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A Punctual Paymaster
Librarian's Note: this is an alternate cover edition - ISBN: 9781481248341
A POIGNANT AND TIMELY NOVEL OF RACE RELATIONS IN AMERICA
REVIEW COMMENTS
� "Beautiful. A journey you will never forget!"
� "If you only read one book this year, let this be the one."
� "An incredible debut novel."
A TOWN DIVIDED BY RACE IS HIDING A MIRACLE AMONG ITS SECRETS
Travel seventy years through the secrets of the white Thanos family and the black Taylor family, twisted like strands of yarn woven together on a loom. The wealthy, powerful Nikkos Thanos owns a woolen mill and almost everything else on the north side of Delphi, Missouri, and is the overseer of a fractured society. The brave, judicious Thaddeus "Cousin" Taylor owns a grocery store and a tavern on the south side and carries a past hauntingly shrouded in tragedy. Each man tries to shepherd his part of town through the turmoil of racism, the depression, and war. With the passage of time, those caretaker roles are filled by Evangelina, Nikkos' beautiful and strong-willed daughter, and T.J., the grandson who worshipped Cousin. Forty-five years after high school, two friends, Ab and Grady, return for the funeral of their mentor, T.J., and walk into the middle of a mystery. They unweave the black and white threads that are the town's concealed, troubled past, revealing an extraordinary tapestry of life and death, revenge and triumph.
"This story is more than white and black differences. It's about what it means to be a man, to earn and give respect, to stand tall against adversity, to be a role model."
LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO "WALK WITH STRENGTH"
A POIGNANT AND TIMELY NOVEL OF RACE RELATIONS IN AMERICA
REVIEW COMMENTS
� "Beautiful. A journey you will never forget!"
� "If you only read one book this year, let this be the one."
� "An incredible debut novel."
A TOWN DIVIDED BY RACE IS HIDING A MIRACLE AMONG ITS SECRETS
Travel seventy years through the secrets of the white Thanos family and the black Taylor family, twisted like strands of yarn woven together on a loom. The wealthy, powerful Nikkos Thanos owns a woolen mill and almost everything else on the north side of Delphi, Missouri, and is the overseer of a fractured society. The brave, judicious Thaddeus "Cousin" Taylor owns a grocery store and a tavern on the south side and carries a past hauntingly shrouded in tragedy. Each man tries to shepherd his part of town through the turmoil of racism, the depression, and war. With the passage of time, those caretaker roles are filled by Evangelina, Nikkos' beautiful and strong-willed daughter, and T.J., the grandson who worshipped Cousin. Forty-five years after high school, two friends, Ab and Grady, return for the funeral of their mentor, T.J., and walk into the middle of a mystery. They unweave the black and white threads that are the town's concealed, troubled past, revealing an extraordinary tapestry of life and death, revenge and triumph.
"This story is more than white and black differences. It's about what it means to be a man, to earn and give respect, to stand tall against adversity, to be a role model."
LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO "WALK WITH STRENGTH"
- GenresHistorical Fiction
344 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2013
4 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Dan Groat
6Ìýbooks93ÌýfollowersVisit the author at DanGroat.com. He's on Facebook at and and Twitter, @authordgroat. You can email the author, dgroatauthorATcharter.net or see him and his books on Amazon,
Dan Groat lives with his wife and their Russell Terrier near St. Louis. He is an avid sports fan and follows Mizzou football and basketball, St. Louis University basketball, the Cardinals, and the Blues. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading, watching movies, shooting pool, and planting things and watching them grow (including trees, shrubs, flowers, and ideas). He loves his wife. He loves his dog. He loves the outdoors. He loves learning. He loves a meaningful conversation.
Dan Groat gathered his formal education from the elementary and secondary public schools of DeSoto, Missouri, Jefferson College, the University of Missouri, and Southeast Missouri State University. His non-formal education was accumulated as a newspaper delivery boy, a grass cutter, a lunch ticket puncher, a factory laborer, a quality control technician, a hod carrier, a pool hall assistant manager, a plumber’s helper, a rock band manager, a bartender, a secondary math teacher, a furniture delivery man, a cross country coach, a shipping warehouse order filler, a consultant to an educational software company, a help desk person at an insurance company, a college math teacher, a seed merchandiser, a bank courier, and an author. His informal education was collected in group interactions pursuing interests he chose or interests that were chosen for him. The learning continues, intentional or not�
FROM THE AUTHOR:
My writing is shaped intentionally and innately by the beliefs I value most, the beauty of love, the requirements of loyalty, the benefits of individualism and self-reliance, the pursuit of liberty and happiness and good health, the struggle for integrity and order and justice, the necessity of ambition and hard work and competition and achievement, the search for growth and virtue and spirituality, the power of reason and cooperation and compromise. I write to strengthen hope... both mine and yours.
Why do I write? I write to escape and be entertained. I write to communicate and connect. I write to better understand the world and the human condition. I write to leave something behind.
Dan Groat lives with his wife and their Russell Terrier near St. Louis. He is an avid sports fan and follows Mizzou football and basketball, St. Louis University basketball, the Cardinals, and the Blues. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading, watching movies, shooting pool, and planting things and watching them grow (including trees, shrubs, flowers, and ideas). He loves his wife. He loves his dog. He loves the outdoors. He loves learning. He loves a meaningful conversation.
Dan Groat gathered his formal education from the elementary and secondary public schools of DeSoto, Missouri, Jefferson College, the University of Missouri, and Southeast Missouri State University. His non-formal education was accumulated as a newspaper delivery boy, a grass cutter, a lunch ticket puncher, a factory laborer, a quality control technician, a hod carrier, a pool hall assistant manager, a plumber’s helper, a rock band manager, a bartender, a secondary math teacher, a furniture delivery man, a cross country coach, a shipping warehouse order filler, a consultant to an educational software company, a help desk person at an insurance company, a college math teacher, a seed merchandiser, a bank courier, and an author. His informal education was collected in group interactions pursuing interests he chose or interests that were chosen for him. The learning continues, intentional or not�
FROM THE AUTHOR:
My writing is shaped intentionally and innately by the beliefs I value most, the beauty of love, the requirements of loyalty, the benefits of individualism and self-reliance, the pursuit of liberty and happiness and good health, the struggle for integrity and order and justice, the necessity of ambition and hard work and competition and achievement, the search for growth and virtue and spirituality, the power of reason and cooperation and compromise. I write to strengthen hope... both mine and yours.
