Papertown by Dave Norem is a murder mystery. George Rickson lives with his family on the edge of Papertown. A town of tarpaper shacks, Papertown is full of despair and poverty and George’s life is inextricably wound through the lives of those who live there. He has seen and heard so much from a town where forced squalor leads to drunkenness and violence, where people love and hate equally, where they cheat, lie and steal and mete out their own punishments. When the body of a young girl is found, suspicion creeps through the community and fingers are pointed. And the death toll begins to rise. The people of Papertown have their own way of dealing with theft, murder, and rape and George is about to be drawn even further in.

Papertown by Dave Norem makes for compelling reading. Yes, it is a murder story but there is so much more than that here. This is almost the story of a boy growing up. A boy who could be seen as privileged when compared to his neighbors in Papertown. The story walks us through the ups and downs of George’s life, all the scrapes he gets into, his triumphs and his heartbreaks, how he gets involved in the lives of the Papertown residents and stands up for them at whatever cost to him. Papertown is more than just a town of houses made of tarpaper; it is despair personified.

This is an excellent piece of literature, a story that you can't help but fall into, with characters that are easily identifiable and likable. It’s a story of myriad emotions and it will strike a chord in many hearts. There is plenty of action, it is very descriptive in places and there is always something going on, no matter what page you are on. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a thought-provoking read. This is not your average murder mystery and certainly not your average life.

Papertown is no place for weakness. George Rickson understands the residents of Papertown have their own moral code and are prepared to fight for it. At the age of eleven, George is faced with a dilemma after witnessing domestic violence of the worst kind. He makes a decision that no adolescent should ever have to even contemplate. Once he has chosen a certain path, this dictates how his future will progress. His mother draws George closer following the death of his sibling, but his father Pete seems to sense there is inner darkness in his son. When a murderer focuses on the community, it is George who will have the last say in the safety of Papertown and its residents. Papertown by Dave Norem is an account of how sex and death play a major part in the early life of George Rickson and the poverty-stricken residents of the shantytown created by the recession.

This is a brutal tale of poverty and oppression. Papertown is a place that signifies the very bottom rung of society in the 1950s. Basic hygiene and simple food are considered luxuries as people try to survive in the harshest conditions. Their moral code is strict, and the punishments meted out are timely. Papertown by Dave Norem is a compelling tale of one boy and his path through adolescence. Are some people naturally born killers or does society fashion them to be that way? Nature or nurture? You decide but George will test your beliefs one way or another. This is a great read and I look forward to hearing more about George Rickson and his adult life.