THE CIRCULARY
Author: J. C. Thompson
Copyright: 2009
Publisher:OutskirtsPress
Tradepaperback
ISBN:9781432734510 $24.95 331pages Fiction, Action-adventure

“I guess I would like you to hear my confession, and I pray that this will help me regain what was taken from me.”

These are words from John Calovacanti Hanna who is better known as Calo. As an enterprising teenager, he has the foresight to make money whether legally or illegally while in high school. Balancing family and school life is fairly simple for Calo but added to that is balancing the purchasing of illegal cigarettes to his peers with his personal morality. Knowing when to continue building a business and when to get out and run seems instinctive to him.

Being undecided about his future, Calo is entranced by a college coed who he had always admired; he willingly becomes adapted to college life and a new business. This time “moonshine” is the product and the business is part of the larger Circulary.

The Circulary is a secret society with their personal set of laws. The business of transporting and making the “moonshine” is the foundation of the group. The problem is that once you are involved with the group, there is only one way you leave it, by dying. How do you balance the money with your own beliefs and morality?

THE CIRCULARY is a fast-paced adventurous romp. The characters are believable and the story has numerous twists on its journey to the last page.

THE CIRCULARY is from a self-publishing agency, Outskirts Press. The problem with most of the books from the self-publishing agencies is the lack of editing. Mixing homonyms, misspelled words, still need to be corrected and can distract from the hypnotic effect when reading. While I was enjoying this novel, I also found myself bothered by these trivial errors. A decent editor would have completely solved this problem.

THE CIRCULARY is J.C. Thompson’s first novel. I sincerely hope this promising author finds a real publisher for his next novel which I look forward to reading.

Teri Davis November 14, 2009