By:  Kim Michele Richardson

ISBN: 1496709551

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date:  11/28/2017

Format: Hardcover

My Rating: 5 Stars +  (ARC)

 

From Kentucky’s finest Southern storyteller, Kim Michele Richardson returns following (2016) GodPretty in the Tobacco Field and (2015) Liar's Bench with her latest gripping mystery (her best yet), crime thriller: THE SISTERS OF GLASS FERRY –Rich in character, strong family bonds, suspense, and dark deeply-buried family secrets with a Southern Gothic twist. 

Set in the southern riverside town of Glass Ferry, in the heart of Kentucky bourbon—a gripping complex multi-generational tale of three families and four generations. Told from two points of view (Flannery and Patsy), and dual timelines.

From 1952 to 1972 and beyond, meet the Butler family. 

Mother Jean, father Honey Bee, and twin daughters: Flannery Bee and Patsy Jean. Their rival, The Henrys. 

Even though wise Beauregard “Honey Bee” (dad) has passed on, his legacy lives on through his daughters. A bourbon distiller, he made sure his family was taken care of and taught his daughters to be strong. 

Teaching them about guns, bullets, driving, and other things a man would teach his sons, and in particular, Flannery – the bourbon business, the river, chores in the barn, and his secrets (including his recipes) as he unburdens his soul to his thirteen- year- old daughter. 

His rules still called from the grave. 

Honey Bee had said, “Kentucky without its whiskey men, its stills, would be like New York City without business suits and buildings.” 

Flannery loved everything about whiskey. Loved that Honey Bee had taught her the secrets of its doings. " She loved the dark earth and the mystery of its scent that tucked itself into a strange sweet growing time." Her sister was more like their mom. 

Patsy had other friends besides her twin Flannery and Flannery felt betrayed and jealous. The mom referred to her husband's business as “the devil’s water.” However, Honey Bee thought his River Witch was respectable. After all, he was licensed and offered a true gentlemen’s whiskey. 

However, there was a payback. They had to keep the sheriff's pockets full of fees (taxes). Sinful bribery by the Henry brood, in more ways than one. Carried down to the next generation. 

However, Honey Bee always reminded his family the business had saved them throughout history, through the Depression and Prohibition. Only four licenses were handed out over the years in Kentucky and he was one. 

Later, in the story, we discover there were also twin sons (Paxton and Preston) which died as babies. A big mystery is unveiled near the conclusion regarding a third family and the connection to the Butlers from decades earlier. 

 

The story revolves around 1952 — the night of the prom. Patsy had a special date with her boyfriend Danny Henry. Danny the younger son. There was also the oldest, Hollis (bad news-troublemaker), and the father Jack which is the Sherriff.

The Henry’s looked down on the Butlers. Some thought being a twin was bad luck. A small town of half-truths, sadness, domestic abuse, rape, cover-ups, corruption, mental illness, and rumors. Spirits of the past. Unfinished business. 

Patsy was the beautiful and curvy sister; whereas, Flannery was the smart one and not so beautiful. Patsy was closer to her mom and Flannery her dad. They were eight minutes apart. Patsy was protective of her younger sister. The girls did not always get along. Sibling rivalry. 

However, prom night. The night it all went wrong – will haunt Flannery the rest of her life. The argument. The night Danny and Patsy went missing. From her mom’s sadness to the guilt of her sister. 

The 1950 Mercury, pearls, prom night, a gun, bullet, two different brothers, twin sisters, Hospital Curve, Ebenezer Road and the Kentucky River. 

The same river that had given Flannery so much would take yet another from her. The night Danny and Patsy went missing. They never made it to the prom. There was also the haunting day Patsy accepted a ride with Hollis three months earlier when Danny was flirting with Violet. 

Now, Patsy is gone and Jean still makes a cake each year for Patsy and Flannery on their birthday. However, this year, a car was found in the muddy Kentucky River and the secrets of the past begin to unravel. They had all hoped the two runaway lovers had been living a secret life; however, a tragedy. 

Two different twin sisters cannot seem to escape their tragedy and loss. Regrets. Secrets. One after another, trapped with no seemingly way out. 

“Reckoning Day was why Flannery stayed precisely eight minutes ahead, looking over her shoulder for those lagging minutes when the devil might try to collect." 

