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Cemetery Whites
A MYSTERY Professor Harrison, a black man, lies dead in a patch of white irises in the Hargrove Family Cemetery in DeWitt County, Texas. He lies close to a grave from 1875, where it's rumored a second body was secretly buried. Caroline Hargrove Hamilton and her cousin Janet become amateur detectives for their family, uncovering half-a-dozen secrets related to both murders. When the murders are solved, a treasure is found-a mystery with an answer nobody expects.
186 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2011
7 people want to read
About the author
Connie Knight
8 books24 followersConnie Knight grew up in San Antonio, Texas, with many childhood visits to her family in the DeWitt County area nearby. Her debut mystery novel, Cemetery Whites, is based on memories and stories shared, but all characters in the book are fictional and so are the events.
She began writing in junior high. College includes a B.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University followed by a year in the master's program, then a year of journalism classes in San Antonio. Her writing career includes work as a newspaper reporter and magazine editor.
Her interest in Texas history is reflected in Cemetery Whites. She now lives in Houston and visits her cousins in the country frequently.
She began writing in junior high. College includes a B.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University followed by a year in the master's program, then a year of journalism classes in San Antonio. Her writing career includes work as a newspaper reporter and magazine editor.
Her interest in Texas history is reflected in Cemetery Whites. She now lives in Houston and visits her cousins in the country frequently.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 18, 2013
Recently widowed Caroline Hargrove Hamilton leaves Houston to go back to her family's roots in DeWitt County near San Antonio. Her research is interrupted by a modern day murder at the old family cemetery and she soon finds family history and mystery intertwined. Urged on by her family and with the help of the attractive Constable, Caroline dusts off her journalism skills to uncover the story.
Connie Knight populates her story with believable and entertaining characters including gun-toting Great Aunt Hettie, Uncle Cotton and a smart librarian (okay that's redundant). She provides a good read and an entertaining way to get a dose of Texas history. Caroline’s quest takes her through cemeteries, libraries, census records and, of course, the Internet. She discovers relatives with secrets small and large, new and old. Some who will take time before confiding in a newcomer.
The writing is authentic, like getting a letter from a friend and following her adventures. Descriptions of heat, the light and plants are particularly good. Sometimes she wanders off onto a tangent but it feels natural and conversational, with the detours providing layers of detail to the two stories past and present. I loved her reference to the vernacular of the area, such as “We how did but we ain’t shook.”
This book is fun for anyone who has explored genealogy. From the researching and organizing of materials to the decoding and matching of references, it's easy to get drawn into the process. There are the surprising connections and the thrill of discovery plus the solving of two crimes. Worth reading.
Connie Knight populates her story with believable and entertaining characters including gun-toting Great Aunt Hettie, Uncle Cotton and a smart librarian (okay that's redundant). She provides a good read and an entertaining way to get a dose of Texas history. Caroline’s quest takes her through cemeteries, libraries, census records and, of course, the Internet. She discovers relatives with secrets small and large, new and old. Some who will take time before confiding in a newcomer.
The writing is authentic, like getting a letter from a friend and following her adventures. Descriptions of heat, the light and plants are particularly good. Sometimes she wanders off onto a tangent but it feels natural and conversational, with the detours providing layers of detail to the two stories past and present. I loved her reference to the vernacular of the area, such as “We how did but we ain’t shook.”
This book is fun for anyone who has explored genealogy. From the researching and organizing of materials to the decoding and matching of references, it's easy to get drawn into the process. There are the surprising connections and the thrill of discovery plus the solving of two crimes. Worth reading.
January 19, 2023
A library!
I think 3 stars says it all!
I think 3 stars says it all!
December 9, 2013
Henrietta Hargrove Harrell had driven the dirt roads of DeWitt County for her entire eighty-five years. Professor Thomas Harrison of San Antonio had been told about Henrietta and on his trip to Yorktown he knocked on Henrietta's door and introduced himself. The Professor asked Henrietta to drive him to the Hargrove Family Cemetery. He told her that seeing the graveyard would fit into some historical research of his. Henrietta, known as Great Aunt Hettie to the Hargrove, clan agreed. But just in case some problem might crop up, Henrietta brought along Dolnny Harrell, her thirty-three year old grandson, as well as a Colt 45 in her purse.
