Customer Reviews

The Reservoir

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3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Reservoir is a novel of psychological suspense flavored with a bit of courtroom drama rather than a conventional murder mystery. The opening pages describe Tommie Cluverius standing on an embankment atop a reservoir in Richmond, Virginia, looking down at Lillian's pregnant, floating body. The unsettled question is whether Tommie killed Lillian and, if so, why? John Milliken Thompson's novel is based on historical fact -- Lillian died in 1885 and Tommie became the defendant in a murder trial -- but what actually happened at the reservoir is the subject of Thompson's informed conjecture.

For most of the novel (maybe for the entire novel), whether Tommie killed Lillian remains an open question. As envisioned by Thompson, Tommie isn't the kind of person who commits murder. Since there were no witnesses to Lillian's real-world death, it's possible she went to the reservoir alone and committed suicide (although footprints suggested the presence of another). In Thompson's version of Lillian's death, Tommie is with her at the reservoir. Their relationship is not a happy one, a fact that could motivate suicide or homicide. Whether or not he killed her, Thompson imagines Tommie's understandable regret about the role he played in Lillian's life. As Tommie explains it to his brother in one of the novel's telling passages: "There's strange things that happen in the world sometimes, I've come to understand that, and they don't fit in with the rest of our lives. These things, they're like a burl in a tree, Willie -- they don't belong there." Tommie sees himself as a victim of fate, yet the novel repeatedly makes the point that people make choices and that bad choices lead to bad consequences, however unintended a particular consequence might be.

Fate may have played a larger role in Lillian's life than in Tommie's. Tompson sensitively portrays Lillian as a woman marred by actions beyond her control -- a modern perspective that might have been less accepted in 1885. Other characters are equally realistic and complex. Tommie's brother Willie -- simpler and steadier than Tommie, but involved in his own way with Lillian -- is torn between his desire to trust his brother and his growing concern that the charges are true. A reservoir laborer finds a watch key and, forming a strange attachment to it (as if he could become close to the dead woman by holding close to the key) fails to turn it over to the police until his boss asks him about it a week later. Some characters succumb to law enforcement pressure and give statements that aren't entirely accurate, while Lillian's embittered father has reasons of his own to fabricate testimony. Thompson has a strong understanding of the factors that impair the truth-seeking function of a criminal trial. His fictional account gives voice to the reality that juries, like witnesses, are imperfect instruments for measuring the truth.

Although the story is tightly constructed, Thompson includes a wealth of detail in his depiction of Richmond and its inhabitants. Thompson drew on a variety of sources to help him craft the novel (he lists them in the final pages), including articles from the Richmond Dispatch and Tommie's own published story. As is often true of criminal accusations, the truth will probably never be known. Thompson's fictional account of the circumstances surrounding Tommie's trial is nonetheless captivating. I would give this well-written novel 4 1/2 stars if that option were available.

We'll never know if the real Tommie Cluverius killed his cousin Lillie. Available records make convincing arguments for both guilt and innocence. John Milliken Thompson has taken the bare bones of a real case from 1885 and filled in the meat of the story using his imagination and thorough research.

The body of a pregnant girl is found floating in a reservoir in Richmond, Virginia. The immediate assumption is suicide by a girl in trouble. But when the girl is identified as Lillian Madison, people come forward with information leading to the arrest of Lillian's cousin Tommie Cluverius on suspicion of murder.

Tommie is a 23-year-old lawyer with a bright future. He's likeable, if a bit of a rogue, two-timing the girls who love him and making regular brothel visits. The case against him seems weak at first, and his Aunt Jane and brother Willie believe firmly in his innocence. But Tommie seems to be the only suspect in Lillian's death, and the evidence mounts.

The author weaves together the present and the past, bringing in Lillie and Tommie's shared history since childhood. He shows how that history might have given Tommie a motive for murder.
You'll change your mind several times throughout the story. Sometimes you'll be absolutely certain Tommie did it. Then you'll be equally sure he didn't, and you'll wonder when the real culprit will surface. Still other times, you'll be convinced that Lillie really did commit suicide, or maybe it was even an accident. We'll never know for sure, but Thompson brings the story to a convincing conclusion. Convincing enough that it made me cry, because guilty or not, Tommie's really still just a boy, and he's so fearful of the unknown. His brother Willie's unwavering loyalty is especially touching.

This is a well-written, carefully researched novel, full of the period detail we historical fiction fans love to savor. Post-Civil War Richmond, Virginia and its environs really come alive with the sights, sounds, and sentiments of the era. The pace is a little slower and the prose more literary than the average contemporary mystery, but that extra attention is what makes it so rich and satisfying. I recommend it for history buffs and those who love literary mysteries.