Why do I write? I write to escape and be entertained. I write to communicate and connect. I write to better understand the world and the human condition. I write to leave something behind.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 30, 2013
Have you been searching for "that" book? You know the one. The book that you read once and return to your shelf because you know you will read it again? The book that stays with you long after you have finished reading it? Look no further, you have found it. "A Punctual Paymaster" by Dan Groat is officially the finest book I have read this year. I was amazed by the way the author grabs and holds your attention from the very first page. He has written a book brimming with tension, tragedy, and eventual redemption. This is a book that will make you question where you came from and think about the current world we live in. This novel interweaves the lives of the well-off and the poor, the black and the white, the past and the present and does it flawlessly.
One of the main things I loved about this novel was the way the author used his characters to show the passage of time. Rather than continually saying "and then this many weeks passed or this year came around" the author allows the reader to follow his characters through life, growing in knowledge as they and the reader move through the story. He does keep it clear within his chapter headings exactly what year it is, but I never felt like he was jumping around or skipping vital information or trying to rush the story to a close.
This book also has some of the best dialogue I have seen. The conversations between the characters feel very natural and never seem stilted or pushed. You would almost think you were eavesdropping on a real conversation. The reactions of the characters are right on target and they express themselves through actions as much as words, which I really appreciated. This is a complex and generational story with all the elements you want in a great book. Personally, T.J. was my favorite character in this book. HE was developed with such incredible life that he makes you love him from the very beginning.
The characters are alive in this novel. They are regular people with worries, secrets and histories that return to haunt them when they least expect it. The characters that Dan Groat has created reflect the racial tensions of the previous eras in history and the continuing struggle for equality today. Every person in this book plays an important and integral role to the story. I never found that the author got overly wordy or spent any time drifting away from his plot or purpose. The pace of this story moves along very nicely and there weren't any places where I wished it would hurry along. I am somewhat in awe that this is a debut novel, as it was well edited, beautifully written and just an overall charming, and interesting book to read.
This is an incredible debut novel. Keep Dan Groat on your authors to watch list.
One of the main things I loved about this novel was the way the author used his characters to show the passage of time. Rather than continually saying "and then this many weeks passed or this year came around" the author allows the reader to follow his characters through life, growing in knowledge as they and the reader move through the story. He does keep it clear within his chapter headings exactly what year it is, but I never felt like he was jumping around or skipping vital information or trying to rush the story to a close.
This book also has some of the best dialogue I have seen. The conversations between the characters feel very natural and never seem stilted or pushed. You would almost think you were eavesdropping on a real conversation. The reactions of the characters are right on target and they express themselves through actions as much as words, which I really appreciated. This is a complex and generational story with all the elements you want in a great book. Personally, T.J. was my favorite character in this book. HE was developed with such incredible life that he makes you love him from the very beginning.
The characters are alive in this novel. They are regular people with worries, secrets and histories that return to haunt them when they least expect it. The characters that Dan Groat has created reflect the racial tensions of the previous eras in history and the continuing struggle for equality today. Every person in this book plays an important and integral role to the story. I never found that the author got overly wordy or spent any time drifting away from his plot or purpose. The pace of this story moves along very nicely and there weren't any places where I wished it would hurry along. I am somewhat in awe that this is a debut novel, as it was well edited, beautifully written and just an overall charming, and interesting book to read.
This is an incredible debut novel. Keep Dan Groat on your authors to watch list.
November 28, 2018
Well, I'll be damned. I was not sure what to expect when I started reading this book, and I was not disappointed.
I really like the author's style of writing. He also has a nice way of answering some of the questions without being too obvious (for example, what happened to Xander, you can infer what happened with the hints that are there) and he also wrote well about what life was like in the South, especially for black people. I really liked his pacing and how he would go back and forth between the North and the South Side through the years.
The story itself is engaging, and while you have one main story, you have other stories woven within this, and I found the flow to be smooth. The author has a really nice way of describing things so I could imagine what was happening here and there, as well as the characters. I really liked the scene with the confrontation between Cousin and Vic Dolix, my heart was practically pounding as I read on to see the outcome of the scene.
When I finished this book, I was left feeling pretty satisfied. The only thing that stuck in my craw is what happened to Liberty at the end of the book, I wish that could have been explained a bit more. However, that is really my only quibble. I LOVE the idea of the Walk with Strength (Ganaike) idea and how the two men who wanted to implement it explained it, it made a whole lot of sense to me and I would love to see it happen in real life.
You also find out why this book was titled the way it is at the end of the book.
Overall a wonderful book, and one I would definitely recommend to others.
I really like the author's style of writing. He also has a nice way of answering some of the questions without being too obvious (for example, what happened to Xander, you can infer what happened with the hints that are there) and he also wrote well about what life was like in the South, especially for black people. I really liked his pacing and how he would go back and forth between the North and the South Side through the years.
The story itself is engaging, and while you have one main story, you have other stories woven within this, and I found the flow to be smooth. The author has a really nice way of describing things so I could imagine what was happening here and there, as well as the characters. I really liked the scene with the confrontation between Cousin and Vic Dolix, my heart was practically pounding as I read on to see the outcome of the scene.
When I finished this book, I was left feeling pretty satisfied. The only thing that stuck in my craw is what happened to Liberty at the end of the book, I wish that could have been explained a bit more. However, that is really my only quibble. I LOVE the idea of the Walk with Strength (Ganaike) idea and how the two men who wanted to implement it explained it, it made a whole lot of sense to me and I would love to see it happen in real life.
