The Bottoms

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The narrator, Harry Collins, is an old man reflecting on pivotal childhood experiences. In 1933, at age 11, he lives with his family on a farm near Marvel Creek, Texas. His life changes dramatically when he discovers the corpse of a young black woman tied to a tree in the nearby forest. Identified as a local prostitute, she has been brutally murdered and mutilated, marking the beginning of a series of similar crimes committed by a traveling serial killer. As the son of the local constable, Harry observes the amateur investigation unfold. The discovery of more bodies, including victims of various races, heightens the community's tension. When circumstantial evidence points to an innocent black man, Mose, the Ku Klux Klan intervenes, leading to a horrific lynching that becomes etched in Harry's memory. With Mose dead, the town believes the threat is gone, yet the actual killer remains at large, continuing to endanger the community. Lansdale uses this murder investigation to explore a racially divided, impoverished community, capturing its complexities with humor and precision. He vividly recreates the vibrant, perilous landscapes of Depression-era Texas, presenting a compelling portrait of a world now lost to time.