From the outset Tommie Cluverius is the one and only suspect in the death of Lillie Madison. Lillie's body had been found at the reservoir and though it had at first seemed like suicide, it becomes clear that there is bigger story to the dead body. The police investigate and soon find that Lillie had been seen at a hotel with a young man. This, in addition to the fact that Lillie was pregnant make the police abandon the idea of suicide. Tommie soon becomes a suspect and through flashbacks, we discover the relationship between Lillie, Tommie, his brother Willie and Tommie's fiancee Nola.

Lillie had been Willie's friend long before she was Tommie's. They had met when they were kids and Willie and Lillie seemed to have a special friendship which Tommie is immediately jealous of. But somehow, Tommie and Lillie also become friends, a friendship still overshadowed by her relationship with Willie. As they grow into teenagers, Lillie and Willie are still skirting the outskirts of a full fledged romance but this fact does not stop Tommie from beginning secret meetings with Lillie. Eventually he and Lillie also begin a relationship but one that Tommie insist they keep secret. In the meantime, he becomes engaged to Nola. He claims to love Lillie, sleeps with her regularly but when she asks him about the future of their relationship, he hedges and makes excuses. Lillie is frustrated by it but hangs on. It seemed like once Tommie had Lillie's love, he no longer felt the need to try and please her as much as he had in the past. Also Tommie is ambitious, Nola is the heir to a vast fortune and he cannot see himself passing on the possibilities her money and connections can bring him.

They continue in this back and forth until Lillie gets pregnant and begins to pressure Tommie. This is where Tommie's lack of integrity begins to shine through. He strings her along, ignoring her letters to him until they contain threats, threats he cannot allow to destroy his bright future.

What happened that night at the reservoir is never made clear but the end is certain. Lillie is dead and Tommie seems to be involved, directly or indirectly. And despite Tommie's insistence on his innocence, Willie begins to doubt all or some of Tommie's story as the trials ends. He wonders if Tommie is telling all he knows and even when he does tell his version of that night, Willie wonders as to the veracity of Tommie's facts. But brotherly affection makes him leave it alone, he cannot pursue his doubts too much, they may reveal things he cannot stomach.

The story is told very well. The writer does an excellent job of drawing you in and keeping you interested. Sometimes I did wish the story moved along faster. I also did not find the courtroom scenes to be as compelling as I had hoped they would be and they did not reveal as much as I would have liked. Also the story lacked any real suspense. The reader already knows that the end but it would have been nice to get build up. There is one supposedly big reveal but most readers would have seen it coming before it arrived.

Though the facts of what happened that day may be a bit murky, Tommie comes across as too distasteful a character, a man with too many sides for me to believe he was innocent. He seems innocuous enough but he is selfish, arrogant and drunk on visions of his own self worth.

All in all, I did like the book and thought it was well written.

Title: The Reservoir

Author: John Milliken Thompson

Publisher: Other Press

Rating: 4 Shots of Espresso (Red Eye)


Southern literature that alludes to back country brawls and family duels have become my guilty pleasures since reading Southern literature from the last three years. Whether the characters are gouging eyes out or the characters are lawyers on trial for murder, I am right there reading the drama until it dries up. And fortunately, the drama has yet to do so...

John Milliken Thompson's debut novel, The Reservoir, fictionally depicts the real life trial of Commonwealth v. Cluverius. Thompson takes the research of a nineteenth century murder case and creates a historical recreation of Southern life in 1885. The Reservoir follows the family of Tommie Cluverius and his family love triangle between Tommie, his brother Willie and cousin Lillie. What more could a reader want or even need? I should leave it at that, but I am a recovering English major (meaning: I can't keep quiet!)

The Reservoir begins with Tommie leaving the scene and the workers at the reservoir finding Lillie's dead and pregnant body floating in the water. The mysterious story-telling slowly reveals the details of a family with many horrific allegations and secrets, which keeps the pace of the novel raging like a river. The story is told through different characters as the focalizers, which adds several dynamics to each character. The reader can see the character as both good and bad; this makes it much harder to cast judgment and just as hard to empathize with them too. The reader is just as unsure of what is fact and what is not as Thompson must have been while researching for this novel. We, as readers, and Thompson, as the researcher, can only speculate on what was the background on the case; this position almost places a reader in the place of a juror who can only judge based on the evidence given in court. In fact, I was reading The Reservoir just after the verdict of the Casey Anthony trial, where almost everyone was mad about the acquittal. Thompson's novel allows the viewer of the trial to empathize with a juror who only knows what is present in court.

