Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. Dechon Charles Winslow's new book,

Decent People, is a whodunit taking place in a segregated city in the 70s. In the Kirkus review for it,

they write that the book kind of elevates the genre because of, quote, the author's humane

and sensitive perceptions towards his characters, even those who may not

deserve such equanimity. And Pierre Scott Simon ends up asking Winslow about that in this

conversation, about giving despicable people a chance to be more than just a monster. And he frames

that question by calling it a responsibility to give that to the characters.

And Winslow kind of disputes that framing.

And instead, he argues that it's really more of a close reflection of reality, that most people aren't just one thing.

In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.

Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors.

On our new show, Sources and Methods, NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people

helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.

Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

We're going to return now to West Mills, North Carolina. That's the setting of

Deshawn Charles Winslow's first novel called In West Mills. It won a passel of awards.

Now, at 1976, and Dr. Marion Harmon, the only black physician in town has been found shot to death,

alongside her brother, Las, and her sister Marva, in their home.

Many suspect Olympus Seymour, known as Limp, the half-brother who lived next door,

but white authorities in town don't seem much interested,

and it falls to Joe Wright, who's just moved back, to ask some hard questions and look for the

killer. Decent People is the title of this new novel. Deshaun Charles Winslow joins us. Now,

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