The Trackers

Charles Frazier’s engrossing book “The Trackers” beautifully portrays life during the Great Depression. The narrative follows a devout artist named Val Welch as he makes his way to the little Wyoming hamlet of Dawes. After receiving a commission to paint a mural for the brand-new Post Office, Val winds up embroiled in the life of John Long and his wife Eve, an affluent couple.

They are the subject of intrigue and rumors, and when Eve steals a precious picture and runs away, Val sets out to find her. While traversing dilapidated Hoovervilles, San Francisco nightclubs, and Florida swamps, he uncovers truths that have the potential to drastically alter their lives. Frazier’s novel is a potent and enduring masterpiece because of his sublime storytelling and acute human sensibilities.