Desperate for money, Army veteran, Jeb Shaw, is ready to take any job he can get. When rich man, Buddy Harrison, offers him $10,000 to find his younger sister & bring her home, Jeb jumps at the chance.

Unfortunately, no job is ever simple, a fact that Jeb realizes all too late. Trapped in a mire of drugs, deception & death, he must rely on his skills & cunning to survive.

Author S.A. Bailey weaves a riveting tale of mystery & intrigue in his novel, "And the Rain Came Down". Readers move through the plot with Jeb, learning as he does, just how big a mess he's gotten into. Bailey keeps us guessing until Jeb finally puts all the pieces together.

S.A. Bailey labels his genre, "Redneck Noir", one he's ideally suited for. As a self-proclaimed detective novel junkie, Bailey has found a unique voice, adding his distinctive East Texas twang to his gritty prose.

"And the Rain Came Down" is worthy to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.

© Dellani Oakes 2010 ( )

I love reading all kinds of books. I was captivated by And the Rain Came Down from the moment I picked it up, for many reasons. My captivation did not end until I completed the read.

The author and I share many things in common. Roots in East Texas, living in Dallas, military experience, and a love of writing.

And the Rain Came Down is mystery and a thriller. Jebediah has returned from service in Iraq. He got through combat with the dream of returning to the arms of his bride, Abigail. While he reminds himself constantly that he does not deserve her, Jeb toes the line of faith to her.

There is a limited range of work that Jeb can do in private life in EastTexas. He is contacted by a rich former high school colleague who wants to have his sister return home. She has been lost in the bowels of the countryside mixed up with people who have driven her further into the wilderness.

The intrigue of the characters and story begin on the first page and continue to the last word. Jebediah is determined by his internal code to complete the task he began, regardless of the apparently insurmountable hurdles in his path. He obtains assistance from old friends, who soon become more souls in need of rescue. He is also intent upon fulfilling his commitment to Abigail, regardless of the temptations thrown in front of him.

The story is told in the first person, so we see the emotions of this interesting hero evolve through the crises of the story. His worst nemesis lives in his own head, as if a captive psychological counselor.

This thriller involves a fearless hero with a code that is engrained in him. I enjoyed this book for all of the reasons that I have loved David Morrell’s books. Indeed, Jebediah reflects many of the same personality traits as another returning military hero who had difficulty returning to civilian life, John Rambo in First Blood.

If you like intense thrillers, with internal struggles as prominent as those on the outside, and you don’t mind the cadences of military language (where some words can be nouns, adverbs, verbs, and so on in the same sentence), you will love And the Rain Came Down as I did.

This is S.A. Bailey’s first book. He has a bright future in front of him. ( )