You also find out why this book was titled the way it is at the end of the book.
Overall a wonderful book, and one I would definitely recommend to others.
September 14, 2015
What to say about A Punctual Paymaster by Dan Groat? How about loved, loved LOVED it! It’s just one of those books that’s so beautifully written that even after you’re done reading it, the characters linger in the back of your mind like the melted remnants of a sweet treat on your tongue. However, the story isn’t all sweet � far from it. It’s part historical fiction, part mystery; a tightly-woven black and white tapestry that’s a seamless melding of past and present. At its most basic, A Punctual Paymaster is about the Thanos and Taylor families, one of them rich white folks and the other black. It’s about a town divided into north and south that starts back in 1939 where blacks were oppressed and racial tensions ran deep and thick as molasses through Delphi, Missouri. This two-family saga spans over 70 years and the reader is witness to the difficult and complex journeys of these two families. By today’s sensibilities, the language is offensive and abrasive and highly insulting. However, the writing depicts authenticity of another era gone by and it would be unjust to hold it against the author when his prose is so descriptive and detailed that you feel as though you’re a time traveler that’s gone back in time to 1939. This is one of those treasured books you take off your shelf once a year and simply read again for the pure pleasure of it!
May 1, 2013
Such a mesmerizing novel! During the book the author grabs and holds your attention from the very beginning. The book is filled with suspense and tragedy and makes the reader want to continue reading and reading.
I loved the characters in this novel. They were so amazing to read about and I couldn’t help but relate to the characters in the novel. I love it when a book catches my attention so much that I lose hours in the day reading and feel like I’m transported into a different world.
Personally my favorite character was T.J. T.J’s character was so diverse and different from other characters I read about, it was refreshing. I had a great time reading about him as well as the other characters. What I love most about this book is that the characters are just like you and me. They have secrets, history, and worries that they deal with daily. The flow of the story was spot on and it was so much fun to read!
I highly recommend this book!!
I loved the characters in this novel. They were so amazing to read about and I couldn’t help but relate to the characters in the novel. I love it when a book catches my attention so much that I lose hours in the day reading and feel like I’m transported into a different world.
Personally my favorite character was T.J. T.J’s character was so diverse and different from other characters I read about, it was refreshing. I had a great time reading about him as well as the other characters. What I love most about this book is that the characters are just like you and me. They have secrets, history, and worries that they deal with daily. The flow of the story was spot on and it was so much fun to read!
I highly recommend this book!!
April 17, 2014
A Most Timely Read
The force of Dan Groat's pungent way with words is a running line with his books. He has been around life, viewing it from many vantages - degrees from three institutions of higher learning, a college math teacher, a cross country coach, bartender, laborer is disparate fields from high to low brow - but his own précis about his writing career are best from his own inimitable words: `I believe in the uniqueness of each person and that when given equality of opportunity, the individual is the best architect of their own destiny. I believe that societal problems are best remedied by small groups, preferably starting with the family; that government should do its best to protect its citizens without getting in the way of their lives; that Americans are not guaranteed happiness, but the right to pursue it and their society is both a benefit and a burden that requires giving as well as receiving; that acceptance of cultural diversity includes acceptance of a diversity of opinions because one opinion will never solve our problems; that change is not automatically good; that displaying a devotion to country is a virtue. I believe deeply in love, loyalty, individualism, self-reliance, liberty, ambition, hard work, competition with no guaranteed trophies, and that action as well as words is a form of expression.'
If readers are looking for a book to read while the current Stand your ground' movement is surrounding us, this book is a wise choice. Dan Groat, weaves a story spanning 71 years in a little town in Missouri that shares the roots of racial schism in a way that few others have. The characters on both sides of the 'color line' and the motivations and atmosphere that breed the history in 1939 that will be approached by young kin in 2010 are life like and well drawn and open windows for every sort of reader through which to view the world and its problems from a new vantage. Little more could be asked form a book. Especially now.
The force of Dan Groat's pungent way with words is a running line with his books. He has been around life, viewing it from many vantages - degrees from three institutions of higher learning, a college math teacher, a cross country coach, bartender, laborer is disparate fields from high to low brow - but his own précis about his writing career are best from his own inimitable words: `I believe in the uniqueness of each person and that when given equality of opportunity, the individual is the best architect of their own destiny. I believe that societal problems are best remedied by small groups, preferably starting with the family; that government should do its best to protect its citizens without getting in the way of their lives; that Americans are not guaranteed happiness, but the right to pursue it and their society is both a benefit and a burden that requires giving as well as receiving; that acceptance of cultural diversity includes acceptance of a diversity of opinions because one opinion will never solve our problems; that change is not automatically good; that displaying a devotion to country is a virtue. I believe deeply in love, loyalty, individualism, self-reliance, liberty, ambition, hard work, competition with no guaranteed trophies, and that action as well as words is a form of expression.'
If readers are looking for a book to read while the current Stand your ground' movement is surrounding us, this book is a wise choice. Dan Groat, weaves a story spanning 71 years in a little town in Missouri that shares the roots of racial schism in a way that few others have. The characters on both sides of the 'color line' and the motivations and atmosphere that breed the history in 1939 that will be approached by young kin in 2010 are life like and well drawn and open windows for every sort of reader through which to view the world and its problems from a new vantage. Little more could be asked form a book. Especially now.
August 19, 2013
I had forgotten why I down loaded this book and it sat on my kindle for a long time, but once I began reading it I was drawn straight in to the world of Cousin and the town of Delphi. We follow an intricately woven trail through the lives of the generations of people who are split into the "North" side of town and the "South" side. I'm talking about segregation and all that comes with the times and the territory, but there is such a deeper side to the book. Cousin instils a proud set of rules through an old family name with a meaning "Walk with Strength" which his grandson continues to live by, years later. The book title does not become apparent until the very last line of the book. If you read "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett and found it moving, then I believe this book will have a similar effect.
