The Levee

Krueger’s (Fox Creek) first audio-original novella takes inspiration from William Faulkner’s The Old Man. Set in 1927, it follows four very different incarcerated men, briefly released from prison to attempt a rescue during a devastating, unprecedented flood. What happens when man meets nature? Or when the intended targets refuse to be rescued? When class backgrounds clash? The structure at the heart of the book—the levee itself—is not only a physical object holding back the flood, but also a metaphor, representing a breach that could wipe away a family’s entire history at any moment. The background of a man imprisoned for the failure of a dam he designed (but didn’t build) is at once heartbreaking and a critique of the justice system itself. This audio is narrated with depth and emotion by JD Jackson, who seamlessly weaves in subplots of young love, familial pride, and fidelity, pulling listeners into the atmospheric world that Krueger has created. The storytelling, unique and vivid with imagery of the river and its potential for devastation, may have listeners holding their breath for much of the book.