Book Description
Caroline McAlister, college professor and life-long skeptic, is reeling from the loss of her father and her marriage. Her once promising career has come to a standstill. When her father bequeaths the family cabin to her, it comes with a ghost who haunted her childhood. When she discovers a century-old journal in the attic, she awakens the voice of Carson Quinn. The journal reveals Carson’s love for the same hollow that enthralled Caroline growing up. A little sleuthing uncovers rumors that the kind, curious boy in the journal grew up to murder his brother. Caroline plunges into the project of exonerating Carson, only to find herself in the throes of a personal past she’s spent her life trying to avoid.
Hemlock Hollow is about how we forever haunt the places we love and how they haunt us in return.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
HEMLOCK HOLLOW by Culley Holderfield is a lyrical and moody southern fiction novel with intertwining murder mystery and family history storylines from the past and present set in the Northern Carolina mountains. This book is more literary than genre style of writing that I usually prefer and yet it pulled me in to every aspect of the beautiful story and place.
Professor Caroline McAlister is shocked to discover the family’s cabin in Hemlock Hollow has been left to her on the death of her father. Not only is she morning the loss of her father, but the end of her marriage which all together has left her adrift personally and professionally. She decides to return to Hemlock Hollow and have the old cabin renovated. When a tin box is discovered in the attic, Caroline discovers the century old journal of the young Carson Quinn. Carson is an inquisitive young boy who loves Hemlock Hollow but then grows into a recluse that the others in the hollow believe killed his older brother.
Caroline dives into Carson’s journal and the oral and written history of the hollow to discover if the young, intelligent and nature loving boy of the journal could grow into the killer many believed him to be and discovers many truths about herself in the process.
This is a bewitching story that mixes past and present in a deeply moving depiction of southern life. Once I started reading this book, I could not stop. The characters are fully drawn, complex and memorable. The writing took me to Hemlock Hollow in both timelines in a way that made me feel as though I was present and involved in both. The ending had me tearing up as the tragedy from the past led to the emotional discoveries in the present.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author!
***
About the Author
Culley Holderfield learned to love storytelling on the porch of a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he ventured to South America, Africa, and Europe. When not writing or working in community development finance, he spends his time hiking, paddling, and wandering the outdoors. His short stories and poetry have appeared in a variety of publications. Hemlock Hollow is his debut novel. He lives in Durham, NC.
Social Media Links
Website: https://culleyholderfield.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/culley.holderfield
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CulleyHolder