May 3, 2013
I truly loved this book. It will stay with me for a long time. I felt the atmosphere of the book almost as if it were a movie. The description of the settings, and the perfectly written dialect put the reader right there and I am very impressed by this book's first time author. Great job!
October 27, 2017
The story follows the history of two families, the Thanos family and the Taylor family. The Thanos family are white and live on the north side of town, a town that has basically been built by Nikkos, the father of the Thanos family. The Taylor family are black and live on the south side of town and Cousin, the father of the Taylor family, is basically the unofficial leader of the south side. The story is set from 1939 through to 2010 and spans around three generations of the families. It deeply explores the racial tension between whites and blacks in America through a story filled with mystery, intrigue, sadness and redemption.
I had really high hopes for this book because the premise sounded so interesting however i felt it fell a bit flat. It started out really strong and then got a bit lost on the way.
The characters were really interesting however some of them could have been developed a lot more. Even though some of them had a lot of “air time�, i still felt like i barely knew them.
Most of the book was slow paced with a lot of content, the kind of book that doesn’t have you turning the pages as fast as you can, more the kind of book that you slowly digest and can even put down for awhile to process before picking it back up again. The pace wasn’t very consistent though, with big jumps in time and disconnect between chapters where you weren’t really sure what was going on.
I wasn’t sure whether the mystery of the story was meant to be obvious to the reader or not, because i found it was a bit predictable. If that was the intention of the author then it worked well because you wondered whether the characters would be able to figure it out or not and how the story would end � them living the rest of their lives never knowing or them being fully aware of their history and moving forward from it.
Overall it was a good story with a lot of depth and richness however I think it could have benefited from a lot more editing. I would probably still recommend it, especially if you like historical fiction, in particular novels about the racial tension in the USA.
I had really high hopes for this book because the premise sounded so interesting however i felt it fell a bit flat. It started out really strong and then got a bit lost on the way.
The characters were really interesting however some of them could have been developed a lot more. Even though some of them had a lot of “air time�, i still felt like i barely knew them.
Most of the book was slow paced with a lot of content, the kind of book that doesn’t have you turning the pages as fast as you can, more the kind of book that you slowly digest and can even put down for awhile to process before picking it back up again. The pace wasn’t very consistent though, with big jumps in time and disconnect between chapters where you weren’t really sure what was going on.
I wasn’t sure whether the mystery of the story was meant to be obvious to the reader or not, because i found it was a bit predictable. If that was the intention of the author then it worked well because you wondered whether the characters would be able to figure it out or not and how the story would end � them living the rest of their lives never knowing or them being fully aware of their history and moving forward from it.
Overall it was a good story with a lot of depth and richness however I think it could have benefited from a lot more editing. I would probably still recommend it, especially if you like historical fiction, in particular novels about the racial tension in the USA.
April 23, 2014
The town of Delphi in Arkansas is split by a river. The North side is predominantly white, and the south side is essentially coloured, and the book covers the interactions within and between the two from the Depression through to 2010. The book is written as a sequence of pairs of scenes, at any given time we see something from each side of the river in separate scenes. The scenes essentially portray atmosphere, and show how certain characters are affected by what is happening very locally. Apart from the fact there is a world war, a Korean war, and a Viet Nam war, nothing external to Delphi is relevant, and these wars are only relevant to the extent that a character returns (or in one case, does not return) from each war. The beginning of the book portrays clearly the different standard of living on the two sides, but also shows that happiness is not connected to possessions.
The writing is clear, and the book is extremely well written in the use of language, and some scenes portray genuinely deep emotions. Major characters are very well drawn, and much of the book gives an extremely clear picture of life on the two sides of the river. If you want character depiction, and atmosphere in normal life, this book is five star, and virtually unbeatable. However, a major plot also lurks within the book, involving the race issue. I found the writing here to be less satisfactory, because with the odd exception, most big issues are off-scene, and when something big is portrayed, including the major action scene, I found the portrayal to be strangely detached. With one exception, things happen to portrayed characters, and the author avoids focusing on the villains. For me, the major emotional scene, which was extremely well written, involved the death of a dog. It appeared that while Groat raised some serious issues, he seemed to pull back from becoming involved with them. No attempt is made to portray the thoughts of a character before or following a major bad event. The scenes are detailed and very fully written, but sometimes this goes to extreme, thus at a wedding we get a list of everyone who attended; a page of names of people who mainly take no further part in the story. The conversations also sometimes lurch into long speeches, and at the end, a character that has just been introduced talks for three kindle pages uninterrupted. To summarize, this book is genuinely touching. It shows life but it tends to avoid motive and feeling, and as events become more intense, the story becomes more detached.
The writing is clear, and the book is extremely well written in the use of language, and some scenes portray genuinely deep emotions. Major characters are very well drawn, and much of the book gives an extremely clear picture of life on the two sides of the river. If you want character depiction, and atmosphere in normal life, this book is five star, and virtually unbeatable. However, a major plot also lurks within the book, involving the race issue. I found the writing here to be less satisfactory, because with the odd exception, most big issues are off-scene, and when something big is portrayed, including the major action scene, I found the portrayal to be strangely detached. With one exception, things happen to portrayed characters, and the author avoids focusing on the villains. For me, the major emotional scene, which was extremely well written, involved the death of a dog. It appeared that while Groat raised some serious issues, he seemed to pull back from becoming involved with them. No attempt is made to portray the thoughts of a character before or following a major bad event. The scenes are detailed and very fully written, but sometimes this goes to extreme, thus at a wedding we get a list of everyone who attended; a page of names of people who mainly take no further part in the story. The conversations also sometimes lurch into long speeches, and at the end, a character that has just been introduced talks for three kindle pages uninterrupted. To summarize, this book is genuinely touching. It shows life but it tends to avoid motive and feeling, and as events become more intense, the story becomes more detached.
