Summer of the Dead

What is it about?

High summer in Acker's Gap, West Virginia—but no one's enjoying the rugged natural landscape. Not while a killer stalks the small town and its hard-luck inhabitants. County prosecutor Bell Elkins and Sheriff Nick Fogelsong are stymied by a murderer who seems to come and go like smoke on the mountain. At the same time, Bell must deal with the return from prison of her sister, Shirley—who, like Bell, carries the indelible scars of a savage past.

In Summer of the Dead, the third Julia Keller mystery chronicling the journey of Bell Elkins and her return to her Appalachian hometown, we also meet Lindy Crabtree—a coal miner's daughter with dark secrets of her own, secrets that threaten to explode into even more violence.

Acker's Gap is a place of loveliness and brutality, of isolation and fierce attachments—a place where the dead rub shoulders with the living, and demand their due.

My Thoughts...

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this book 2 out of five stars.

A mystery/crime novel that encompassed several of the past and present citizens of Acker's Gap, West Virginia. The main character, Bell, is the prosecutor in the small town. There have been several murders in the town and Bell, along with law enforcement, are trying to solve the crime before the town folk start to panic.

In my opinion the author did an excellent job in developing Bell's character. It was clear to see how Bell's past experiences affected her current outlook on life and controlled her actions and reactions.I was curious about her relationship with the sheriff. I didn't find there was enough information about that, although to be fair, this is a part of a series and it may have been explained in an earlier novel that I didn't read or it may be material for a future novel. I also want more information about Bell's sister, Shirley. From the blurb on the back of the book, it sounded like Shirley was going to be a big part of the story but she wasn't in it as much as I expected.

I didn't dislike the novel but I can't say I enjoyed reading it either. It took me a long time to read it because I kept losing interest in it. There were entire sections I had to re-read because my mind wandered on to other things. I found there was to much explaining and telling and not enough action and showing. I did somewhat like the ending [it involved the people I suspected but not the reasons I suspected. I also thought it was mighty convenient that the person let the name Maybelle slip out at the most convenient time. It would have been much better it Bell had figured it out some other way.