The Ballad of Laurel Springs - by Janet Beard

The Ballad of Laurel Springs is a captivating novel that delves into the lives of generations of women in an Eastern Tennessee family, exploring their tangled pasts and the violence immortalized in folk songs like "Knoxville Girl" and "Pretty Polly." Through the eyes of 10-year-old Grace, who learns that her great-grandfather once stabbed his lover to death, readers are taken on a journey through time, uncovering secrets, surprises, and the lurking sense of menace that follows these women throughout their lives.

With a richly detailed setting and vivid characters, this novel is both haunting and lyrical, immersing readers in Appalachian folklore in a visceral way.

The Ballad of Laurel Springs is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, murder ballads, and strong female characters, offering a powerful and poignant exploration of the legacies of passion and violence, music and faith that haunt one family across generations.