Darkansas

Somewhere between the edges of grit-lit, horror, fantasy, mystery, domestic drama, and magical realism lies Jarret Middleton's Darkansas. A seemingly straightforward tale of a family curse, it takes several wide turns and ends up being something so far afield, it's kind of astonishing. Jordan and Malcolm are the last in a long line of Bayne twins to fall under the grip of the curse that has wreaked havoc on their ancestors; in each generation, one of the Bayne twins kills their father. Middleton's inventive story traces the Bayne family line from the modern day all the way back to the Civil War. Using deliciously unreliable narrators, deeply conflicted characters, and an entrenched emotionality, Middleton writes a book that will leave you feeling absolute wonder at his creativity and a longing for more. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com

"Gritty, ghostly, poetic . . .] I'd bet a fifth of the top-shelf stuff it will be considered one of the best debuts of the year." -Donald Ray Pollock, author of The Heavenly Table
Jordan is a country musician living in the shadow of his father, legendary bluegrass musician Walker Bayne. A man who has made a lifetime of poor decisions, Jordan bounces between dive bars, accruing women and drinking himself to the brink of disaster.

When he returns home to the Ozarks for his twin brother's wedding, Jordan uncovers a dark vein in the Bayne family history: going back to the end of the Civil War, every generation of Bayne men have been twins--and one twin has always murdered their father.

As old tensions resurface and Jordan searches for a way to escape his family's legacy, a mysterious hill dweller and his grotesque partner stalk the brothers' every move, determined to see the curse through to its end. Praised by Donald Ray Pollock as "one of the best debuts of the year," Middleton establishes himself as a novelist in good company with Brian Panowich and Smith Henderson, yet in a category all his own.

A Powell's Top Five Staff Pick of 2017
A Library Journal Top Fall Indie Fiction Pick
The Nervous Breakdown Book Club Official Selection November 2017
A Spinetingler Magazine Best Books of 2017
A Barnes & Noble Recommended Read
A Chicago Review of Books Recommended Read
A Volume 1 Brooklyn Recommended Read
A Book Riot Recommended Read
Jordan is a country musician living in the shadow of his father, bluegrass legend Walker Bayne. A man who has made a lifetime of poor decisions, Jordan bounces between dive bars, accruing women and drinking himself to the brink of disaster. When he returns home to the Ozarks for his twin brother's wedding, Jordan discovers a curse that has haunted the Bayne family for generations.
As old tensions resurface and Jordan searches for a way to escape his family's legacy, a mysterious hill dweller and his grotesque partner stalk the brothers' every move, determined to see the curse through to its end. Praised by Donald Ray Pollock as "one of the best debuts of the year," Middleton establishes himself as a novelist in good company with Brian Panowich and Smith Henderson, yet in a category all his own.