The historically Southern family dynamics, then, kept me going in order to find out how the trial ended up. The role of females in the Cluverius family and extended family were so interesting but also extremely repulsive. I felt rather uncomfortable at times while I was reading about some of the allegations. The ethical hierarchy becomes so skewed that I don't know how they find ways to justify certain acts. But then again, the lack of female power seems to be always at the core of what happens in Thompson's The Reservoir. This drama is sure to keep anyone interested.

I recommend The Reservoir to all Southern literary fiends and lovers of historical fiction because the reader becomes consumed by the time period and culture. As I said earlier, I happened to have read Thompson's novel just after the end of the Casey Anthony trial, which added to the craze that people seem to get while watching a high profile murder case. The Reservoir, also, captures that craze rather well.

I give Thompson's The Reservoir four shots of espresso for its ease to keep me captivated in the Southern world of Tommie Cluverius. My missing shot came at the end when the novel kept explaining and kept lingering on the appellate process. I would have enjoyed the novel more so without that section because it kept drawing on and on; however, I still thoroughly enjoyed the novel and could definitely benefit from reading the novel a second time through.

I am happy to support the nonfiction writer turned novelist Mr. John Milliken Thompson and his Independent publisher, Other Press. I am truly excited to promote The Reservoir just as Thompson is about to make a Northern California appearance in person and a virtual appearance on my blog next week. I had the wonderful pleasure of interviewing Mr. Thompson, which I will make available as he tours in Northern California next week. Keep a look out for that! Happy Book Tours!

So says one of the prosecuting attorneys during closing arguments in the sensational 1885 murder trial of Cluverius v. Commonwealth, which author John Milliken Thompson used as the true basis for this engrossing murder mystery. He says in his notes at the end of the book that he came across a description of the trial in a book on the history of Richmond, Virginia, and was so intrigued he had to dig deeper. Thompson says he integrated much of his research into the book but "most of the pre- and post-trial story is of my own creation." He also says he invented the "tragic love triangle" of brothers Willie and Tommie Cluverius both being in love with their cousin Lillie Madison, but felt it was suggested by the facts.

Thompson's debut novel worked very well for me as a historical mystery, one of my favorite genres. It had all the vital ingredients for a gripping whodunit: complex, nuanced characters, historical accuracy and atmosphere, and a steady ratcheting up of tension leading to a stunning courtroom climax. A mystery novel, of course, generally has an "ah-ha!" moment where all is revealed and the puzzle solved; since this story is based on a real-life case, the ending is a foregone conclusion. Thompson brilliantly crafts a gripping story by delving into the questions hanging over the case to this day - did Tommie kill his cousin Lillie? Was he the father of the baby she was carrying? Or did poor Lillie, a single girl, drown herself in despair over her pregnancy? As the prosecutor admits, there were doubts and a lot of the evidence was circumstantial. Indeed, after the conviction as Tommie awaited sentencing, several jurors publicly announced they had changed their minds about his guilt and there was a groundswell of public support to reverse the guilty verdict (driven largely by Willie's relentless efforts on his brother's behalf).

I was fascinated by the multi-layered main characters Thompson created based on these real people; Lillie and Willie seemed especially tragic, and Tommie seemed like the poster child for ruined potential! I wasn't sure at first about the direction the story took toward the last quarter or so of the book, after Tommie was convicted and awaiting sentencing. No spoilers, but Tommie confessed some things to his brother Willie that really (I thought) gob-smacked the reader - the plot twisted and then sharply twisted again until you really weren't sure what happened out at the reservoir. Thompson used the doubts surrounding the whole case to layer on the psychological tension until the reader felt like they were on a roller coaster, right at the top of the highest drop, teetering inevitably toward that final, dreadful plunge. Very impressive! I found the tale gripping right to the end and would recommend this to any fan of historical mysteries, historical fiction, or psychological thrillers. A great debut - I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.

This is a bit of a twist on the murder mystery. The first chapter opens on a pregnant Lillie Walker's dead body floating in the reservoir, then a few pages later we are taken back to the previous evening. Tommie Culverius is looking down on her in the water trying to puzzle out what to do with her hat and gloves.

I thought I knew what happened, it seemed obvious, but then John Milliken Thompson made the straight-forward a bit more complicated and gave Tommie Culverius a voice to tell the reader exactly what happened when he and Lillie went to the reservoir.

