Author: Natalie S. Harnett
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Genre: Historical fiction
ISBN: 978-1-250-04198-2
Pages: 320
Price: $24.99
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Brigid Howley lives with her family under a curse issued by a priest to her long-ago Molly Maguire relative. After being forced out of Centereach by a mine fire, the family moves back to her father’s childhood home in Barrendale, where another fire burns. But before the fire started, a tragic mine disaster badly injured her father and killed his brother.
As Brigid learns to cope with living just outside the fire zone, she also has to come to terms with the curse, which is destroying her family. And when Brigid makes a gruesome discovery in the mine, everything changes, as old buried secrets suddenly come to light. Brigid needs to know the truth, and she’s determined to get answers from the only people who can tell her. But what if her worst fears are realized?
As a Pennsylvanian fascinated with our coal mining past, and especially the mine fires in the area, I especially enjoyed the feeling of being transported back to a time of an actively raging fire. Places are renamed in this story, but most are still recognizable to locals. But although the fire and the mysterious circumstances in the mine shaft held my interest, seeing this dysfunctional family come completely undone was disappointing. History buffs will enjoy this glimpse of Pennsylvania’s past.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews 