Helpful Score: 6
Sharyn McCrumb is one of my favorite authors. Both her "Elizabeth McPherson" series and her "Applachain foklore" series are wonderful. McCrumb takes a (true) story from the past and weaves it seamlessly with a story from today. Her charachters are detailed and interesting and the settings are haunting and real. If you like a wonderful story, history, folklore and a little bit of mystisism, try out one of her books. The stories contain recurring charachters but you do not need to read them in order. This story is one of my top three of hers.
Helpful Score: 5
This is a well written book - two stories told at once. The author goes between a modern day sheriff and his involvement with a murder case and the historic tale of Frankie Silver. She is the first woman in North Carolina to be hung for murder. The author does a good job of weaving the stories together and keeping me intrigued with both.
Bonnie S. (Bonnie) -
Helpful Score: 5
My favorite of this author's Ballad Series. A beautiful, tragic mystery novel set in Appalachia, based on fact, that moves between this century and the last.
Helpful Score: 3
Looks behind the myth/history to see truth. A typical McCrumb novel, well written and absorbing.
Helpful Score: 2
This book is wonderful.............it haunted me for weeks after I read it! I intend to read it again...........to really appreciate the depth of her writing.
Helpful Score: 2
I am not normally a Mystery reader but I enjoy a good Sharyn McCrumb novel. Compelling plot and engaging characters.
Helpful Score: 2
I love Sharyn McCrumb..............I have YET to read a book by her I have not liked!
Helpful Score: 2
Captures the flavor of Appalachia's past and present. The author juxtaposses the historical event of the first woman hanged in North Carolina over a hundred years ago with a present day crime.
Helpful Score: 2
A historically based triple murder mystery, really catches your attention.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent!
Helpful Score: 1
If you like Sharyn McCrumb, you will like this book. If you've never read her, she is a good mystery writer who often uses great historical themes, as in this book.
Sharyn McCrumb is an aware winning southern author. The below is from her web site:
"She is best known for her Appalachian "Ballad" novels, set in the North Carolina/Tennessee mountains, including New York Times Best Sellers She Walks These Hills and The Rosewood Casket, which deal with the issue of the vanishing wilderness, and The Ballad of Frankie Silver, the story of the first woman hanged for murder in the state of North Carolina; and The Songcatcher, a genealogy in music, tracing the author's family from 18th century Scotland to the present by following a Scots Ballad through the generations. Ghost Riders, an account of the Civil War in the mountains of western North Carolina, won the Wilma Dykeman Award for Literature given by the East Tennessee Historical Society."
These are excellent books, I have read most of them.
"She is best known for her Appalachian "Ballad" novels, set in the North Carolina/Tennessee mountains, including New York Times Best Sellers She Walks These Hills and The Rosewood Casket, which deal with the issue of the vanishing wilderness, and The Ballad of Frankie Silver, the story of the first woman hanged for murder in the state of North Carolina; and The Songcatcher, a genealogy in music, tracing the author's family from 18th century Scotland to the present by following a Scots Ballad through the generations. Ghost Riders, an account of the Civil War in the mountains of western North Carolina, won the Wilma Dykeman Award for Literature given by the East Tennessee Historical Society."
These are excellent books, I have read most of them.
This book has some surprising twists.
Told in alternating view points this book weaves the past and present, truth and fiction, folklore and legend, that sweeps from the drawing rooms of early aristocarcy to the ruins of a one room cabin in the Appalachian wilderness. A novel of simple faith and blind truth. By one of America's finest story tellers.
Wonderful author. Magical story. convincing characters, tragic and inspiring.
I didn't like this book as much as the others
This is one of my favorite of McCrumb's books. McCrumb's books that entwine the tales of the Smokey mountains with her terrific ability to twist a mystery are indeed her bestand this is one of them.
One of several of McCrumb's novels set in the Appalachian wilderness blending legends and folklore with high suspense. An engrossing tale.
From back cover:
In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Spencer Arrowood, the local sheriff, as the parallels between Frankie and Fate, between two crimes more than a hundred years apart, become as clear--and as shocking--as the single truth that joins two condemned souls.
From back cover:
In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Spencer Arrowood, the local sheriff, as the parallels between Frankie and Fate, between two crimes more than a hundred years apart, become as clear--and as shocking--as the single truth that joins two condemned souls.