None of the three in Henrietta's vehicle noticed the little grey car following along behind. When Henrietta pulled up at the cemetery the grey car parked in some brush to hide. The Professor stated that he wanted to see some of the graves in the older section of the cemetery, specifically Thomas Watson Hargrove and his wife, Elizabeth Dennison, early settlers to the area.
Henrietta pointed out the grave where a large patch of white Irises known as Cemetery Whites grew. The trip to the cemetery didn't end well for the professor or Henrietta or her grandson.
Caroline Hargrove Hamilton has just relocated from Houston, Texas after the death of her husband. Caroline has moved back to DeWitt County. She determines while in Yorktown she will study the history of her family and perhaps be able to publish some articles of historical value.
Caroline's cousin Janet volunteers to chauffer Caroline around and one of the first stops is the cemetery. Henrietta is nowhere to be seen but the Professor is lying amount the Cemetery Whites. It appears that the Professor has been shot.
So begins Caroline and Janet's investigation into the murder as well as learning much about the family history. The two dug up a lot of the past and learned about new connections to the family that no one had discovered previously.
This was an interesting book and I look forward to Caroline's future adventures if the series is carried on.
None of the three in Henrietta's vehicle noticed the little grey car following along behind. When Henrietta pulled up at the cemetery the grey car parked in some brush to hide. The Professor stated that he wanted to see some of the graves in the older section of the cemetery, specifically Thomas Watson Hargrove and his wife, Elizabeth Dennison, early settlers to the area.
Henrietta pointed out the grave where a large patch of white Irises known as Cemetery Whites grew. The trip to the cemetery didn't end well for the professor or Henrietta or her grandson.
Caroline Hargrove Hamilton has just relocated from Houston, Texas after the death of her husband. Caroline has moved back to DeWitt County. She determines while in Yorktown she will study the history of her family and perhaps be able to publish some articles of historical value.
Caroline's cousin Janet volunteers to chauffer Caroline around and one of the first stops is the cemetery. Henrietta is nowhere to be seen but the Professor is lying amount the Cemetery Whites. It appears that the Professor has been shot.
So begins Caroline and Janet's investigation into the murder as well as learning much about the family history. The two dug up a lot of the past and learned about new connections to the family that no one had discovered previously.
This was an interesting book and I look forward to Caroline's future adventures if the series is carried on.
July 16, 2013
Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers’ Favorite.
“Cemetery Whites” by Connie Knight is a “Caroline Hargrove Hamilton Mystery” in which Hamilton relocates from urban Houston, Texas, to the small town of Yorktown, Texas in Dewitt County, where her family legacy had long been established. Enough time had passed since the death of her husband that she was ready to move back amongst her numerous cousins, aunts, uncles, and other kin, and get on with her life.
Yorktown was accurately described as one of those stereotypical small towns where pretty much everybody was related to everybody else. While in Yorktown Caroline did exhaustive research into the Hargrove family ancestry, discovered a previously unknown branch of the family, helped solve a murder and an attempted murder, dug up (both literally and figuratively) and revealed hidden family “secrets”, and started to fall in love again, with the local Sheriff.
“Cemetery Whites” is a stimulating and thought-provoking picture of the history and present-day life of a small Southern town, which could be true of any number of small Southern towns. The title refers to a variety of iris which often was used to mark gravesites, due to its hardiness in the hot, dry Texas climate.
In “Cemetery Whites”, Connie Knight has faithfully recorded a chapter of American history, and focused our attention on a fictional family’s personal history, which indubitably mirrors the reality of thousands of real families today. Her use of local vernacular is so authentic you can almost hear it being spoken as you read the words.
Knight has fashioned characters of every stripe with uncanny accuracy, from the drunken bigot to the talented local country music band to the waitress at the local diner. The story is fiction, but the setting is history. “Cemetery Whites” is a charming and captivating tale that not only entertains; it also illuminates.
This is one book that everyone should read, for enjoyment as well as personal enlightenment.
“Cemetery Whites” by Connie Knight is a “Caroline Hargrove Hamilton Mystery” in which Hamilton relocates from urban Houston, Texas, to the small town of Yorktown, Texas in Dewitt County, where her family legacy had long been established. Enough time had passed since the death of her husband that she was ready to move back amongst her numerous cousins, aunts, uncles, and other kin, and get on with her life.
