The recent flooding here in Colorado was the worst in state history when unprecedented rainfalls caused rivers to overflow, destroying roads, cutting off people from the outside, destroying 2,000 homes and killing at least 8 people, covering close to 2000 square miles of terrain. But these floods were nothing compared to the Great Flood in Mississippi in 1927, and it’s this historic event that serves as the backdrop to a wonderful new novel by Tom Franklin and his poet wife, Beth Ann Fennelly.
Federal revenue agents Ham Johnson and Teddy Ingersoll are sent to the rural town of Hobnob Landing, nestled along the banks of the Mississippi River, when two of their fellow revenuers go missing. Ham and Ingersoll work well together, each with different strengths that enable them to seek out bootleggers, and are proud of their refusal to be bribed. But both are getting tired of the work and feel prohibition is nearing its conclusion. When Ham and Ing come upon a newly orphaned baby, Ing is tasked with delivering him to a local orphanage. But an orphan himself, he instead entrusts the baby to Dixie Clay Holliver and is instantly attracted to the young woman. Unbeknownst to Ing, Dixie Clay is not only married to Jesse, the local bootleg bigwig, she is the one who cooks the moonshine. But Dixie Clay is also tired of her life as a bootlegger, misses her own son who died 2 years earlier, and is fed up with her philandering husband.
A bit slow to start, The Tilted World picks up when Ingersoll meets Dixie Clay, and when the nearby levee bursts so does the action, unleashing a torrent of events as Ingersoll and Dixie Clay escape Hobnob and attempt to find the baby, who’s been kidnapped by Jesse’s flapper girlfriend. Franklin’s and Fennelly’s writing comes together cohesively; her poetry background is clear in some beautiful passages, as is his storytelling ability in the characterizations and as the plot moves forward. The depression caused by the endless rain and the fear of the townspeople of the imminent flood are both palpable.
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i love a historical romance and this sunds like it has lt has an interesting plot
This historical novel sounds captivating and extremely unforgettable. thanks.
the plot sounds riveting.
It sounds like an interesting read to me and I do like to read.
The setting in the midst of a flood is intriguing.
I like historical fiction, and the fact that the author is a poet as well intrigues me.
What interests me about the book is the setting and the characters. I enjoy reading books about this time period. Thanks for having the giveaway.
This sounds like an interesting story. I really enjoy books with historical ties.
I want to read it because of all the good reviews & I love the plotline!