I've been a fan of Sharyn McCrumb's work for more than 20 years now. This is the first novella set in the Ballad universe, Nora Bonesteel's Appalachians. There are two plots; Nora is asked to help new neighbors deal with their haunted house, and Deputies Arrowood and LeDonne are sent out during a blizzard to arrest a man suspected of a "hit-and-run."
As always, McCrumb brings us right into the world of the Appalachians with the hill folk and the town folk not understanding each other very well. However, she makes a point of bringing out the humanity of all of her characters in a very special way.
This is a holiday tale, and so I read it a little bit "out of season." It did not lessen my enjoyment in the slightest; this little book was a treat.
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