Yorktown was accurately described as one of those stereotypical small towns where pretty much everybody was related to everybody else. While in Yorktown Caroline did exhaustive research into the Hargrove family ancestry, discovered a previously unknown branch of the family, helped solve a murder and an attempted murder, dug up (both literally and figuratively) and revealed hidden family “secrets”, and started to fall in love again, with the local Sheriff.
“Cemetery Whites” is a stimulating and thought-provoking picture of the history and present-day life of a small Southern town, which could be true of any number of small Southern towns. The title refers to a variety of iris which often was used to mark gravesites, due to its hardiness in the hot, dry Texas climate.
In “Cemetery Whites”, Connie Knight has faithfully recorded a chapter of American history, and focused our attention on a fictional family’s personal history, which indubitably mirrors the reality of thousands of real families today. Her use of local vernacular is so authentic you can almost hear it being spoken as you read the words.
Knight has fashioned characters of every stripe with uncanny accuracy, from the drunken bigot to the talented local country music band to the waitress at the local diner. The story is fiction, but the setting is history. “Cemetery Whites” is a charming and captivating tale that not only entertains; it also illuminates.
This is one book that everyone should read, for enjoyment as well as personal enlightenment.
November 19, 2013
A woman moves back to her hometown to live where her father's roots were. As she's studying her family history, she learns more than she ever figured that she would. Her family has a secret from the past and when a man is murdered at her great-great-great grandfather's grave. When she and her cousin find the dead man, the secret comes to life from a feud that happened over 100 years ago.
I really love how the plot has been put together, the family just wants to prove that they didn't do what they were accused of. The details and how things were put into this book are absolutely amazing.
I'm in the process of researching my own family tree and there is an unsolved murder in our family history (2 actually). I pray this is something that I'll figure out one day, but I seriously doubt it.
I really got into this book with the main character researching her own family history.
I really love how the plot has been put together, the family just wants to prove that they didn't do what they were accused of. The details and how things were put into this book are absolutely amazing.
I'm in the process of researching my own family tree and there is an unsolved murder in our family history (2 actually). I pray this is something that I'll figure out one day, but I seriously doubt it.
I really got into this book with the main character researching her own family history.
June 19, 2013
Caroline, a widow, decided to move back to her father’s hometown to live closer to family. Caroline was a journalist and decided to trace her family tree. She went to the family cemetery plot with her cousin and the pair found a dead body in the cemetery. Caroline wanted to find the murderer. She uncovered many secrets on her journey and also found love.
A good book filled with details of the family. It was a cute book. A lot of detail for a alright ending. I was hoping for a bit more excitement at the end. You can almost guess the outcome, but it was worth reading.
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: sweet
Reviewed By: Rae
Courtesy Of My Book Addiction And More
A good book filled with details of the family. It was a cute book. A lot of detail for a alright ending. I was hoping for a bit more excitement at the end. You can almost guess the outcome, but it was worth reading.
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: sweet
Reviewed By: Rae
Courtesy Of My Book Addiction And More
October 7, 2013
If all you enjoy is violence and lots of gore, don't bother reading this book. However, if you enjoy a well written, gentle crime mystery this is the book for you.
The main Character Caroline has moved back to rural texas following the death of her husband. This is where her famil live, her extended family. To keep busy she is researching her family history and by the end of the book a family secret is revealed.
The book starts with a murder, and the story develops introducing you to well thought out and developed characters. Characters you will enjoy, until finally the truth is found.
Please write more about Caroline and her family and friends.
The main Character Caroline has moved back to rural texas following the death of her husband. This is where her famil live, her extended family. To keep busy she is researching her family history and by the end of the book a family secret is revealed.
The book starts with a murder, and the story develops introducing you to well thought out and developed characters. Characters you will enjoy, until finally the truth is found.
Please write more about Caroline and her family and friends.
June 16, 2016
Cemetery Whites are white irises. A lady retires to Dewitt County Texas where her late father grew up. She is working on the family genealogy and a dead body in the family cemetery starts her on discovering long buried family secrets. It's a good mystery and I hope Connie Knight writes more.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews