Amy B. (BaileysBooks) reviewed on 9/25/2010 + 491 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

This is rather interesting story about a murder (I hesitate to call it a murder mystery) that is told from the point of view of five different characters. The characters and the setting have a rich Appalachian feel, and it is apparent that the author is well versed in the nuances of this unique mountain culture.

As a whole I found the story to be engaging enough, but was ultimately disappointed with the ending. I felt that too much was left unanswered, that the final scene was a poor send-off to an otherwise entertaining story. The author spent so much time methodically laying out the groundwork for the story, brought all of the different points of view together at the end, and then wrapped everything up in what seemed to be a sudden and furious rush meet his deadline. We got to see the threads come together. The author simply didn't show us what it was that they made.

My final thoughts as I read the last page were, "Wait wait wait...that's IT?" The take-home message wasn't what I was expecting and, unfortunately, it made all of the good parts of the book ring hollow as a result.

This is not a bad book, it's just not an exceptional book either. It's worth the time that it takes to read it (which really isn't all that long). I can say that this book is still worth recommending. There is a haunting quality about it that really does draw you into the story. But part of me just can't recommend it with a very high level of enthusiasm.

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