The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh
Her name is Lila, this raven-haired beauty with the moss green eyes. People around these parts secretly call her a witch. Nestled deep in the Ozark Mountains, the residents of Henbane, Missouri seldom welcome new faces to their small town. But Lila longs for stability, at least for awhile, after being tossed from one foster family to another. So she accepts an offer to become a contract employee on a farm owned by a Mr. Crete Dane. Soon this enchanting young woman casts a spell over many of the townspeople and falls in love with Crete's brother, Carl. They have a daughter, Lucy, who strikingly resembles her lovely mother. When Lila vanishes without a trace, folks whisper about her disappearance, but do little to uncover the truth. Last seen with a pistol in her hands, Lila was supposedly swallowed at the mouth of Old Scratch Cavern. Truth or fiction? Tucked away in their own little world, the citizens of Henbane vow to protect one another at all costs. Who are they protecting now?
Now ten years later, another person is missing. This time it is Lucy's good friend, Cheri. A young girl from a troubled home, everyone believes she ran away from the neglect and abuse of her mother. Plagued by recurring thoughts that she could have done more, Lucy regrets not being there for Cheri when she desperately needed a friend. Her mutilated body is found after many months, displayed for all to see, and people assume a drifter committed the crime. Lucy believes differently when she discovers a necklace belonging to Cheri in a familiar place. The mother she never knew; the friend savagely killed. Could these two cases possibly be related after all these years? She knows the answers lie in the heart of this town. However, the revelations of her discoveries prove to be more unsettling than she could ever imagine. Sometimes it's best to let the past quietly slip away. If only ghosts could talk. "But ghosts never came when you wanted them to......"
Laura McHugh's debut novel certainly suggests she is on her way to becoming a successful author. This one is a compelling thriller. Be prepared for some dark, disturbing themes, all of which set the tone for a shocking intense mystery. Once again, alternating chapters are narrated by the main characters and give the reader an insightful window into their lives. McHugh does a superb job of describing the rural backwoods of small-town America in the Ozarks where she actually lived as a teenager. It is a story of secrets and lies; family loyalty and sacrifice. You may have a hard time putting this one down.
Blood is thicker than water....
Her name is Lila, this raven-haired beauty with the moss green eyes. People around these parts secretly call her a witch. Nestled deep in the Ozark Mountains, the residents of Henbane, Missouri seldom welcome new faces to their small town. But Lila longs for stability, at least for awhile, after being tossed from one foster family to another. So she accepts an offer to become a contract employee on a farm owned by a Mr. Crete Dane. Soon this enchanting young woman casts a spell over many of the townspeople and falls in love with Crete's brother, Carl. They have a daughter, Lucy, who strikingly resembles her lovely mother. When Lila vanishes without a trace, folks whisper about her disappearance, but do little to uncover the truth. Last seen with a pistol in her hands, Lila was supposedly swallowed at the mouth of Old Scratch Cavern. Truth or fiction? Tucked away in their own little world, the citizens of Henbane vow to protect one another at all costs. Who are they protecting now?
Now ten years later, another person is missing. This time it is Lucy's good friend, Cheri. A young girl from a troubled home, everyone believes she ran away from the neglect and abuse of her mother. Plagued by recurring thoughts that she could have done more, Lucy regrets not being there for Cheri when she desperately needed a friend. Her mutilated body is found after many months, displayed for all to see, and people assume a drifter committed the crime. Lucy believes differently when she discovers a necklace belonging to Cheri in a familiar place. The mother she never knew; the friend savagely killed. Could these two cases possibly be related after all these years? She knows the answers lie in the heart of this town. However, the revelations of her discoveries prove to be more unsettling than she could ever imagine. Sometimes it's best to let the past quietly slip away. If only ghosts could talk. "But ghosts never came when you wanted them to......"
Laura McHugh's debut novel certainly suggests she is on her way to becoming a successful author. This one is a compelling thriller. Be prepared for some dark, disturbing themes, all of which set the tone for a shocking intense mystery. Once again, alternating chapters are narrated by the main characters and give the reader an insightful window into their lives. McHugh does a superb job of describing the rural backwoods of small-town America in the Ozarks where she actually lived as a teenager. It is a story of secrets and lies; family loyalty and sacrifice. You may have a hard time putting this one down.
Blood is thicker than water....
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