Valley Business FRONT, Issue 157, October 2021

FRONTReviews > Readers and patrons of the business journal are invited to submit reviews (along with an optional photo) to news@vbFRONT.com. We’ve expanded our reviews to include books, music, art, performances, culinary—with a preference for local productions. Reviews must be original, include the author’s name and location, and should be brief, under 350 words.

Colorful cast Since we like to review the more current books for our readers, I originally picked up The Substitution Order at Roanoke’s Book No Further bookstore. But both bookshop proprietor Doloris Vest and I confessed to each other that sometimes, we do, in fact, judge a book by its cover. Therefore, I put the newer one down and grabbed Martin Clark’s The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living (Vintage Books; 2000). How could I not check this one out (of his five legal fiction novels)? Well, there is another one entitled Plain Heathen Mischief. But this one—his first published novel—had that trashy redneck appeal I had to investigate further. For a long time now, I had wanted to read one of these heralded books from our own circuit court judge in Patrick County (Stuart, VA). I definitely want to check out one of Martin’s more recent works. This first novel introduces some good, solid character development. I’m attuned to writing that fails to distinguish between characters, either from overemphasizing traits to force a model (on one extreme) to the even worse sin of sharing the voice (the other extreme, where everyone talks the same). That’s how Mobile Home drew me in—the characters, well drawn. The relationships, provocative. The plot line was sufficient, but the experiences got a little clunky in the last third. Following the money was strong enough on its own, but by the time we’re wrapping it up, we’ve been introduced to

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Sometimes, ” “ we do, in fact, judge a book by its cover.

jewels, drugs, historical letters, cars, lotteries, and a supernatural talisman. Yes, when I list them out like that it seems colorful and attractive, right? Appropriate for a serial (television!); but here it was a bit interfering. It’s a fun read. I’m running down now to pick up another one. I won’t let the cover or title persuade me. —Tom Field

Keep your nose clean This is a first. We’re reviewing two books by the same author on one review section; his first release (in 2000) and this most recent one. By pure serendipity, I happened upon The Substitution Order (Vintage Books; 2019) when Martin Clark poured me a beer at the VIP tent at Patrick County’s Front Porch Fest—right after I had just finished reading the other book. Clark was a volunteer, and he had a box of his newest creation. How fortunate. This novel has stickiness. First, is the ever present moral: being good 99.9 percent is not good enough. Particularly with regard to fidelity. One night of coke and strippers… well, it can cost you. A lot. (I’m not spoiling and saying that’s what happened in this story; just take it under advisement.) Second, if you’re a local, there is a plethora of names and places