November 2, 2014
It is amazing to me to realize the times through which I have lived. That the times written of in the beginning of this book actually existed, are at one time both mind blowing and unbelievable.
This book is definitely not for the 'PC' amongst us. It deals with a very real time in our recent history, with all of the attitudes and language that went with that time. I found it uncomfortable to read....but only because, today, the language is highly inflammatory and insulting. Remembering that it was history, and not a statement by any means, helped.
The story...amazing. I really enjoyed the characters and their individual histories.
The north side of Delphi was occupied by a predominantly white community, led by the strong and charismatic Nikkos Thanos. Nikkos owns most of North Delphi and insures that the citizenry follow a prescribed set of social rules.
South Delphi is predominantly African American, led by Thaddeus 'Cousin' Taylor an equally strong and courageous man who insures that the residents of south Delphi remember who they are, that they walk strong and they hold their heads high.
The story follows both families through 70 years and I loved it. Well thought out and believable, every step and every decision of every character is believable, and while not liked at all in some cases, certainly understandable due to the times in which they lived. You will find history that you may not have known about, I know that I did not, and history that many of us wish was not so. The story is handled in such a way so that while we watch the characters grow and change, we also see the country growing and changing, with an ending that speaks to a more individual take on the realities of the day.
Well done Mr Groat. Well done.
This book is definitely not for the 'PC' amongst us. It deals with a very real time in our recent history, with all of the attitudes and language that went with that time. I found it uncomfortable to read....but only because, today, the language is highly inflammatory and insulting. Remembering that it was history, and not a statement by any means, helped.
The story...amazing. I really enjoyed the characters and their individual histories.
The north side of Delphi was occupied by a predominantly white community, led by the strong and charismatic Nikkos Thanos. Nikkos owns most of North Delphi and insures that the citizenry follow a prescribed set of social rules.
South Delphi is predominantly African American, led by Thaddeus 'Cousin' Taylor an equally strong and courageous man who insures that the residents of south Delphi remember who they are, that they walk strong and they hold their heads high.
The story follows both families through 70 years and I loved it. Well thought out and believable, every step and every decision of every character is believable, and while not liked at all in some cases, certainly understandable due to the times in which they lived. You will find history that you may not have known about, I know that I did not, and history that many of us wish was not so. The story is handled in such a way so that while we watch the characters grow and change, we also see the country growing and changing, with an ending that speaks to a more individual take on the realities of the day.
Well done Mr Groat. Well done.
September 9, 2014
A Punctual Paymaster is my first reading of, and definitely a powerful debut from Dan Groat. A very lucid, vivid style of presenting two very evident different lives, one destined to be white, rich, basking in power and pelf, comfort and luxury on the “north side� of the town; the other wrought in the stigma of being black, poor, facing doom and gloom, struggle and hardness on the “south side�.
And yet, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, in its plethora of hope and solace to the means and ends of each player playing out their part, their role, be it some northerner or any southerner, they are all living out their destinies.
The styles of narration and speech are well matched to the characters and scenes and settings. The novel is very precise and crisp in its dialogues between times, peoples and places, maybe deliberate, maybe not, but it does solve its purpose in making us ponder and question the course of history that has shaped the lives and works in this little town; the elite versus the earthy! How would it all play out had the roles been reversed?
Indulging in this novel, immersing in the lives of its characters, its residents feels almost like wine tasting, an elegant, grand cru sip of the "woody, complex, and round" white versus the sultry, smoky taste of a "short, light, and faulty" red; a good tempo between the "fresh, dry, honeyed and lively" and the "intense, spicy, supple and deep".
I see this novel evolve into a very successful American drama film, that would portray American sociocultural issues of the historical timeline between those of the movies 12 Years A Slave (2013) and The Butler (2013).
And yet, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, in its plethora of hope and solace to the means and ends of each player playing out their part, their role, be it some northerner or any southerner, they are all living out their destinies.
The styles of narration and speech are well matched to the characters and scenes and settings. The novel is very precise and crisp in its dialogues between times, peoples and places, maybe deliberate, maybe not, but it does solve its purpose in making us ponder and question the course of history that has shaped the lives and works in this little town; the elite versus the earthy! How would it all play out had the roles been reversed?
Indulging in this novel, immersing in the lives of its characters, its residents feels almost like wine tasting, an elegant, grand cru sip of the "woody, complex, and round" white versus the sultry, smoky taste of a "short, light, and faulty" red; a good tempo between the "fresh, dry, honeyed and lively" and the "intense, spicy, supple and deep".
I see this novel evolve into a very successful American drama film, that would portray American sociocultural issues of the historical timeline between those of the movies 12 Years A Slave (2013) and The Butler (2013).
August 22, 2014
Excellent Novel of Tragedy and Triumph in the 1930’s
The vivid southern imagery, heavy racism, and proud families are what makes this novel something to recommend to your children and their children. From the start of the story you are pulled into dangerous times, where the wrong words from colored people could easily get you beat to death. The town of Delphi is split into two regions (North and South), where two families preside over one each. You have Nikkos Thanos, who is the rich white owner of everything from the lumber mill to the casket company in the North. Then you have Thaddeus “Cousin� Taylor, who is a grocery store owner in the south and is highly revered in the black community. Of course as time goes on you end up following the daughter and grandson of these two individuals. Throughout the entire book I kept wondering what the title was about but of course you don’t find out until the very end. But it was well worth the wait! The author has a way with words that bring you in and make you feel his words. I wanted to cry when tragedy struck and I wanted to sing to the heavens when victory was achieved! The world-building was phenomenal and I felt as though I was walking down the dirt roads in the town in the 1930’s with my bucket of worms and a fishing pole. Excellent novel and I highly recommend it to young teenagers. Especially during these uncertain times of discord in our own streets today.
