The Cove by Ron Rash

A few months ago, I reviewed a book called Nightwoods by Charles Frazier. It is a lovely book set in the North Carolina Mountains.  As I said in the review, I have an affinity for that landscape and I think Frazier portrays it with a gentle hand. Rash portrays it with a blunt force trauma.

Ron Rash’s new novel, The Cove, also takes place in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Set during WWI, it is the story of a young girl named Laurel who lives with her brother, a wounded war vet, on the family farm located in a backwoods cove near small town Mars Hill North Carolina.  People think the cove is bewitched and, because of a large birthmark, Laurel is too.  One day Laurel finds a young mysterious injured traveler hiding out on their property and brings him home to recuperate.  The man is mute, but a very talented flute player.  He decides to stay and help the family, soon falling in love with Laurel.  The town, which has always shied away from the cove and its inhabitants, is skeptical.  Led by a pompous and bigoted Chauncey Feith, the town is out to expose any “unpatriotic” people hidden in the backwoods or at the local college.  When the townspeople find out the man’s true identity, all hell breaks loose in the cove. 

While The Cove is a good read and Rash writes beautifully, the story isn’t as strong as his last book, the gothic and brutal Serena.  I definitely was interested in the story and kept reading, but was not as enthralled as I hoped to be.  I thought the story was really great, but the romance between Laurel and Walter did not ring so true.  I thought her wishes and daydreams for romance and normalcy was a little trite.  I did think the plotline was interesting and the history behind it was intriguing.  His set up of good verses evil is done beautifully and with rising suspense. Rash does have a way of bringing the book together at the end in a gritty and horrible way.  

Rash’s mountains are those of Cormac McCarthy rather than Charles Frazier.  They are more brutal and mean than kind.  I suggest you try Rash’s other books – especially if life in the NC mountains appeals to you.  All three are very good and are probably more true to life than other’s more idealistic accounts, but if you do, make sure you hold on tight, they are not for the faint of heart.  Start with Serena and finish with .  You’ll see what I mean.

Shadow of the Wolf Tree By Joseph Heywood

About 8 years ago I stumbled onto one of my favorite authors, Joseph Heywood.  I was in the library and picked up a book with intriguing cover art called The Snowfly a book about fly fishing that I have loved and given as a gift to many of my fishing friends.  Much to my delight, I found that Mr Heywood writes a series of mystery books set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Heywood’s hero is a conservation officer named Grady Service and the crimes are those against the environment.  I was in heaven. 

I started my husband reading the books, and soon he was hooked too.  Four years ago, we took a family vacation to the Upper Peninsula because we were so curious about the landscape and people that play such a big part of Heywood’s novels. 

Recently I realized that Heywood has been busy and we haven’t been paying attention.  I decided it was time to catch up.  Heywood’s novel Shadow of the Wolf Tree does not disappoint.  Grady is back in the U.P. and his quirky cast of characters is with him.  This time he’s fishing with his buddy Treebone and his dog uncovers 2 human skeletons that have lain buried in the woods for decades.  Pretty soon there are more bodies and one of Grady’s own officers gets caught in a brutal wolf trap.  Service goes on the hunt to find out what’s going on. 

Of course I love a mystery involving environmental crimes and conservation officers hiking around out in the woods.  What is fun about these novels is that Heywood keeps us on our toes and sends us all around the U.P. trying to figure out the mystery along with our hero.  We meet a variety of characters that represent the hearty folks living on the U.P., from wealthy businessmen from Chicago, to Service’s arch nemesis, an old redneck poacher who runs a family crime ring.  Heywood weaves a tale with craftsmanship and grace and breathes life into his characters that is not always seen in the world of mystery writing.  The only thing that doesn’t ring true is Service’s amazing ability to travel from one town to another in record time – something we found out while visiting the area.  It’s a big region and it takes longer than Heywood claims to travel the distance. 

If you’re looking for a new mystery writer to follow, I can’t think of a better one.  Heywood may be one of the secret jewels in the crown of the mystery genre.  He’s written 8 books in the series (called the Woods Cop Series) and all of them are really great.  I have two more to read to get caught up and one is already on my bedside table.  Stay tuned, you’ll be reading about it soon….