empty lot near the river. At the age of sixteen, Chuck had an affair with a black girl. Leona handled the immediate problem, but not the child who resulted from Chuck’s teenage fling. Only a few members of the black community and Leona know about this child, now a lovely young woman named Paris Lane. Paris’ mother dies in an automobile accident and her great aunt, Lottie, raised Paris - a woman she believes is her mother - until Lottie reveals the truth on her deathbed. Paris’ existence causes the Andersons no problems until fate brings her back to Montgomery. In desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, Chuck almost dies because there are no matches in his immediate family. Paris finds out about her father’s plight through the Anderson’s housekeeper. Leona its aware of this, but chooses not to reveal it. Beth Anderson, Chuck’s sister, marries Ron Williams and they have one daughter, Tammy. Beth has an affair with Tammy’s boyfriend, Edward Mason, and finds herself in the family way. Leona finds out, accidentally kills the young man, and forces Beth to have an abortion to keep Beth’s husband from finding out about the illicit liaison. Twenty years after Chuck helped Preston bury the college girl a construction crew discovers her remains. Now a highly respected attorney being considered for a Circuit Court Judgeship, Preston fears Chuck will link him to the twenty year old murder. He confronts Chuck and shoots him twice. Chuck survives brain surgery, but remains in a coma. Very clever detective work discloses that Preston new the murdered girl; he is convicted of her murder, along with the attempted murder of Chuck Anderson.