Flannery had the pearls. Her mom wants desperately to find the family pearls. Flannery would have to tell everything – both her secrets and Patsy’s. Flannery could only think of getting miles away from Glass Ferry. From her mom’s sadness, the rumors, and her guilt which only pushed her into yet another nightmare relationship. 

Now twenty years later she returns. 

What would Hollis do? A pact with the devil. The Henrys and their hold on this family, throughout generations. Precious moments lost. Brokenness and drowning misery. Is history repeating itself?

 
Flannery has to do something to help clear her sister’s reputation and name. The strong urge to avenge her sister. Will she have the courage, to tell the truth, or seek revenge? Justice. 

In the background, there is also another intriguing mystery (icing on the cake). The long-dead midwife Joetta, alleged to have been a witch and a murderess. Does her spirit still haunt Ebenezer Road?

However, the parents kept one big secret which is yet to be unveiled. An old family matter. A secret box. A diary. Holding the key to the past. (A nice twist)!

Will the spirits of the past, continue to hover over the lives of this family? How far will a sister go to protect her secrets and seek justice for those she loves.

Riveting. Emotional. Compelling. Haunting. Beautifully written. A mix of psychological, domestic suspense, crime thriller, mystery, historical, and Southern Gothic. 

A tale of heartbreak, and the strong bonds of family, balanced between destruction, regret, and redemption. The dark consequences that reverberate through the lives of three families, who will never be the same again. Love and loss. 

Richardson’s best yet! Once you start reading, you will not be able to put this one down. These families will draw you into their web of secrets and lies across generations, keeping you turning into the night. 

For fans of David Joy, Wiley Cash, Joshilyn Jackson, and Ron Rash.If you enjoy authentic Southern Gothic family mysteries, this one is for you. Ideal for book clubs (discussion guide included). My mom was a twin and come from a long line of family twins- always find them intriguing. 

Highly Recommend! Have read all her books and a huge fan. Anxiously awaiting the next book. I enjoyed reading what’s next for the author: Add this one to your TBR list. 

“I am currently working on my next novel The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, and have spent countless hours researching and exploring the Pack Horse Library Project of 1935. It is a fascinating tale of tribute about the fearsome librarians who traveled on horseback and mule to provide books to the poor and isolated communities in Kentucky.”

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A special thank you to the author, Kensington, and Netgalley for an advanced digital and print copy. I have also pre-ordered the audiobook narrated by Marguerite Gavin. 

JDCMustReadBooks

 

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I just can't help but feel that it would have been so much better if it had been a full-length book instead despite the lovely story. I feel that that the characters and the story could have been more fully developed if the story had had at least 100-200 pages more. But I have to admit that this could because I just like Lisa Wingate's stories so much that I don't want them to end. 

 

I liked The Sea Glass Sisters because it gave the reader an insight into Sandy's life through Elizabeth Gallagher, her niece. It tells how Sandy, the owner of Sandy's Sea Shell Shop from The Prayer Box, ended up at North Carolina's Outer Banks. Sandys sister Sharon isn't at all happy that Sandy wants to sell the land she inherited since the land has been part of their family for generations and now she and her daughter Elizabeth is traveling to see Sandy to talk some sense into her.

 

Alas, all we get is a glimpse into Sandy and Sharon's life through Elizabeth's eyes, but as with the rest of the books in this series that I have read was this story beautiful written. It's a sweet and also sad story. It was lovely to meet Iola Anne Poole since the story in The Prayer Box takes place after she had died. I liked the characters and I the ending was good. 

I just can't help but feel that it would have been so much better if it had been a full-length book instead despite the lovely story. I feel that that the characters and the story could have been more fully developed if the story had had at least 100-200 pages more. But I have to admit that this could because I just like Lisa Wingate's stories so much that I don't want them to end.

I liked The Sea Glass Sisters because it gave the reader an insight into Sandy's life through Elizabeth Gallagher, her niece. It tells how Sandy, the owner of Sandy's Sea Shell Shop from The Prayer Box, ended up at North Carolina's Outer Banks. Sandys sister Sharon isn't at all happy that Sandy wants to sell the land she inherited since the land has been part of their family for generations and now she and her daughter Elizabeth is traveling to see Sandy to talk some sense into her.

