A contemporary novel set during Trump's first term, starts with a mysterious and brutal murder in Money, Mississippi: a small racist town in the arse end of nowhere. After a body goes missing and another similar brutal murder occurs, two detectives from the MBI are sent to help with the investigation. The two detectives: Jim and Ed are Black, and so are not only struggling with a police force that doesn't believe they need any help to solve the murders but with a whole town that doesn't like anyone that isn't White. This book has some really horrific and brutal murders in it and tells the story of the history of lynching in America. Despite the dark and heavy themes, this books is also very funny! Ed and Jim are very sarcastic and a dry wit runs throughout every page of this piece of essential literature.

It’s only the end of January and already I suspect I’ve found my top read of the year. Everyone I know who’s read this has absolutely raved about it, so I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype - but oh boy does it. An incredible novel, which deals with truth and justice and the devastating history of lynchings in the US, and yet which also manages to be one of the funniest novels I’ve read. This is my first Everett and I can’t wait to read more of his work. The Trees was totally unlike anything else I’ve ever read; genuinely just superb all round.

Thank you Percival Everett for providing me with such enjoyment. I laughed so much my face hurt. What a BRILLIANT imagination and what satire. Absolute must read!

A gripping page turner right from the beginning, opening with graphic scenes of the brutal murders that are linked by the presence of a second dead body that resembles Emmet Till. The author cleverly uses humour to explore racism, police violence that is part of America's history. Shortlisted for the Booker and deservedly so, wonderful.

I loved this unique novel, in which Percival Everett tells a morbid, but often very funny, tale of unexplained murders in the Deep South. What starts as a small town police investigation, opens up into payback time for generations of pain and abuse.