Under the Mercy Trees

By: Heather Newton

Narrated by: Andrew Eiden, Hillary Huber, Jo Anna Perrin, Andi Arndt

Thirty years ago, Martin Owenby came to New York City with dreams of becoming a writer. Now his existence revolves around cheap Scotch and weekend flings with equally damaged men. When he learns that his older brother, Leon, has gone missing, he must return to the Owenby farm in Solace Fork, North Carolina, to assist in the search. But that means facing a past filled with regrets, the family that never understood him, the girl whose heart he broke, and the best friend who has faithfully kept the home fires burning.

As the mystery surrounding Leon's disappearance deepens, so, too, does the weight of decades-long unresolved differences and unspoken feelings - forcing Martin to deal with the hardest lessons about home, duty, and love.

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Elegantly written Southern mystery, beautifully read

I found the writing tender and moving, with many acutely observed details and rich metaphors. A place, a time, and deeply felt characters are elegantly etched in well-matched language that flows easily. The story is moving and rewarding. I enjoyed the many poignant touches, and particularly Ivy’s living ghosts. Several points of view combine to create the narrative. In the Audible version, separate readers are assigned the individual points of view, which means that the same character is voiced in different ways by the different readers, and I found that a bit dislocating.