The New York Times bestselling author of She Walks These Hills and The Rosewood Casket returns with another sweeping novel that juxtaposes the legends of the Civil War with the lives of the modern-day mountain folk immortalized in her award-winning books. In 1861 the Civil War reached the mountainous South-where the enemy was your neighbor, the victims were your friends, and the wrong army was whichever one you joined. When Malinda Blalock's husband, Keith, joined the army, she dressed as a boy and went with him. They spent the war close to home in the North Carolina mountains, acting as Union guerrilla fighters, raiding the farms of the Confederate sympathizers and making as much trouble as they could locally. As hard-riding, deadly outlaws, Keith and Malinda avenged Confederate raids on their kin and neighbors. McCrumb also brings into her story the larger-than-life narrative of the historical political figure Zebulon Vance, a self-made man and Confederate governor, who was from the mountains and fought for the interests of Appalachia within the hierarchy of the Confederacy. Linking the forces of historical unrest with the present-day stories of mountain wisefolk Rattler and Nora Bonesteel, McCrumb weaves two overlapping narratives. It is up to Nora Bonesteel and Rattler to calm the Civil War ghosts who are still wandering the mountains, and prevent a clash between the living and the dead.
Sharyn McCrumb Books
Sharyn McCrumb is celebrated for her deep immersion in Appalachian culture and history, weaving intricate narratives that echo the region's rich oral traditions. Her distinctive style brings to life the stories and songs of the South, exploring themes of community, heritage, and the enduring human spirit. McCrumb's writing is characterized by its lyrical prose and its ability to capture the authentic voice of her characters and settings. Her novels offer readers a profound connection to the landscape and the people who inhabit it.







The Ballad of Frankie Silver
- 320 pages
- 12 hours of reading
Frankie Silver was arrested in 1832: a small blonde girl, only eighteen, charged with the savage murder of her husband Charlie in their frontier cabin. Lafayette Harkryder was also eighteen when he was arrested, accused of the brutal killing of two young hikers. Two violent crimes, two trials - and two people whose refusal to speak out may well send them to their deaths, separated by one hundred and fifty years of Appalachian history. Burgess Gaither, a twenty-five-year-old-lawyer who witnessed the story from the discovery of Charlie Silver's body to the hanging of Frankie Silver, speaks for Frankie. Sherriff Spencer Arrowood, who arrested Fate Harkryder so many years ago, has been invited to his execution by the state of Tennessee. As the two stories unfold, Gaither and Arrowood both realize that both Frankie Silver and Fate Harkryder have hidden part of their stories - and may have shielded the truly guilty.
Forced to serve as a cabin boy on a sailing ship, Malcolm MacQuarrie, a young Scottish lad, arrives in New Jersey in the mid-18th century. Here he learns a great deal, makes his fortune and never forgets a lilting Scottish ballad from Islay.
If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him
- 288 pages
- 11 hours of reading
Forensic anthropologist Elizabeth MacPherson steps into the role of private investigator at her brother's law firm, tackling two intricate cases. The first involves Eleanor Royden, who has coldly shot her ex-husband and his new wife after two decades as a devoted spouse. The second case centers on Donna Jean Morgan, who finds herself entangled in the murder of her bigamist husband, raising questions about faith and morality. As Elizabeth delves into these mysteries, she confronts the complexities of justice and human relationships.
Foggy Mountain Breakdown and Other Stories
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
The author evokes a lyrical quality reminiscent of a balladeer, weaving themes of restless spirits, star-crossed lovers, and the beauty of nature throughout the narrative. This enchanting style creates a spellbinding atmosphere, inviting readers to explore deep emotional connections and the haunting elegance of the world portrayed.
ROSEWOOD CASKET
- 318 pages
- 12 hours of reading
Renowned for her eloquent and lyrical prose, the author stands out among contemporary writers, offering a unique voice that captivates readers. Her richly textured storytelling weaves deep emotional resonance with vivid imagery, making her work a remarkable experience. The praise from the San Diego Union-Tribune highlights her exceptional talent and distinctive style, positioning her as a significant figure in modern literature.
"Sharyn McCrumb transforms mystery into astonishing literature."--The Cleveland Plain Dealer Forensic anthropologist Elizabeth MacPherson gets a chance to revel in the rites of the old country at the annual Glencoe Mountain Games, the Scottish festival where several hundred like-minded Americans celebrate their ancestors' folkways. But the innocent ethnic fair is cursed when the loathed Colin Campbell is found murdered. Then a second murder silences everyone's bagpipes for good. Enter Elizabeth, who make short work of her search for motive and murderer. "I had a great time at Sharyn McCrumb's inimitable version of the Highland games."--Charlotte MacLeod
Hospitalized for depression over her missing husband, forensic anthropologist Elizabeth MacPherson is pleased to discover that insanity liberates one from polite hypocrisy. Out in the real world, Elizabeth’s brother, Bill, has bought a stately old mansion to use as his law office, only to find that the house comes with a charming codger-in-residence who is far too old to be a dangerous outlaw...isn’t he? Meanwhile, Bill’s law partner is trying to track down the PMS Outlaws—an escaped convict and her fugitive attorney—who are cruising pickup joints and wreaking a peculiar vengeance on lust-crazed men.Sharon McCrumb’s incisive wit and her genius for mirroring everyday life are once again on full display. The PMS Outlaws is an outrageous parable of modern mores—“a story of disparate parts that come together in a most satisfying way.”
Eccentric Eileen Chandler is all set to be married, but someone wants the vows stopped before they are started. Murder has made an uninvited appearance before the wedding and no one in the crazy wedding party is above suspicion.
For one fateful weekend, the annual science fiction and fantasy convention, Rubicon, has all but taken over a usually ordinary hotel. Now the halls are alive with Trekkies, tech nerds, and fantasy gamers in their Viking finery *all of them eager to hail their hero, bestselling fantasy author Appin Dungannon: a diminutive despot whose towering ego more than compensates for his 5' 1" height . . . and whose gleeful disdain for his fawning fans is legendary. Hurling insults and furniture with equal abandon, the terrible, tiny author proceeds to alienate ersatz aliens and make-believe warriors at warp speed. But somewhere between the costume contest and the exhibition Dungeons & Dragons game, Dungannon gets done in. While die-hard fans of Dungannon's seemingly endless sword-and-sorcery series wonder how they'll go on and hucksters wonder how much they can get for the dead man's autograph, a hapless cop wonders, Who would want to kill Appin Dungannon? But the real question, as the harried convention organizers know, is Who wouldn't ?



