With compassion and insight, Jess Montgomery weaves a gripping mystery and portrait of community in The Stills, the powerful third novel in the Kinship series.
Ohio, 1927: Moonshining is a way of life in rural Bronwyn County, and even the otherwise upstanding Sheriff Lily Ross has been known to turn a blind eye when it comes to stills in the area. But when thirteen-year-old Jebediah Ranklin almost dies after drinking tainted moonshine, Lily knows that someone has gone too far, and—with the help of organizer and moonshiner Marvena Whitcomb—is determined to find out who.
But then, Lily’s nemesis, the businessman George Vogel, reappears in town with his new wife, Fiona. Along with them is also her former brother-in-law Luther Ross, now an agent for the newly formed Bureau of Prohibition. To Lily, it seems too much of a coincidence that they should arrive now.
As fall turns to winter, a blizzard closes in. Lily starts to peel back the layers of deception shrouding the town of Kinship, but soon she discovers that many around her seem to be betraying those they hold dear—and that Fiona too may have an agenda of her own.
My thoughts:
This is a very hard review to write. I wanted to love this book. I honestly did. I think if I would have read the first two in the series it would have been much better. Maybe I would have kept all the characters straight. I got lost a few times and that just doesn't happen to me when I read. Sorry about that. It is what it is though.
This book is good. I won't say it's not. It has a lot going on. A bad man. A bad woman. A bunch of people who work for this man, Vogel, and will do anything for him even though he's a first rate jerk. A very rich one though. Riches he gained at the expense and death of others. A woman, Fiona, who married him and I highly disliked even though I think maybe she was suppose to be somewhat likable in a few way. She did do a couple of good things but mostly she's selfish and self centered. I didn't connect to her at all.
Then we have the sheriff, Lily, who is trying hard to bring people to justice and get other things done too. Even possibly have a personal life after the loss of her husband. The loss of her husband was in an earlier book. I did like Lily. I thought she had spunk and was a good and decent person. A female sheriff back in the twenties. Who would have thought that?
There is just a whole lot going on from moonshining to murder in this book. It has the things that I usually like in a book. I give it that. It was not an edge of your seat thriller though and it was somewhat hard for me to keep up with all the characters. It's well written and I do believe if I would have known and read the first two I would have really loved this one much better. I think. There's the feelings. The sad, happy, even a bit of laughter. Not much of the laughter though. A few children who you root for. A whole lot of mention of the Model T car. I am afraid I think that was mentioned a tad to often.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #JessMontgomery, #StMartin'sPress and #Minotaur for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.
It's a solid 3/5 stars for me. I recommend you read it for yourself and decide. I also recommend you read the first two before this one.
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