The vivid southern imagery, heavy racism, and proud families are what makes this novel something to recommend to your children and their children. From the start of the story you are pulled into dangerous times, where the wrong words from colored people could easily get you beat to death. The town of Delphi is split into two regions (North and South), where two families preside over one each. You have Nikkos Thanos, who is the rich white owner of everything from the lumber mill to the casket company in the North. Then you have Thaddeus “Cousin� Taylor, who is a grocery store owner in the south and is highly revered in the black community. Of course as time goes on you end up following the daughter and grandson of these two individuals. Throughout the entire book I kept wondering what the title was about but of course you don’t find out until the very end. But it was well worth the wait! The author has a way with words that bring you in and make you feel his words. I wanted to cry when tragedy struck and I wanted to sing to the heavens when victory was achieved! The world-building was phenomenal and I felt as though I was walking down the dirt roads in the town in the 1930’s with my bucket of worms and a fishing pole. Excellent novel and I highly recommend it to young teenagers. Especially during these uncertain times of discord in our own streets today.
October 24, 2014
Once in awhile, there will come a book that will truly captivate you. You will think about it long after you finish reading it, and you will recommend it to everyone that you know. A year later, you return to it again and reread it, because you just can't seem to get it out of your mind. These types of books are rare and hard to come by, which makes them the most meaningful. A Punctual Paymaster is one of those books; it truly is a journey that you will never forget.
Dan Groat wrote such an engaging, interesting book that it impossible to put down. Focusing on 71 years of history through Missouri, you watch as the characters face triumphs and tragedies, from the depression all the way to the present time. The characters in this novel are truly relatable. They come alive, and they have heart. This book focuses on important issues, some of which we still face today. There is racism, war, and depression. How do people get through trying times? That's what makes this book so captivating.
I felt for the characters in this book. You truly want to know what their lives have in store for them. It was excellently written, not one page dull or boring. It was fast paced, filled with engrossing details. Yes, this is definitely a book that I plan on reading over and over again. I highly recommend it to everyone, you truly won't be sorry you read it.
Dan Groat wrote such an engaging, interesting book that it impossible to put down. Focusing on 71 years of history through Missouri, you watch as the characters face triumphs and tragedies, from the depression all the way to the present time. The characters in this novel are truly relatable. They come alive, and they have heart. This book focuses on important issues, some of which we still face today. There is racism, war, and depression. How do people get through trying times? That's what makes this book so captivating.
I felt for the characters in this book. You truly want to know what their lives have in store for them. It was excellently written, not one page dull or boring. It was fast paced, filled with engrossing details. Yes, this is definitely a book that I plan on reading over and over again. I highly recommend it to everyone, you truly won't be sorry you read it.
August 29, 2014
Set in racially divided small-town America, this novel is contemplative, metaphorical and often poetic in its treatment. It takes a hard look at an appalling and unfair period in history and its enduring effects in contemporary times.
Split into two by a river � the affluent Whites living on one bank; the poor but hard working Blacks on the other � the town brews with racial tension. Segregated for over eight decades, the people deal with their trials and tribulations with grace and endurance. But I got a feeling that the novel isn’t only about racial intolerance. It goes deeper than that; it deals with human nature: how we all are different on the surface but have redeeming qualities deep inside that make us all alike, no matter what the colour of our skins are.
The author does a great job of symbolising that happiness comes from within and is not connected in any way to worldly possessions or assets. The story is narrated in a fashion that is rich in emotions and details; you get a clear glimpse into the lives of the characters and it is impossible not to be touched their strength and fortitude.
The ending is particularly moving and stays with you long after you’ve finished reading the book.
Split into two by a river � the affluent Whites living on one bank; the poor but hard working Blacks on the other � the town brews with racial tension. Segregated for over eight decades, the people deal with their trials and tribulations with grace and endurance. But I got a feeling that the novel isn’t only about racial intolerance. It goes deeper than that; it deals with human nature: how we all are different on the surface but have redeeming qualities deep inside that make us all alike, no matter what the colour of our skins are.
The author does a great job of symbolising that happiness comes from within and is not connected in any way to worldly possessions or assets. The story is narrated in a fashion that is rich in emotions and details; you get a clear glimpse into the lives of the characters and it is impossible not to be touched their strength and fortitude.
The ending is particularly moving and stays with you long after you’ve finished reading the book.
September 8, 2014
Taking place in the 1930s A Punctual Paymaster is a unique tale of the wealthy and the poor. You are exposed to generous use of the “N� word. I was not offended. It was not malicious on the part of the author because that is how it went down in that time. It is still being said behind closed doors and even in the rap business. Besides that I need to talk about the story. I liked the main character Thaddeus who is smart and a business man especially in that era. I also liked that he was not a religious man. Usually when I read novels set in the South there is a lot of the mention of church and the Bible verses. This book was different because it didn't focus on God and the church. Two things that left an impression on me; the first was that Thaddeus's mother instilled a love of reading to keep his mind sharp. I can relate to that. I am inspired to do the same with my son. The second is going back to the mention of the “N� word . He said it set us back because it is a reminder of the slave days when the Master called the blacks that to humiliate them. I liked that he stood up to those unruly boys. It is a book in which black people have a voice and are not victims. They also do not harbor hate towards the whites. Dan Groat managed these racial issues well .
December 10, 2014
A Punctual Paymaster is in my opinion an incredible book from page one to the conclusion.
You will be intrigued with the characters. I found myself drawn along with them in a profound way. Author Dan Groat can mould characters to perfection, and he expertly shows the passing of time in the novel.
The story is set in a small Missouri town, starting during the depression and continuing to the present time. The story will lead you through the many struggles of life in America’s south during the 1930’s and into the present time span. I found it easy to visualise the town, and the characters, due do the excellent descriptive writing.
The dialogue felt right for each character. I became engrossed in the story, thrilled to turn pages while hooked on following the lives of the characters. Tears flowed at times, and there were many moments where I couldn't help but smile as I read on. I love a book that can connect with my emotions in that way.
