Madison Smartt Bell Shines a Light on The Color of Night

In his new novel, The Color of Night, acclaimed author Madison Smartt Bell (All Souls’ Rising, Devil’s Dream) offers an unflinching portrait of the darker corners of America. Our guide in this trip to the underworld is Mae, a blackjack dealer with a troubled past. Bell draws the reader in with brief chapters that allow the reader to glimpse, briefly, the pieces that Mae’s mind is in—and, perhaps, put the story back together.

The Color of Night raises a number of questions—download our reading group guide here—in particular, questions about the roles that violence, emotional isolation, and group-think have in our society. Book clubs looking for a spirited discussion will find one here, at the hands of Mae and Madison Smartt Bell. Click here to read an excerpt.