Perryville native Dale Moll has released a second novel, “Strictly Poison Under the Gravy,” in December.
The author describes his new work as “a drama of desire, betrayal and revenge that unfolds on both sides of a Kentucky mountain, ultimately impacting the soul of an entire county.”
The novel tells the story of a bad woman — “a very bad woman,” Moll said — who disrupts the quiet of a small Southern community, setting off her own personal crime wave. As events escalate, the local sheriff must decide whether circumstances — and his love for the woman — alter the nature of her crimes.
Also woven into the story is a celebrated horse race that runs along the divide of the same mountain and influences the lives of those with the most to win — or lose.
Asked why he wrote the novel, Moll said, “My first novel was written just to see if I could do it, and the second one was to see if I could actually do it again. I wanted to write about a bad person because, after all, bad people make interesting reading. But there are also a lot of good people in the story, as well. Most of all, I enjoyed writing about the horse race. That is my favorite part.”
Born and raised in Perryville, Moll graduated from St. Vincent High School in 1968. He is a retired construction professional with an M.Ed. degree in English from UMSL. He lives in Milwaukee, Wis., with his wife and loyal dog.
Moll’s debut novel, “Only the Grass Suffers,” was published in 2021.
