Darby is a story of danger, suspense, romance, and intrigue interwoven with the history and culture of the Appalachians. It provides a window into the lives of two families. Darby, named after a small community in Wilkes County, North Carolina begins in 1895 when George Woodard, a rocky soil framer, dram drinker, farmer and husband is murdered. Floyd Caldwell, also a farmer, found Woodard bleeding, standing in the middle of Elk Creek. Floyd Caldwell is blamed by the Woodard family for his murder. This blame sets off a turn of events involving the two families. Events that have devastating effects.
5.0 out of 5 stars Darby, An Appalachian Novel, July 1, 2013 By Elizabeth Brown - I just read Darby, an Appalachian novel, by Dr. William Roy Pipes. The story begins in 1895 and is a good, clean, touching, mystery filled with love and hate, sadness and joy. The author's knowledge of the Appalachian dialect, the culture, and the history of the era rival that of any novel I have read. Readers who love Appalachia will enjoy this two family saga taking place at a time in history when the modern conveniences of today were unknown. Readers unfamiliar with Appalachia will come to love, respect and understand the people and history of that era. Darby will keep you mesmerized and wanting to read more at the end. I give Darby five stars.
5.0 out of 5 stars Reminds me of home., June 23, 2013 By Jeff Pipes - This review is from: Darby (Kindle Edition) I grew up a small town in the mountains of N.C. The characters remind me of the people I knew from the mountains. Great story. I am very proud of my father for having written this story. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars DARBY, June 7, 2013 By Sara Terhune This review is from: Darby (Kindle Edition) GREAT READ, spellbinding, realistic, hard to put down. Loved the use of the old southern, country words. Reminded me of some of my dad's family. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
June 3, 2013 By K. Stewart (Virginia, USA) - It doesn't take long for a study of these mountains, valleys, hollows and coves of Western North Carolina to yield stories of feuds. They rise up like the fog from the coves on an early summer's day. For what was the Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War but the first Civil War with Patriots fighting Loyalist, neighbor fighting neighbor, old resentments and anger given action to a cause? And the second Civil War in these mountains once more pitted neighbor versus neighbor, even brothers and cousins against each other. Hard feelings from the past die slow here, and spread like wildfire. In Darby, a mysterious death is blamed on a man in 1895, and the feud it engenders affects both families and the townspeople of the village they live near. Mr. Pipes has written a murder mystery full of suspense and intrigue, romance and wit, and most important, full of Appalachian history and culture. He knows these mountains and the people, and his homey style of writing draws us into their lives and makes us care. Move over Sharyn McCrumb, there's plenty of room for another Appalachian modern storyteller!! He
May 30, 2013 Darby is William Roy Pipes' saga of a family feud that ensues after a pistol duel in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina in 1895. And, believe me, Mr. Pipes knows his Appalachia: The people, the region, and the dialect of the period, which, incidentally, is dead-on. Few writers write dialect well, but Pipes, like Faulkner, has the gift. Darby is more than a Hatfield-McCoy feud. It's warm-hearted country folks living American history with one eye on the future and the other on a vile human being obsessed with taking it from them. It's a terrifically plotted story in a beautifully constructed setting that doesn't require computers and smart phones. - by James Gary Vineyard, author of The Grave on Peckerwood Hill Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
By Deborah G Smith - "DARBY" is a first rate Appalachian novel taking place in a community deep in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The novel "Darby" is a two family saga and tells a story of danger, suspense, romance and intrigue interwoven with the history and culture of the Appalachians. It is steeped with dramatic events, Appalachian dialogue and inspired scenes. "Darby" will appeal to the romantic, the reader searching for drama, danger and suspense, while the history and culture of Appalachia is made evident. As the Story develops it progresses miraculously into a story of romance and intrigue. I give "DARBY" five stars.
This was a pretty good story and I loved the setting. Actually, the reason I chose the book was because I love novels set in The Smoky Mts. While the story was ok, it made me tired reading it. The storyline of evil son just went on and on and on........I jumped to the end to finally put an end to it! I can see where others would love the continuing suspense, but I just got tired of the whole storyline.
Darby is an excellent portrayal of life in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in the late 1800's. The author paints a great picture of the people, dialect and scenery. I give Darby 5 stars.