Alas, all we get is a glimpse into Sandy and Sharon's life through Elizabeth's eyes, but as with the rest of the books in this series that I have read was this story beautiful written. It's a sweet and also sad story. It was lovely to meet Iola Anne Poole since the story in The Prayer Box takes place after she had died. I liked the characters and I the ending was good.

Another book that I ended up finishing with a mix of various reactions, although in the end I did enjoy the book.

 

What drew me to this one was the unusual story line, quite unlike anything I have encountered before. I have a love for Italian crafts, especially glass, and to read a book that was loosely related to the subject grabbed my attention right away. It's also quite spectacular to see that an author created such a story based on only one single fact she stumble upon. The drawback, however, was that this seemingly charming tale didn't have that fairytale spark to it.

 

As many mentioned before, the decision to present the story into verse form really didn't work, and was quite the setback. There was only one chapter - "Two Suitable Suitors?" - that struck me as having the POTENTIAL of sounding like a poem, although it was very simple with it's rhyming and very straight-forward thoughts. The rest of the book was mostly just sentences that were divided up to give the visual effect of a poem, although the techniques weren't there. Perhaps then this should be not as a story written in poems but only as a story that appears in stanza/verse form. I don't know how that would be marketed, but to people who approach the story thinking the former will be rather disappointed.

 

The story is simple and the solution to the whole marriage "dilemma" was one I foresaw three-quarters of the way through the book, yet it was still pleasant how it was all "written out". I don't know what it is about the characters however but while they were developed and had their own distinct personality, everyone - and for once I really do mean EVERYONE - lacked some kind of spark to them. Maria is a character the reader really gets to know, especially because the story is in first character POV and her thoughts are laid out, but something was just missing. The same with her love for Luca - although he explained at the end about his feelings, I didn't feel like their love was genuine. It was more like the kind of love that is to be expected in stories because you already know that that's what's supposed to happen, according to the 'romance story formula'.

 

Overall, a light, pleasant read that I breezed through and that actually relaxed me, which is wonderful because everyone needs that kind of book once in a while, one that will take your mind off of things and put you at ease. It's a good leisurely read, nothing deep, but also sadly nothing that magical either as the fairytale-esque atmosphere I was so hoping for flew out the window as soon as I started reading.

I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this one much after the first few chapters -- I couldn't quite not be annoyed with Courtney for a duration. I didn't care for her much from the first book, and as I had stated before, I started reading this Glass Sisters two-book series because it is supposed to be a lead-in to the Tracers series that I'm interested in. Her personality hadn't changed much from the impulsive, reckless, frustration that I had found her to be from the first book, but seeing things from her side of the narration DOES help, even if it doesn't completely alleviate my annoyance of her.

The murder mystery was the only thing keeping me anchored to the book for a while. Because even Will's enigmatic personality -- different, but in a way I can't quite pinpoint whether I liked or not -- wasn't really working for me. So much allusion to sex was being thrown around within the first meeting between these two that it seemed a little forced. I understand that this is a romantic suspense and romance and sex plays a pretty big role in the story line. But it still felt a bit awkward for Will to already be falling head-over-heels for Courtney so early on, especially while he's investigating her.

Stranger romances have happened I guess.

Of course, I had the distinct feeling that the entirety of this world hinged on whether or not everyone would finally get their sexual tension relieved at some point.

Anyway, towards the midpoint of the story, I surprisingly began to become more drawn to the characters. For some reason, they just seem to stand out more and Courtney's impulsive personality and her recklessness wasn't all too bad. In fact, it was kind of refreshing to follow a female character who wasn't completely a sweet, girl-next-door, self-sacrificing type. She might have had some moments of stupidity that kept putting herself in danger, but I can't deny that she's also quite quick on her feet and resourceful.

And Will still comes off... just, different... still in a way I can't quite pinpoint. And still in a way that I'm not certain I know how to feel about.

Nonetheless, I did end up enjoying Whisper of Warning. And to be honest, it might have helped that Will comes off as a better male hero in this book than Jack had from the previous book in the series.

However, there is also an awful lot of hidden dialogue that throws around insults and stereotyping that didn't quite sit well with me.