South of Broad will offer the true Conroy fan many familiar elements - suicide, the look and smell of the salt marsh, athletics, deep familial scars, the south, other parts of the country as seen through the prism of the south, verbal skirmishes ... and even some James Joyce. In the story a wildly eclectic group of friends race through a fast moving plot and several "Big Chill" moments. While the plot can be a little contrived and the dialogue occasionally too cute, it is overall a good enjoyable read. Although it falls short of Prince of Tides this book shows there is life after Beach Music and gives me hope that Mr. Conroy will return to the regular creation of exceptional novels ... I for one have missed him.