Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters by Emily Carpenter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A Southern Gothic novel that floats effortlessly between past and present. In the past we follow Dove Jarrod, an evangelist who preys on the faithful to make them believe they’ve been healed. In the present, Eve, Dove’s granddaughter, who learns that beyond Dove’s cons, she may have also been a murderer.
To protect her family and find the truth, Even sets out on a journey to unravel the truth behind the accusations.
While this is a stand alone, the story is a follow up to one of Carpenter’s previous novels, Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, blending historical fiction with a sense of magical realism. A deeply entrancing, suspenseful story with gorgeous prose and an evocative setting in the South. This was my first Emily Carpenter book and it won’t be my last!
Having been raised in the South, I’ve witnessed a lot of evangelicals and their laying on of hands. This sounds very interesting especially with the murder aspect involved.