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Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)
Bitter River~Inconsistent but enjoyable
Bitter River is a murder mystery involving the death of Lucinda Trimble, a talented 16-year-old girl, who is found dead in the Bitter River. The story is set in the West Virginia mountain town of Ackers Gap, a place peopled with pragmatic folks dealing with economic hardships who have little to no trust of outsiders. Raythune County prosecutor Belfa Elkins, who grew up in various foster homes after the death of her violent father, has returned to her hometown of Ackers Gap after a failed marriage to find healing in the mountains.
Julia Keller writes with melodic prose that pulled me into the story from the first
…more page and kept me wanting more – until the last third of the book when the plot became overly contrived with a subplot involving an international terrorist and the writing felt rushed. I started to turn pages restlessly to get to the end, which was, for me, unsatisfying.
As for character development, I liked and admired Bell Elkins, a pick yourself up by your bootstraps and keep going woman, who is both tough and vulnerable. She would be fun at Happy Hour. Many of the peripheral characters are drawn clearly enough that one can recognize in them somebody we know and with whom we can empathize.
All in all Bitter River is a good book. The first 2/3 is excellent. If Ms. Keller writes another episode in the life of Bell Elkins, I will read it. (less)I think it could have been better. The plot was good, the characters were well rounded and the setting worked well for the story. However, I felt the subplots, particularly one, was far fetched and given the small amount of info hard to swallow.
Had I known this was part of a series, I would have read the other book(s) first so as to getter a better feeling for the characters and their situations.
All in all, a decent summer read.
Norman G. (Washougal, WA)
well-written but lacking
The best part of the book was the setting in a tired small town. It brought a realism to the story that helped with the believability of the everyday characters that populated the book. The storefront community that developed also helped with the story as it progressed as I am familiar with many to these locales in our area. I enjoyed all the interactions that progressed through the plot until the last forty pages. The action at the end, especially the explosion, just seemed a little over the top for what led up to the it. The book satisfied as a read but could have been more with a little stronger, different ending.
Minnesota book lover
Wild West Virginia
I have lived in a small town for 35 years and in all that time there has never been the amount of crime and violence as Acker's Gap, West Virginia, the small town in Bitter River, experiences within a few weeks. Leaving aside the need to suspend disbelief, though, this is a readable and fairly interesting crime procedural. The main characters are people one would like to know. Some of the peripheral characters (of whom there are too many) are a little one-dimensional, but the plot moves along in spite of that. And the solution to the primary "whodunit" is not at all obvious. Overall, a book worth reading if one enjoys crime/mystery novels.
Mary Margaret F. (North Venice, FL)
Bitter River
When I was notified that I would be reviewing this book, I read Julia Keller's debut novel so I was already familiar with Belfa Elkins and the complex characters surrounding her in Ackers Gap.
I thought that this was a good read with story lines weaving their way throughout the book with suspense, well-developed characters and the author's love for the setting permeating the piece. Belfa personifies West Virginia and I look forward to the next book featuring this strong female character.
Kenneth T. (Houston, TX)
Turbulance isn't limited to
Life is usually messy. We may have problems at work, at home, with family or the plumbing. Books don't often involve the reader in the multiple problems of its characters. "Bitter River" manages to do it well. Belfa Elkins, divorced mother and Prosecuting Attorney, is a mess. A younger lover, a murder that strikes close to home, a mysterious stranger... You get the picture. Julia Keller pulls it off. The disparate characters get enough time to develop so that we care and the denouement works. I loved the fact that the setting was hardscrabble West Virginia, the heroine was a mess and though life remains chaotic,
…more we wouldn't want any other way. (less)Bell is as tough as the mountains that cradle the small town of Acker's Gap, where she serves as County Prosecutor. Hell, there sure is a lot of criminal activity in that place! You got a young girl murdered, some crazy guy shooting an elderly lady, and terrorist blowing up the oldest building in town. This is in addition to the ordinary business of sneaky love trysts, troubled families, and missing sisters. Folks trust their sharp-as-a-nettle prosecutor to sort it all out. And she does, in the colorful way of a mountain woman who might be a bit excessive with her metaphors and similes, but never with her big ol' generous heart.
Nancy C. (Newton, KS)
Bitter River
Julia Keller writes a mesmerizing murder, suspense novel that carries the reader along at a fast pace; almost like it would be if floating down the Bitter River. The currents and eddies of this novel take us into the small town of Acker's Gulch, West Virginia. The team of Bell, the county prosecutor, and Nick, the sheriff, are faced with the murder of a young, pregnant high school girl. Keller's visual writing style makes the town and her characters come alive for the reader. I encourage you to pick up this great murder mystery - you will have trouble putting down.
