I am a sucker for all things Lovecraftian, and the pulp-style cover really pulled me in on this one. But its the examination of race that really made this book solid and page-turning read. It also made me realize how far we've come (and how little has changed) in terms of racial relations. Racism is a running thread of this book, and watching our characters use it to their advantage was very satisfying. But reading about Atticus's trip home from Florida to Chicago - having to plan roads and what counties to avoid, having to bring his own food and supplies because of refusal of service to blacks - was an eye opener, and drove home how little I really knew of what it is and was to be black in America.