Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2)

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2)
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter - Ballad, Bk 2
Author: Sharyn McCrumb
ISBN-13: 9780684194073
ISBN-10: 0684194074
Publication Date: 4/2/1992
Pages: 288
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 10

4 stars, based on 10 ratings
Publisher: Scribner
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

25 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

Carwells avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 29 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This was an excellent read. There are several books using the same characters and I cannot wait to read some more. There was a mystery but not overly gruesome. Wonderful characters and really teaches you about mountain life. I have visited Tennessee and feel like I am back there every time I picked up this book.
kathyk avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on
Helpful Score: 2
One of her Ballad series. These are great - lots of history about Apalachia. Fast read.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 199 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
In general I like this series, but this one is a little on dark side, for my taste.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 21 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
A compelling, haunting, but horribly grim story of murder in Dark Holoow, Tennessee. Keep something light on hand to read next.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 40 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Part of Sharyn McCrumb's "Ballad" series. It all starts with an apparent murder-suicide leaves the Underhill children orphans - and what seems an open-and-shut case quickly becomes a spiral of tragedy.
cranbery avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 530 more book reviews
A book you don't want to end, it was that good!
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 285 more book reviews
If you read jsut one crime novel this year, it should be this one!
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 11 more book reviews
Sharon McCrumb's mysteries set in Appalachia are wonderful and this is no exception--fascinating characters and well-crafted suspense.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 15 more book reviews
My frist McCrumb book, enjoyed it being a little different than I expected. I recommend it if you want a good off beat story.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 74 more book reviews
aother great read by Sharyn McCrumb!!
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 5 more book reviews
Suspense --- Mystery --- A good read
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 87 more book reviews
Everyone knew that Nora had "the sight". So she was the 1st to know about themurder-suicide. Four members of the Underhill family laydead on a run-down farm.
GentlyUsed avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 8 more book reviews
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.
howlips avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 2 more book reviews
From the acclaimed author, this mystery-suspense novel is set in a beautiful town and tugs hard on the heartstrings. I was sucked in.
Auquachick avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 14 more book reviews
Great book! I just love this author!
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 194 more book reviews
Great book I had read this several years ago and greatly enjoyed it the second time around. Everyone in Dark Hollow Tennessee, knew that old Nora Bonesteel had "the sight". So naturally she was the first to know about the murder-suicide. Four members of the Underhill family lay dead on a run-down farm and the two children who survived had no one left. Only the minister's wife, Laura Bruce was willing to their guardian. The grisly case was supposed to be :open and shut" but it bothered Sheriff Spencer Arrowood. He had this worried feeling that the bad things were far from over at the Underhill's farm. And he would feel a lot worse if he knew what else old Nora saw: tragedy for Laura Bruce, an elderly man and a young mother.......and the kind of dying that would test the courage of the living and a sherriff's insights into country ways and hearts
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 9 more book reviews
The setting is in the Appalachian mountains, small community interactions, easy read, but very cresible.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 988 more book reviews
Sharyn McCrumb has been called a writer of rare talent. If you haven't read her work, this is a great place to start.

Blessed with the "Sight" old Nora Bonesteel is the first to know about the murder-suicide in Dark Hollow, Tennessee. Four members of the Underhill famil lie dead on a run-down farm. And Sheriff Spencer Arrowood has this worried feeling that the bad things aren't over. Old Nora knows they aren't for what she saw was the kind of dying that will test the courage of the living and a sheriff's insights into country ways and hearts.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 80 more book reviews
Nora Bonesteel has "the sight" and was first to know about the grisly murder-suicide at the Underhill farm in Dark Hollow, TN. It was an open and shut case, but the Sheriff worried he'd missed something. If he knew what Nora could 'see' he'd worry more....excellent McCrumb book.
renegadespiritcat avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 198 more book reviews
The scripted story captures the reader and takes them to the very heart of the region and allows them to become one with the colorful cast of characters described. A GREAT and fast read that carry's the reader into the fabric of the story itself.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 1568 more book reviews
Hmmm, how to categorize this one? . . . The activity takes place in everyday America, but it has the flavor of an old-timey Appalachian ballad to it. I'm not talking about the book's chapter headings taken from old mountain songs, but about the inevitability of certain things. Given the way some people are, some things simply HAVE to happen, right? Well Sharon McCrumb somehow makes you feel that patterning and natural balance for yourself.

From back cover: Everyone in Dark Hollow, Tennesee, knew that old Nora Bonesteel had 'the Sight.' So naturally she was the first to know about the murder-suicide. Four members of the Underhill family lay dead on a run-down farm, and the two children who survived had no one left. Only the minister's wife, Laura Bruce, was willing to be their guardian.
The grisly case was supposed to be 'open and shut,' but it bothered Sheriff Spencer Arrowood. He had this worried feeling that the bad things were far from over at the Underhill's farm. And he would feel a lot worse if he knew what else old Nora saw: tragedy for Laura Bruce, an elderly man, and a young mother...and the kind of dying that would test the courage of the living and a sheriff's insights into country ways and hearts.
Chitimacha-Princess avatar reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 586 more book reviews
Everyone in Dark Hollow, Tennessee, knew that old Nora Boneseel had "the sight." So naturally she was the first to know about the murder-suicide. Four members of the Underhill family lay dead on a run-down farm, and the two children who survived had no one left. Only the minister's wife, Laura Bruce, was willing to be their guardian.

The grisly case was suppose to be "open and shut," but it bothered Sheriff Spencer Arrowood. He had this worried feeling that the bad things were far from over at the Underhill's farm. And he would feel a lot worse if he knew what else old Nora saw: tragedy for Laura Burce, and eldery man, and a young mother...and the kind of dying that would test the courage of the living and a sheriff's insights into country ways and hearts.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 9 more book reviews
This is from one of my favorite mystery writers.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 300 more book reviews
Another good one by Sharyn McCrumb! Nora Bonesteel, the local eccentric, was the first to know about the murder-suicide. Nora had no phone, no newspapers, no near neighbors from which to hear the news. She had "the Sight".

Featuring Sheriff Spencer Arrowood, this thriller has lots of twists and turns.
reviewed The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (Ballad, Bk 2) on + 162 more book reviews
this was ok