MICHAEL K. BROWN BOOKS
IN THE AFTERMATH OF WAR AND CORRUPTION, UNVEILING THE PAST BRINGS TWO LIVES TOGETHER
In 1953, a young Korean War veteran arrives in a small town in Georgia where he will meet the love of his life, discover the truth about the death of a young black man, and help unravel the layer of corruption that rules the county. Wes Devereaux turns twenty-five on the day he steps from a bus in Farnham, GA, to begin his career as a high school history teacher. Soon, he meets Colleen Davis, a teller at the local bank and widow of another Korean War G.I. Wes and Colleen fall in love at first sight but are faced with her loyalty to the memory of her husband and public perception. The young couple begin a journey with many detours on their way to finding a life together. In the process, the dark side of Farnham is revealed along with a stunning discovery that links Wes and Colleen in an ironic twist of fate.
Purchase AMONG THE OAKS
PRAISE FOR UNDER THE OAKS
Under the Oaks is a captivating read, written by a talented author who uses realistic southern tinged dialogue and intricate characters (particularly Colleen, Harriet, and Wes, a Korean War vet and teacher) to take you back to a small Georgia town in the 1950s. It's Wes and Colleen's sweet love story, but it's also a mystery that will keep you reading and wondering until the end. Although Brown frequently switches his focus from Wes to Colleen and back, he's easy to follow. An enjoyable escape from covid bad news and cabin fever. Under the Oaks, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Portia Tewogbade, Author of Red Was the Midnight
The novel Under the Oaks, by former Georgia Author of the Year, Michael K. Brown, focuses on the character Wesley Devereaux as he begins a new life in a small South Georgia town at the end of the Korean War. Kudos to Brown for highlighting the trauma experienced by the veterans of this largely forgotten war. Wesley is a complex character who guards his emotions, yet he is depicted so deftly that we feel his conflicts as he navigates his world. The plot focuses on Wes’s emerging relationship with Colleen, a local bank teller and widow who is bound to her memory of her husband, and on Wes’s investigation of local corruption, which, ironically, relates to Colleen’s deceased husband. We also get to know Wes and Colleen’s families and friends. Many of these characters emerge vividly, whether evoking chuckles for their over-the-top Southern-ness or cheers for their loyalty. With beautiful descriptive details, Brown does an excellent job of re-creating life in, and the dialogue of, a small Southern town in the 1950s, but the story speaks to our times as Wes’s investigation reveals the racism behind the death of a young black man. Reading Under the Oaks will transport you to a world that evokes To Kill a Mockingbird. This is a powerful novel that is also tender—and thoroughly enjoyable.
Constance McKee, Author of The Girl in the Mirror
Under the Oaks is a love story that unfolds amid the aftermath of the Korean War and racial segregation in a small town in southern Georgia. In addition to the love of their high school football team, the townspeople share many secrets, beginning with their loose definition of “dry county.” However, some of the town’s residents hide something far more sinister. The characters grapple with truth, honor, and loyalty in an otherwise peaceful and idyllic setting. This book is well written and was a pleasure to read.
Valerie Joan Connors, Author of A Better Truth
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