There were several things that made this story compelling, the first being the relationships between Tommie, Lillie and Tommie's older brother, Willie. Even while I thought I knew what happened to Lillie I still wanted to know why? What happened between Tommie and Lillie that resulted in her dead body being dragged from the reservoir? What were their true feelings for each other? Were Tommie and Willie both guilty of Lillie's death? Once Tommie was taken into questioning the story took on another level of suspense and uncertainty and the question became, not only was he guilty but would he be found guilty? Then other questions followed, Would he be sentenced to death? What if he was innocent? Was there evidence out there or an eye witness who could exonerate him? All of those questions kept me reading, as did my concern for these characters, even more so because they were based on real people.

I want to quote a favorite passage from the book, forgive me if it's overly long.
(Charles was Tommie and Willie's brother who drowned when they were young.)

"On another dreamy afternoon by the river, a somnolent breeze to cool them, Willie was fanning Nola with her folding Chinese fan, its mythical river and green mountains swishing up and down, up and down. Tommie was toying with Lillie's tight sausage curls, and nobody cared because they were under the spell of "Lycidas" from Nola's reading: "He must not float upon his watery bier unwept." Then somebody brought up Charles, and Tommie told how he imagined him going under - drawn to his own image on the dark surface of the water. He talked as they sat by the river, and it was easy, Tommie felt, for in that moment they were all in love. With each other? With life? It didn't matter. They were so young and ripe and filled with passion they could bring the dead into their sacred unity. It was as though they were drunk without drinking anything stronger than lemonade."

Thompson did an excellent job of creating likeable and realistic characters with believable relationships and realistic dialog. For me this achievement is one of the most important measures of a successful novel and in that, as well as the quality of the writing, I give him high marks.

I absolutely loved and enjoyed reading this book, I couldn't put it down!! Even after I finished the book I found myself thinking about it, thinking about how things were back in the late 1800's . I even went so far as to google the original/real case the book is about. I was hoping for a different ending, hoping Tommie's life would be different and I was hoping Mr.Madison was going to get what he deserved. In part I enjoyed this book because it didn't take so long to get moving, it grabs you right from the first page! I highly recommend. Great book for laying on the chase lounge on a summers day!

Reading The Reservoir, John Milliken Thompson's debut novel, is like riding on a railroad car from yesteryear - the journey is thrilling, the setting is elegant and the company keeps you engaged throughout the whole ride. At every twist and turn along the path through this historical mystery there is a new clue in the form of a letter, a footprint, or a key. Thompson handles the evidence with the grace of a curator - not jumping to conclusions, but rather dusting it off and laying it all out
in an artful manner that respects his readers' intellect and curiosity. As the pace of the story gradually accelerates, there is the temptation to race to the finish as with all electric mysteries. But as the conclusion draws near, one wants to slow down and linger with the characters awhile longer. I can't wait to see what J.M. Thompson will write next!
S. Billington

Tommie Cluverius is on trial for murder in the first degree. The charge is that he killed Lillie Madison and threw her into a reservoir where she drowned. The year is 1885 and Richmond, Virginia is the scene of the crime. Did Tommie kill Lillie or was it suicide? Did someone else kill Lillie and try to pin the crime on Tommie? The outcome of the trial will determine whether Tommie lives or goes to the gallows.

The Reservoir by John Milliken Thompson is a moving and fascinating story of two brothers and the woman they both love. Tommie has always had ambition and things came easily for him. He was his parents' favorite child while his brother, Willie, was more easy-going and wanted to live off the land. His goal was to farm the land or be a sawyer. Tommie set out to college and became a lawyer, joining up with the prestigious firm of his mentor.

Both boys were raised by their Aunt Jane. Their younger brother died when he was six years old in a drowning accident and their mother started drinking very heavily. At the same time, their father lost his farm in the depression following the Civil War. Aunt Jane was childless and had money and love to raise the two boys so they were sent to live with her. When Willie was sixteen, their cousin Lillie was also sent to live with Aunt Jane. She was having troubles at home and Aunt Jane took her in.

The novel weaves back and forth in time and we learn that Willie and Lillie were in love for many years. Tommie was engaged to Nola, a neighbor whose family had wealth and land. Though Tommie wasn't in love with Nola, he saw this as a good match for himself, an opportunity to expand his wealth and achieve his social ambitions. He did not intend to fall in love with Lillie, but it happened. Though in love with Lillie, he planned on marrying Nola.

