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”As if we would have chosen any of you, a walking collection of deadly sins.��

Olympus, Texas takes place over one week in a small town by the murky Brazos River where families have lived for generations and gossip never dies. The prominent Briscoe’s exist and endure here alongside the patriarch’s mistresses and the “walking collateral damage from a man who always thinks he can have anything he wants.��

The narration was in the present with an occasional short chapter that filled in a backstory of a person or event. I never became confused regardless of the number of narrators because each chapter lead with a character and the action.

The Briscoe’s consisted of Peter and June, married more than 30 years, and their three grown children: Hap, Thea, and March. Plus, Peter’s brother, Hayden Briscoe. But, because of Peter’s philandering ways, the family tree was complicated.

After Peter’s first affair was revealed, he promised “it would never happen again.�� June “let herself be convinced.�� But she “was changed.��

Artie and Arlo were Peter’s twins with Lee, a weak and neglectful mother, who were now 30ish, like March. Artie and Arlo “could always count on each other�� growing up as they tentatively visited their father but only at June’s house, never theirs.

The book opens with March coming home after betraying his brother two years past and Arlo returning from touring with his band. To say they were received with mixed feelings is understated. It seems, within the course of a couple of days, these two cannot avoid making selfish and impulsive choices that became the catalyst of change in this story.

This family was loud and messy and dysfunctional with a capital “D.�� As much as I didn’t like them, I began to understand there was more to them below the surface as their motives were revealed. Not that I had sympathy for their poor choices, I’m not a fan of “forgive and forget��, but I found myself engaged in this “train-wreck�� of a family.

The climax of this character driven story came earlier than I anticipated. I kept looking for one more jaw-dropping event to occur, but it didn’t. The rest of the book focused on the ripple effect the event brought. I think the ending was realistic, even if I wished for more character growth across the board. I took the lack of it to confirm that some people never change or learn from their mistakes. If this were a myth, it would show how one’s toxic choices can poison others.

Speaking of myths, only the names of some characters and chapters gave a nod to Greek mythology with the sinful behavior being the strongest link. So, if you know little of mythology or it doesn’t appeal, not to worry, it does not play an overt role.

Overall, I found this an impressive debut novel that I’ll likely remember. Recommended for fans of domestic fiction who do not expect a happy ever after ending.