I would recommend the reading of this book not only to history buffs, who would certainly find it worthwhile, but to all readers.
A Punctual Paymaster by Dan Groat is a well presented and unforgettable read.
You will be intrigued with the characters. I found myself drawn along with them in a profound way. Author Dan Groat can mould characters to perfection, and he expertly shows the passing of time in the novel.
The story is set in a small Missouri town, starting during the depression and continuing to the present time. The story will lead you through the many struggles of life in America’s south during the 1930’s and into the present time span. I found it easy to visualise the town, and the characters, due do the excellent descriptive writing.
The dialogue felt right for each character. I became engrossed in the story, thrilled to turn pages while hooked on following the lives of the characters. Tears flowed at times, and there were many moments where I couldn't help but smile as I read on. I love a book that can connect with my emotions in that way.
I would recommend the reading of this book not only to history buffs, who would certainly find it worthwhile, but to all readers.
A Punctual Paymaster by Dan Groat is a well presented and unforgettable read.
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July 10, 2016A Punctual Paymaster by Dan Groat is a delicately woven story of a small town in Arkansas, Delphi, which explores the lives of the people for generations. It traces the lives of these people who have been segregated for over 80 years since the Great Depression. With a river cutting the town into two, the northern part of the river is predominantly white settlement while the southern side is occupied by colored people.
Dan Groat has crafted an incredibly fascinating story tracing how the two sides lived, interacted and tend to their own lives through good and compelling storytelling with different threads but all merging to form one beautiful story.
There are several memorable characters in the story. Cousin, TJ, Evangelina, Dooley and Ophelia are some interesting characters that readers will remembered for a long time. The racial tension and division which goes along with the time is so cleverly portrayed. The writing is simple yet so attention-grabbing that it prodded the reader to continue. It is a story worth reading and re-reading.
Dan Groat has crafted an incredibly fascinating story tracing how the two sides lived, interacted and tend to their own lives through good and compelling storytelling with different threads but all merging to form one beautiful story.
There are several memorable characters in the story. Cousin, TJ, Evangelina, Dooley and Ophelia are some interesting characters that readers will remembered for a long time. The racial tension and division which goes along with the time is so cleverly portrayed. The writing is simple yet so attention-grabbing that it prodded the reader to continue. It is a story worth reading and re-reading.
August 28, 2014
The characters in this book pulled me in from the very first page. Groat weaves a great character driven story that held my attention the way very few books do. Making use of complex and multifaceted characters the writer pulls the story together in a breath taking manner.
The Punctual Paymaster weaves a tale of late nineteen thirties in a town on the boarder of Missouri and Arkansas. It deals with complex themes and issues such as the racism of the day and the morals of both sides. Things aren’t as simple as they seem.
As the tale of the two families continues you learn more about the members, their secrets, and who they truly are. My favorite character was Cousin. He’s educated by life and the school of hard knocks, but he’s also a thinker. He was easy to relate to and his analytical mind gave insights that otherwise the story would have been lacking.
Overall the story itself is above average for its genre, but what makes this book so special in my opinion really are the great and complex characters.
The Punctual Paymaster weaves a tale of late nineteen thirties in a town on the boarder of Missouri and Arkansas. It deals with complex themes and issues such as the racism of the day and the morals of both sides. Things aren’t as simple as they seem.
As the tale of the two families continues you learn more about the members, their secrets, and who they truly are. My favorite character was Cousin. He’s educated by life and the school of hard knocks, but he’s also a thinker. He was easy to relate to and his analytical mind gave insights that otherwise the story would have been lacking.
Overall the story itself is above average for its genre, but what makes this book so special in my opinion really are the great and complex characters.
October 26, 2014
A Punctual Paymaster by Dan Groat is a 345 page mystery. It has two Parts, thirty-four chapters total and an author bio at the end. The story begins June, 8th 1939 in the South Side of Delphi, Missouri and ends June 23rd 2010 Springfield, Missouri. In Groat’s bio he says, ‘I believe deeply in love, loyalty, individualism, self-reliance, liberty, ambition, hard work, competition with no guaranteed trophies, and that action as well as words is a form of expression�. These words ring true in the novel.
This story is part historical fiction and part mystery. The way Groat has used the small town feel and description was spot on. Even the dialogue was perfect and fitting for the different characters and time periods. I thought the way the town and family secrets unfolded was very interesting. The story kept my attention throughout the entire read, no boring chapters for me. Excellent book.
This story is part historical fiction and part mystery. The way Groat has used the small town feel and description was spot on. Even the dialogue was perfect and fitting for the different characters and time periods. I thought the way the town and family secrets unfolded was very interesting. The story kept my attention throughout the entire read, no boring chapters for me. Excellent book.
September 11, 2014
I am always interested in reading novels that contains some form of history or general knowledge whether fiction or non-fiction, and Punctual Master is a perfect example. Praise must be given to Dan Groat for bringing us back to the living conditions of America in the 1930’s (the fight between the blacks and whites), with his own creative style of writing, which my fellow reviewers can attest to combined with very interactive characters that make the story come alive. While you read, you have no choice but to put yourself into the story. Very easy to read with simple, soothing language, intriguing dialogues and well developed plots centred on the theme of racism and are the reasons why I had to read this novel in its entirety, not once but twice. There is so much to learn from the 335 pages of this book. Glad I have gotten my copy.
August 24, 2014
I have never had this happen, but the book had me from page one. The setting was in an earlier time and the lingo used matched the setting very well. If you pay close attention to the words being said you can actually learn from what they teach the boy. Cousin really set the book off for me. I loved his view on the situations he encountered. It is fiction, but it let’s you view how hard life was for colored people in the times that racial hate was normal. I really enjoyed how cousin dealt with the hate the white people had for his people. It is well-written making it easy to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a book that anyone could enjoy no matter what genre you prefer. I look forward to reading more by this author. If you don’t understand old time Southern lingo it may be a little difficult for you to follow.