The reader gradually learns that Lillie has family secrets, especially about her father who has been physically abusive and sexually inappropriate with her. Aunt Jane sends Lillie to boarding school for a while and Tommie goes off to college at the same time. Tommie likes to visit the brothels very regularly. In today's parlance, one might consider him a sex addict because he spends money he doesn't have on prostitutes, is obsessed with going to the brothel and makes it a major part of his life.

The novel opens with the following sentence: "On March 14, 1885, a body is floating in the old Marshall Reservoir...". The body turns out to be Lillie and she is eight months pregnant. The first thought is that it was a suicide but there are two sets of footprints. One set appears to belong to Lillie and the other set is a larger size, most likely a man's. The coroner determines that Lillie was killed. A search for the killer begins and all the evidence leads to Tommie. He is picked up and charged with the murder.

The setting of the story and the trial is Richmond, Virginia and the surrounding area. The author gets the feel and ambiance of the environs and time to a tee. The reader can almost smell the streets, feel the political charge in the air and know what it's like to live in Richmond in the late nineteenth century.

Willie and Tommie are very close and as the trial progresses, Willie does everything he can for Tommie. However, does he really believe in his brother's innocence? The early part of the book alludes to Tommie's guilt but as the book progresses it gets much more difficult to figure out how much of a roll Tommie played in Lillie's death or if he killed her at all. The court scenes are exciting and the characters of the defense attorneys and prosecution are very well done.

My only gripe with the book is that the author told me too much, not letting me figure out the subtle emotional backdrop to the story and the people. I wanted to let things play out in my mind and not always see them in black and white, on paper. This is a novel based on an actual criminal case that the author researched. "The details of the case, then, were the fence posts on which I hung the story. The tragic love triangle at its heart was my invention, but it was suggested by the facts."

Mr. Thompson has written several works of non-fiction and has published short stories but this is his debut fiction novel. It is an admirable achievement and one can tell that he knows the south very well. He has lived there all his life and his familiarity with the people and sense of place comes through marvelously in the telling of this tale.

Although it's a well-known axiom to not judge a book by its cover, in this case it is all right. John Milliken Thompson's debut novel, The Reservoir, has as its cover a gorgeous, sprawling tree that hasn't leafed out, with an amber wash that harkens back to another time. It is desolate and nearly devoid of life. The cover is based on something that exists, yet has been turned into something else.

That's an accurate description of the novel. It's based on a true story, but Thompson, a nonfiction and short story writer, has taken the bare bones of what was known and turned it into a stark, sad story that is steeped in old-timey feel.


The discovery of the body of a young woman floating in Richmond's reservoir in March 1895 opens the novel. The reservoir superintendent who first sees the body, Mr. Meade, cannot bear to touch it. The other reservoir employee on the scene, Mr. Lucas, a more deliberate man, is besotted with the innocent-looking victim. But she is not innocent. She is in the late stages of pregnancy.

Little clues -- a red shawl, initials on a bag -- soon identify her as Lillie Meredith. Smaller clues -- a watch key that Lucas found the day after the body's discovery and kept hidden for more than a week, scraps from a torn-up note -- lead to Tommie Cluverius. He and his brother, Willie, lived with their Aunt Jane and their distant cousin Lillie for years in the countryside. Tommie is an up-and-coming lawyer, while Willie loves the land. Lillie appears to mainly love herself and flirting with boys.

Through the first mention of Tommie's name, until the end of the story, the reader knows he was there the night that Lillie died. But what happened isn't revealed -- or is it? -- until much later. Perhaps because the what actually happened is not known, Thompson finds a way to let the reader decide what happened. Although this may be a deal-breaker for some readers, it is not the main focus of the narrative and to dismiss the novel because of this authorial decision would be to miss out on other aspects of this story.

The Reservoir is so steeped in the language and feeling of its setting, it feels like it was written by a contemporary chronicler. Whether it's narrative, description or dialogue, Thompson's voice puts the reader directly in late 19th century Richmond. This accomplishment is all the more remarkable when family secrets about both sets of parents who sent their children to Aunt Jane are revealed. These are family troubles that happened then and happen now, and how they were dealt with then plays as significant a role as the limited range of options open to Lillie when she found herself with child.

Thompson also hints at the ability to write about deeply entangled emotions when loyalties are torn and people as close as loving brothers are not sure they really know each other after all. Mining deeper in this vein would not have served the tone of this novel, but the slight tracings seen here make the idea of even more in future writing a tantalizing prospect.

The tone of The Reservoir is appropriately melancholy. It's as noir as Chandler, as stark as one of Annie Proulx's Wyoming tales, as much a product of its setting as a Daniel Woodrell story and it's entrancing.