The other books I have read by White have been of a pattern. A crime is planned out in detail, then carried out, then something unravels. This book, published in 1968, is much different. A young wife, while her husband is out of town, has a car breakdown in the black part of town and is raped. It takes place in Delaware, in a town described as being like the Deep South. In fact, it seems most of the leading citizens, with the exception of the Chief of Police and the Jewish Department Store Owner are members of the Ku Klux Klan. This book is full of some of the most disgusting characters--and incidents--you will ever read. The woman was badly beaten--attempted murder--and can't identify her attacker. So White takes us through the Chief of Police's investigation. We are constantly reminded that he is a decent man, but he does so many stupid things that result in horrible things happening that never should happen, that the story becomes almost maddening. Of course, as readers we don't expect the obvious solution, and in the end, we don't get it. But there is just so much stupidity going on here, it is hard to take. For instance, despite threats, the recovering wife doesn't want to leave town and return to the safety of their former home. Also, White doesn't seem to understand the geography of Delaware. He says, for instance, that the Chief of Police has to drive the prisoner a couple of hundred miles. But Delaware is only 96 miles long and at most 35 miles wide. I guess the Chief is trying to avoid all the toll booths! (That's a joke; maybe that hadn't learned how to build them in 1968.) In any case, this is a definite sub-par book by White, whose earlier novels are some of the best of their type. I'm sure he was trying to be topical, but it just doesn't quite work. The book is not badly written--just badly plotted and reasoned. ( )