The Unquiet Grave

A Novel

By: Sharyn McCrumb

Narrated by: Candace Thaxton, Roger Casey

Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

From New York Times best-selling author Sharyn McCrumb comes a finely wrought novel set in 19th-century West Virginia, based on the true story of one of the strangest murder trials in American history - the case of the Greenbrier Ghost.

Lakin, West Virginia, 1930

Following a suicide attempt and consigned to a segregated insane asylum, attorney James P. D. Gardner finds himself under the care of Dr. James Boozer. Fresh out of medical school, Dr. Boozer is eager to try the new talking cure for insanity and encourages his elderly patient to reminisce about his experiences as the first Black attorney to practice law in 19th-century West Virginia. Gardner's most memorable case was the one in which he helped to defend a White man on trial for the murder of his young bride - a case that the prosecution based on the testimony of a ghost.

Greenbrier, West Virginia, 1897

Beautiful, willful Zona Heaster has always lived in the mountains of West Virginia. Despite her mother's misgivings, Zona marries Erasmus Trout Shue, the handsome blacksmith who has recently come to Greenbrier County. After weeks of silence from the newlyweds, riders come to the Heasters' place to tell them that Zona has died from a fall, attributed to a recent illness. Mary Jane is determined to get justice for her daughter. A month after the funeral, she informs the county prosecutor that Zona's ghost appeared to her, saying that she had been murdered. An autopsy, ordered by the reluctant prosecutor, confirms her claim.

The Greenbrier Ghost is renowned in American folklore, but Sharyn McCrumb is the first author to look beneath the legend to unearth the facts. Using a century of genealogical material and other historical documents, McCrumb reveals new information about the story and brings to life the personalities in the trial: the prosecutor, a former Confederate cavalryman; the defense attorney, a pro-Union bridgeburner who nevertheless had owned slaves; and the mother of the murdered woman, who doggedly sticks to her ghost story - all seen through the eyes of a young Black lawyer on the cusp of a new century, with his own tragedies yet to come.

With its unique blend of masterful research and mesmerizing folklore, illuminating the story's fascinating and complex characters, The Unquiet Grave confirms Sharyn McCrumb's place among the finest Southern writers at work today.

©2017 Sharyn McCrumb (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Great Story and Narration

The story was kept me guessing right up until the end. My only complaint is that there sometimes is a alot of information, so much so that I would get lost in it... I mean, it made for great character development and I felt like I knew them by the end of the book but there were times when I would start to tune out.

Classic McCrumn

Could not stop listening
A great twist at the very end! Written about my favorite state, Virginia.

Good Story

Another Story brought to life by Sharyn McCrumb. I look forward to her next book already. The narrators did a good job too.

Wow! What a story!!

This one will make you check the history books to read about the Greenbrier Ghost. I have always loved Sharyn McCrumb. Her attention to historical details is so appreciated. The narration of this book was great when Candace was speaking. I had trouble with Roger as I sometimes wasn’t sure which male character was speaking. All in all an amazing story and a great listen! Well done!!

It is hard to stop thinking about her books...,

I love Sharon McCrumb.... loooooove her! This is a good book, very good narrator, and the dark twists that MUST come in her books.

Great Read!

I loved the story line & narration. I’m now eager to return to Lewisburg to visit the setting of this book once more! Love, love, love!!!

Intriguing

I loved it. I did not know it was based on a true story until I started recognizing names and places. Great story!

Kept me interested

I enjoyed this book. There were a some slow spots, but not slow enough to make me lose interest. I plan on listening to it again in a few months.

Great story

Loved the story and the narration. It took me a moment to really get into the narrators but by the end of the book I felt they were perfect!!

Reader needs improvement

There are two readers, and the male reader is not altering his voice for different characters, and intonation is limited. It’s making it very hard to follow the story with no audible cues as to a switch in speaker. Not even a change from a deep bass voice nor in articulation for an elderly, uneducated female character.

I’ve been spoiled by all the other performances I’ve heard. It’s frustrating me so much that I’m posting a review, which I almost **never** do.