- Paperback: 396 pages
- Publisher: Signet Book (May 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0451197399
- ISBN-13: 978-0451197399
- Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 10.7 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,334,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'A riveting tale ... two grisly killings that are separated by more than a century but share a chilling secret.' -- Newsday 'The fifth book in Sharyn McCrumb's enthralling series of Appalachian mountain tales ... McCrumb threads both stories into a single pattern, a dense and lovely but very dark design' -- New York Times Book Review 'The mountain girl became a legend, one that Sharyn McCrumb has taken and woven into a colourful intrigue of fact, fiction, history and the present.' -- Arizona Republic
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
A native of North Carolina, Sharyn McCrumb lives in Virginia with her husband David, an environmental engineer, and their three children. She is the author of many novels and has twice won Best Appalachain Novel Award as well as the Edgar, Anthony, Malice Domestic, Agatha and Macavity in crime fiction.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
I'd not read anything by this author before. I agree with another reviewer that the "present day" storyline is less than effective, being mainly there to mirror the events of the past. The best part is set in the past and gave a feel for the gentrification of the frontier and made me visit a few websites to get some local images.
I did find the narrative of Burgess Gaither engaging but was a little sceptical of his seeming liberalism for someone at this time in history.
Stated themes of the author (in case you were too slow to catch on) were the conflict between mountain people and lowlanders, celts and saxons (where did this come from?), rich and poor.
Not much mention of the slavery of the time or the fact that women had no franchise. Sister Mary is a memorable character who does a little to redress this.
All this aside I would like to try more of Mc Crumb's books. I liked that it was based on fact and her strong sense of place made me want to visit this part of the world.
I did find the narrative of Burgess Gaither engaging but was a little sceptical of his seeming liberalism for someone at this time in history.
Stated themes of the author (in case you were too slow to catch on) were the conflict between mountain people and lowlanders, celts and saxons (where did this come from?), rich and poor.
Not much mention of the slavery of the time or the fact that women had no franchise. Sister Mary is a memorable character who does a little to redress this.
All this aside I would like to try more of Mc Crumb's books. I liked that it was based on fact and her strong sense of place made me want to visit this part of the world.
Format:Hardcover
In her novel McCrumb blends the stories surrounding two homicides, which are seperated by more than a century, but expose some grisley similarities. These similarities are not, however, necessarily, with regard to the crimes themselves, but to the accused and the legal systems that tried them.
I loved the way McCrumb slowly introduces you to the characters and makes you care, not only about the accused, but also those involved in their arrests and trials and beyond!
After reading such a well researched and historically accurate piece of fiction (based on the true story of Frankie Silver) I felt a little disappointed to have finished it and leave behind the Appalacian mountains described in the nineteenth and twentieth Centuries and the character's lives, which I became entwined in....thats the talent of a really great writer.
It's like watching a really good Western.
I loved the way McCrumb slowly introduces you to the characters and makes you care, not only about the accused, but also those involved in their arrests and trials and beyond!
After reading such a well researched and historically accurate piece of fiction (based on the true story of Frankie Silver) I felt a little disappointed to have finished it and leave behind the Appalacian mountains described in the nineteenth and twentieth Centuries and the character's lives, which I became entwined in....thats the talent of a really great writer.
It's like watching a really good Western.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a very disappointing follow up to the earlier Spencer Arrowood books - a series I have greatly enjoyed.
The book follows a pattern established in earlier volumes with two narratives from different times intertwined. This time however, the historical tale of Frankie Silver, who was hung for the murder of her husband, is fatally weighed down by undigestible paragraphs of highly undramatic "background" on the (real) characters involved. All this stuff should have stayed in the author's research notes.
The story is a fascinating one, and should have made an exciting narrative. Indeed from time to time it takes fire, and becomes a page turner. Unofortunately, the present day tale involving Spencer Arrowood, lacks any fire at all. We know the guy on death row didn't do it, and we know Spencer won't save him. The prisoner doesn't seem to care very much , and nor do we.
My disappointment with this book is directly in inverse proportion to my enjoyment of the earlier volumes in the series. Hopefully there will be a return to form soon. Meanwhile try reading "She Walks These Hills" which is an excellent example of what Ms McCrumb CAN do.
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