The Angels' Share

January 23, 2017
Readers looking for something decidedly different from the usual Christian historical fiction will find it in Markert’s (A White Wind Blew) new novel, which spotlights post-Prohibition Kentucky. The folks of Twisted Tree would love for Barley McFee, who is reeling from the sudden death of his youngest son, Henry, to reopen the Old Sam McFee bourbon distillery, but he is lost in the pain of his tragedy. When a drifter is buried in the nearby potter’s field, strange events start happening: Barley’s daughter Annie’s legs are healed, and Henry’s shoes are found in the dead man’s belongings. William, Barley’s eldest son, records the goings-on that begin to reveal Barley’s past, a hidden history that threatens the family and the distillery. Miracles, mysteries, signs, and secrets ferment along with murder, threats, illegal activity, and lots of drinking to create a novel that will entertain as well as confound. Some traditional Christian readers will balk at the alcohol-induced drama, but others will find a unique tale that will leave them thinking long after the last bottle is stoppered. Agent: Dan Lazer, Writers House.

February 1, 2017

William McPhee desperately wants his father to reopen their noted bourbon distillery in Twisted Tree, KY, now that Prohibition is over. But the old man will not be swayed. Evil lurks in the community, wearing white hoods and carrying weapons. Yet when a drifter dies and is buried in a potter's field near the distillery, the grave begins to attract attention. Pilgrims insist that the Pauper's Field Christ, as the deceased vagrant is known, had healed visitors to the site as well as others he met in life. If there is anything Twisted Tree, economically battered by the Great Depression, could use at this moment, it's a miracle. VERDICT Distinguished by complex ideas and a foreboding tone, Markert's (A White Wind Blew) enthralling novel captures a dark time and a people desperate for hope. Sensitive readers may shy from the violence depicted. Suggest to patrons seeking fiction with strong character development and themes of revenge, redemption, and miracles.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2016
Markert, A White Wind Blew (2013), revisits Depression-era Kentucky in this bittersweet exploration of anguish, redemption, family secrets, and the ties that bind fathers and sons. When Prohibition is lifted, William McFee needs to convince his bitterly indifferent father to reopen the Old Sam Bourbon Distillery in order to revive the moribund town of Twisted Tree. Having lost interest in both the business and life in general after the tragic death of his youngest son, Barley, McFee is resistant to the idea. It takes the death of a drifter and a string of small miracles to revitalize the faithful and to reinvigorate Twisted Tree. William stands alone and aloof until a painful secret from the past bubbles up, signifying either ruination or redemption. Folksy charm, an undercurrent of menace, and an aura of hope permeate this ultimately inspirational tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)