Book Review: Holy City by Henry Wise

You may not know the name Henry Wise—but you should (and, if there’s any justice, you will.) A graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, he later earned his MFA from the University of Mississippi. His poetry has appeared in such forums as Shenandoah, Nixes Mate, Radar Poetry, Clackama while his non-fiction and photography have been published in Southern Cultures. This June, Wise makes his debut as a novelist with the noir crime story, Holy City.

Will Seems, in defiance of the old adage “you can’t go home again,” returns to his Southern Virginia roots after a decade spent in progressive Richmond (“Holy City”). In that time, little has changed—and wearing the badge of deputy sheriff does nothing to assuage a guilty conscience. After coming upon a house fire one morning, Will heroically drags Tom Janders from his home only to find that he has perished; the discovery of stab wounds to the upper back confirms that this was no accident. Tom was murdered. Soon after, local Zeke Hathom is found fleeing the scene and arrested for the crime—despite Will’s absolute belief in his innocence.

Zeke is the father of Will’s boyhood friend, Sam, an African American who was permanently disfigured when coming to Will’s defense against a group of bullies. Sam—who has a warrant out for his arrest—has since become addicted to heroin, and Will has been secretly harboring him at his family’s plantation, where he has been attempting to wean Sam off the drug (while also fostering a routine of wellness and work). Afraid that news of his father’s imprisonment could cause Sam to spiral, Will decides to keep withhold disclosure, working feverishly to exonerate the man—even as the sheriff is prepared to close the case based on circumstance rather than a critical evaluation of the evidence. 

Meanwhile, the victim’s mother, Claudette—now sheltering her son’s girlfriend and their baby—has hired a private detective to get to the truth. Bennico Watts is a former police officer whose zeal for justice sometimes gets her into trouble; while she and Will share the same goal, their methods differ, causing friction where there should be fellowship. The investigation(s) is revealed through multiple points of view, which illustrate the personal, professional, and political dynamics at play—and the notion that legacy and loyalty sometimes trump the law. The killer’s identity is known to the reader well before the book’s end, suggesting that the central question isn’t one of whodunit but why—and if, and how, repercussions will come.

Henry Wise’s Holy City is not only one of the best debuts of the year, but one of the year’s best thrillers, period. Often literary, and at times even poetic, the book is as much about catalysts, consequences, and coming to terms with the past as it is about crimes and who committed them. Wise showcases the true vastness and versatility of the genre, rendering a vivid portrait of a place (and people) held hostage by history but not entirely without hope. Do yourselves a favor and pick this one up. You’ll marvel at its magnitude.