ALANA MEIKE REVIEWS MISSISSIPPI BLUE 42

When there’s a book that Scott knows I’ll love he’s kind enough to give me a chance to share my thoughts, and I’m thrilled that he asked me to weigh in on “Mississippi Blue 42” by Eli Cranor. I’ve been a fan of Cranor’s work since “Don’t Know Tough” released in 2022—I love his gritty take on Southern noir and any new release is a “can’t miss” for me.

The title refers to a football play that sets off the events of the novel. The University of Central Mississippi Chiefs are about to lose what should have been an easy victory when quarterback Matt Talley spots his idol Brett Favre in the end zone. This prompts the QB to execute a last-minute touchdown, propelling the Chiefs to a W. Favre congratulates him afterward, whispering that “A downfield pump fake on the goal line” (Mississippi Blue 42) was his favorite play. That night, as Matt is celebrating with his teammates, he falls to his death from the rooftop of a local bar. The authorities rule his death an accident, but rookie FBI agent Rae Johnson isn’t so sure. Rae and her partner—veteran agent Frank Ranchino, serving his last assignment before retiring—have been sent to the small town of Compson, MI because the FBI wants to send a message.  The Chiefs appear to be winning a little too much and have come to the attention of the FBI’s white collar crimes unit. The year is 2013, pre-NIL, and the concentration of so much talent on a former losing team seems too coincidental. Despite Frank’s reminders that they need to stay in their lane, Rae is convinced that Matt might have been “helped” off that roof and is determined to investigate further. What they uncover exposes the dark underbelly of college football.

I was a Texas football mom—both of my boys played in high school (even winning a state championship!) and my oldest played 2 years of college ball--so I can’t resist a good football mystery. To be honest, I don’t know that much about the rules or strategy--my boys were linemen, so my jobs were to yell “Get ‘em” a lot, bake the team cookies, and provide home care when they were dealing with injuries. I did, however, gain insight into the toll the sport can take on a young man’s body and mind. Given that Eli Cranor not only played the sport at every level, but coached high school as well, he’s lived it all—the grueling practices in every kind of weather, the hits that come over and over, the lack of time for anything other than preparing for the next game. The man knows every aspect of the sport of football, much of it hidden by the glitz and glamor of ESPN broadcasts. A game that kids play for the pure love of the sport eventually changes into a job, one that takes a toll both physically and mentally on its young players. While they might experience glory during their playing years, they’re often left with only memories and lingering injuries that can plague them for life. Meanwhile the universities and coaches are making millions of dollars on the backs of these young men—many of them young Black men with few other options.

Someone else who knows football inside and out is Rae, the only child of legendary D1 coach Chuck Johnson. A single dad, Coach Johnson involved Rae in practices and games throughout her childhood, teaching her how to read game film and even allowing her to call plays when the team was ahead. Rae isn’t sure whether she’s been sent to the small town of Compson because of or in spite of who her father is, but she’s determined to prove herself. Rae idolizes her father and worships the game of football but is forced to confront darker aspects of the game that were previously hidden from her.

A story like this could only take place in the South, college football just hits differently than it does in the north. Frank has a theory that it stems from the Civil War—college football is a chance for the South to redeem itself, to the point where the fans are willing to help rig the game. He maintains that the teams don’t need to cheat because the fans will do it for them, as evidenced by the use of “bagmen”—fans with no official connection to the team who deliver bags of cash to the top recruits and players. These are often fans whose grandparents and great-grandparents were slave owners, and racism is still an unfortunate reality in the South. Cranor handles this topic with delicacy and grace.

Compson is located in the Mississippi Delta, not far from the Crossroads where blues legend Robert Johnson famously made his deal with the Devil. Folklore of the American South often identifies a crossroads as a place where Faustian deals are struck, an apt metaphor for the corruption that can be found in college football, so the Blues is the perfect soundtrack to this story. So after you pick up your own copy of “Mississippi Blue 42” from your favorite indie,  fire up some tunes by Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Son House and Howlin’ Wolf while you kick back with a glass of iced tea (or bourbon neat if that’s your game) to set the right mood for enjoying the latest by what I’m confident will be one of your new favorite authors.

-reviewed by Alan Meika