A Plot for Pridemore

A Plot for Pridemore: A Novel
Mercer University Press

By author: Stephen Roth
ISBN: 9780881464825
Binding Information: Paperback

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Idgie Says:

 So you put a bunch of political townfolk, a dying town and a rather simple-minded man together and what happens?   Apparently a grand scheme to make the town come to life, while preying on the kindness of the simple-minded man in a rather lackadaisically malicious manner.  What it does is create several characters that you don't like very much at all.  

Then the plan goes South and disaster hits  with poor Digby truly stuck in the old mines and they have to get him out quickly.  Will the townfolk feel the error of their ways and not only rescue Digby but also find their humanity again, or will they suffer in shame and regret while the poor used man dies in the caves?

A wide range of characters - some interesting, some forgettable, a few truly likable -  come and go in the story, all working to either save the town, Digby or both.  

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Book Description:
For five heart-churning days, the world turns its attention to tiny Pridemore, Missouri, where rescue teams work around the clock to free a mentally challenged man from a collapsed cave. That’s how Mayor Roe Tolliver envisions it, anyway.

Weary of watching the town he’s led for more than forty years slide into economic oblivion, the mayor hatches a devious and dangerous plan—trap a local man in the bowels of nearby Dragon's Ice House cavern, start a massive rescue operation, and prompt a media vigil that puts Pridemore on the map for decades to come.

Over the course of a year, the mayor and his cronies carry out the convoluted scheme, which involves everything from bilking state money for a bogus tourist attraction to hiring a militia “ballistics consultant” to detonate the limestone cavern. Their success hinges on unassuming pawn Digby Willers, whose simple-minded likeability provides human interest in the made-for-television crisis. 

As events unfold, however, forces beyond even the mayor’s control turn Digby’s rescue into a real, life-or-death drama. Get ready for a fast-paced romp filled with quirky characters, hilarious twists and turns, and a small town that just might get its fifteen minutes of fame.