One of Sharyn McCrumb's best.
Spencer Arrowood and Nora Bonesteel are terrific characters. I loved how this story addressed the idea of whether we can actually know enough about any situation to find justice for those involved. Juxtiposing a folk legend/ghost story with a fugitive on
the run was very effective
Spencer Arrowood and Nora Bonesteel are terrific characters. I loved how this story addressed the idea of whether we can actually know enough about any situation to find justice for those involved. Juxtiposing a folk legend/ghost story with a fugitive on
the run was very effective
Once there was a murder done. It is a legend that has been told through the generations, a story rooted in a lonely churchyard in the shadow of three uncarved tombstones..in a secret buried deep in the white silence of the winter of 1832, and deeper still in the heart of a poor moutain girl accused of a terrible crime. Spencer Arrowood was a young untried deputy sheriff when his testimony helped convict a Tennessee youth for the brutal slaying of two hikers along the Appalachian Trail. Now twenty years later, Spencer receives an invitaion to an execution. After two decades on death row, a date has fianally been set to strap Fate Harkryder into the chair and throw the switch. But time has eroded Spencer's moral certainity of guilt and raised the specter of another murder. Pver a century ago, it is said that a man was murdered in his sleep, that a young wife and mother was accused of the crime and that on the gallows her last words were silenced by her Father's order. In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Spencer Arrowood as the parallels between Frankie and Fate, between two crimes more than a hunderd years apart, become as clear-and as shocking-as the single truth that joins two condemned souls. Suddenly Spencer Arrowood is emgaged in a race against time to keep history from happening all over again, and to save the life of a man who just may be innocent after all. Another great book by an author who can take you into the mountain lore and past .
MaryAnn R. (MaryAnn) reviewed The Ballad of Frankie Silver (Ballad, Bk 5) on + 140 more book reviews
In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Sheriff Spencer Arrowood, as the parallels between two crimes more than a hundred years apart become as clear and as shocking as the single truth that joins two condemned souls.
"The fifth book in Sharyn McCrumb's inthralling series of Appalachian mountain tales, invites us to pull up a quilt and turn our faces to the fire....dense and lovely."
Kathryn (Kmarie) -
Spencer Arrowood was a young, untried deputy sheriff when his testimony helped convict a Tennessee youth for the brutal slaying of two hikers along the Appalachian Trail. Now, twenty years later, Spencer receives an invitation to an execution. After two decades on death row, a date has finally been set to strap Fate Harkryder into the chair and throw the switch. But time has eroded Spencer's moral certainty of guilt and raised the specter of another murder. Over a century ago, it is said that a man was murdered in his sleep, that a young wife and mother was accused of the crime, and that on the gallows her last words were silenced by her father's order. In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Spencer Arrowood as the parallels between Frankie and Fate, between two crimes more than a hundred years apart, become as clear -- and as shocking -- as the single truth that joins two condemned souls. Suddenly, Spencer Arrowood is engaged in a race against time to keep history from happening all over again, and to save the life of a man who just may be innocent after all.
Jackie S. (MistyBlue913) reviewed The Ballad of Frankie Silver (Ballad, Bk 5) on + 149 more book reviews
The fifth book in Sharyn McCrumb's inthralling series of Appalachian mountain tales!
In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Sherrif Spencer Arrowood, as the parallels between two crimes more than a hundred years apart become as clear - and as shocking - as the single truth that joins two condemmed souls...
In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Sherrif Spencer Arrowood, as the parallels between two crimes more than a hundred years apart become as clear - and as shocking - as the single truth that joins two condemmed souls...
Barbara B. (redhatter) reviewed The Ballad of Frankie Silver (Ballad, Bk 5) on + 577 more book reviews
In 1833 Frankie Silver became the first woman in North Carolina to be hanged for murder. But what really happened so long ago becomes an obsession for Sherrif Spencer Arrowood, as the parallels between two crimes more than a hundred years apart become as clear - and as shocking - as the single truth that joins two condemmed souls.
Teresa H. (cedarwoman) reviewed The Ballad of Frankie Silver (Ballad, Bk 5) on + 89 more book reviews
This book was given to me by a friend, and I have not read it.
