Sweetsmoke, David Fuller’s first novel, is bittersweet. Even though the slave Cassius is favored by his owner on Sweetsmoke Plantation, his punishment and degradation are startlingly brutal. But Cassius is smart, clever and, unusual in 1862, he can read. These are advantages when he tries to solve the murder of a free black woman whose involvement in the Civil War surprises him. The beauty in this book lies in the writing. Fuller also is a screenwriter, and his people, places and plot turns shine as vividly here as they would on the big screen. He creates characters complex enough for readers to pity, detest and, in some cases, even admire all at the same time.