October 26, 2014
What I liked most about this book was it was so easy to read. The flow was so logical and made sense that I freely flipped through the 350 pages without realizing it only took me a day to read this fantastically written book. In a small town in Missouri this story or racism that has occurred throughout the depression era to present day is a story like you have never read. The 71 years that this story takes place will take you on a thought-provoking journey as you see perspectives from both sides. This is a really good eye-opener and to see how people view each other gives me a bit of perspective about the hatred that people have been taught throughout their lives. The ending was really spectacular. I was extremely impressed with this entire story. 5 stars!!!
October 8, 2013
I decided on 3 stars for this one, although in some ways I lean towards more and in others towards less.
Towards less because it developed so slowly and because the time line wasn't consistent (soemtimes it went backwards). Also I feel like some things are unresolved or don't quite make sense.
Towards more because it was so sad and gripping and real. Not all things in life make sense or feel resolved and life develops slowly, too.
There are some pretty neat characters. I feel in some ways like I know them well... I know their natures... but at the same time I know so little of them.
So overall it leaves me with very mixed feelings and some tidbits of wisdom.
Towards less because it developed so slowly and because the time line wasn't consistent (soemtimes it went backwards). Also I feel like some things are unresolved or don't quite make sense.
Towards more because it was so sad and gripping and real. Not all things in life make sense or feel resolved and life develops slowly, too.
There are some pretty neat characters. I feel in some ways like I know them well... I know their natures... but at the same time I know so little of them.
So overall it leaves me with very mixed feelings and some tidbits of wisdom.
April 27, 2014
Dan Groat has written a compelling story that is rich with history and family connections. The Punctual Paymaster is a widely developed full story that takes the reader from the start of two dynasties and the growth of the town that contains them to an ending that I believe to be so cryptic.
The story telling is very heavy on details that add depth and colour and really bring you closer to understanding the characters. Some passages I found to be very emotive, such as “He stepped in his granddad’s footprints and felt the vibrations of the past enter his shoes from below.�
This was a very interesting and satisfying story told so well by Dan Groat.
The story telling is very heavy on details that add depth and colour and really bring you closer to understanding the characters. Some passages I found to be very emotive, such as “He stepped in his granddad’s footprints and felt the vibrations of the past enter his shoes from below.�
This was a very interesting and satisfying story told so well by Dan Groat.
May 5, 2014
This book is an emotional and historically accurate roller coaster ride between two rival families. The author continues the story over a 70 year period, leaving plenty of time for drama and chaos.
The Thanos family is white and wealthy, owning majority of the land and businesses which gives them the upper hand. While the Taylor family is hardworking small time grocery store owners. They also own a local tavern and are black, which causes tension with the Thanos family.
There is so much turmoil, triumph and family values in this novel. You will feel every emotion in this story, it will have you crying, then laughing it is truly a timeless novel.
The Thanos family is white and wealthy, owning majority of the land and businesses which gives them the upper hand. While the Taylor family is hardworking small time grocery store owners. They also own a local tavern and are black, which causes tension with the Thanos family.
There is so much turmoil, triumph and family values in this novel. You will feel every emotion in this story, it will have you crying, then laughing it is truly a timeless novel.
August 26, 2014
The book started very interesting to me, there was a division on North and South for a town which was also a form of segregation where a young black boy is chased again for just crossing to the “white� side of the river to fish is saved by the mention of “Cousin� the well known old timer everyone respect. There were many situations that kept things interesting, and many characters, Miss Ada being one of my favorite. There is a lot of description which makes it easier to visualize things. However, at times things developed too slowly, questions were left unanswered, I guess in part that was what kept me reading, trying to figure things out.
January 30, 2016
Great…just great and interesting dialogues!
Interesting characters!
A good strong plot that had me literally squirming with glee�
I can picture going to the movies to watch this on the big screen, heck, I might as well be one of those people who pirates it and watch it over and over. My whole point is that this was a brilliant read that will capture your attention from start to end like it did me.
The vividness of events� I might be rambling here!!
I recommend this book to everyone and when I say everyone I mean everyone.
You have got to read this book and be assured it will be one of those books you won’t easily forget this year!
Interesting characters!
A good strong plot that had me literally squirming with glee�
I can picture going to the movies to watch this on the big screen, heck, I might as well be one of those people who pirates it and watch it over and over. My whole point is that this was a brilliant read that will capture your attention from start to end like it did me.
The vividness of events� I might be rambling here!!
I recommend this book to everyone and when I say everyone I mean everyone.
You have got to read this book and be assured it will be one of those books you won’t easily forget this year!
October 23, 2014
I really loved the story. It was great from beginning to end. The author never pushed the story. By this, I mean the story flowed very naturally. I felt like I was eased dropping on the characters conversation which was very kind of cool. So it says that reviews are saying that “This story is more than white and black differences. It's about what it means to be a man, to earn and give respect, to stand tall (against) adversity, to be a role model.� I agree with this one hundred percent. I would tell everybody that they need to read this book this year. I was glued to my seat. I read this book front to end. I was awesome.
December 12, 2014
The Punctual Paymaster is the incredible debut novel by Dan Groat. This book has heart and soul and is the type of novel that really leaves one thinking about life and the bigger picture. I agree with many other reviewers that this is one of the best books that I have read this year, or in the past couple of years to be honest. The author has a great grasp of the use of dialogue and he has some of the better dialogue I have seen recently. His characters are well developed, as is the story. There is no sense of black or white but keeps to the gray, which really lends authenticity to the book and gives it a real hold on reality. I am really looking forward to reading more from this author.
May 23, 2014
Very well written! I loved the time travel in this book. I like genealogy and learning about people of the past. Now, if you go back into your families history and it is this good, you better write a story about it! Even going back in time, the characters were so alive and the time setting was described wonderfully. Makes you realize how good we have things now-a-days compared to how others had to live so long ago! If you want to read a great complex generational story, this is perfect for you, I will tell you there is great mystery and suspense!
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