I Am The Light Of This World by Michael Parker

 

Earl has lived two lives.  Before he was a teenager with his first love, Tina.  Known as a loner and a dreamer, his family is poor and he is astonished that Tina is interested in him.  He is willing to do anything she asks so that she will stay.

After Earl is an older man.  His dreams are to learn to swim like an Olympian does, to have a small apartment where he can watch the river and listen to music and have some true friends.  

Between there is the crime.  Earl takes Tina to Austin to visit her mother.  Two days later, Tina is dead and Earl is charged with her murder.  It turns out that Tina lied to him about everything, starting with her name, her mother's location and everything in between.  Earl knows he didn't kill her but he spent his two days in Austin in a drug filled haze and can't account for much of his time.  Coming from a poor family and the victim having been from a wealthy one, he is sentenced for a crime he didn't commit.

Michael Parker is one of my favorite authors.  He writes of those who are often forgotten and ignored by society and his character creation is superb.  The small details he includes brings a character to life and he is non-judgmental about their flaws.  Readers will find themselves sympathetic to Earl and interested in his life.  This book is recommended for literary fiction readers.