The Felons' Ball

by Polly Stewart

“The Felons’ Ball is full of secrets—ones that refuse to reveal themselves and ones that refuse to stay buried. It's also full of wit and empathy and characters as real as your own family members. This novel is assured, propulsive, and thrilling, and I tore through it.”—Rebecca Makkai, New York Times bestselling author of I Have Some Questions for You

?The critically acclaimed author of The Good Ones returns with an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a powerful Southern family whose dark secrets set in motion a chain of events with deadly consequences.

In their younger years, Trey Macready and his best friend Ben Marsh were distributors and enforcers for the local distillers who made their small hamlet of Ewald, Virginia, the moonshine capital of the world. But that was years ago, and now the only tie to their criminal past is the Felons’ Ball—Trey’s annual birthday party where they regale the crowd with tales of their youthful exploits. But when Ben is found dead after Trey’s fiftieth celebration, it’s clear those connections may not be past at all.

Finding Ben’s body propels his much-younger secret lover, Natalie—Trey’s daughter—to search for Ben’s estranged son, Lanny, and to find the truth about his killing. Her quest will lead to a battle with a police department that refuses to ignore her family’s history, and to form unexpected connections with Hardy, the sheriff investigating the case, and her brother-in-law Jay, who had a very public fight with Ben on the night of his murder.

When Jay goes missing on the morning he planned to meet Natalie, she begins to wonder if her mother was right . . . and if the past should be left in the past.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

225 pages, Hardcover

Published July 15, 2025

About the author

Polly Stewart grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, where she still lives. She graduated from Hollins University and has an MFA in fiction and a PhD in British literature from Washington University in St. Louis. Her short fiction has appeared in literary collections and journals, including Best New American Voices, The Best American Mystery Stories, Epoch, and the Alaska Quarterly Review. Her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, Crime Reads, and Poets & Writers, among other publications.

Reviews

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started strong, but lost its oomph. One of those that begins as a 4 star and ends around a 2 so we're averaging it out.

At first there's so much to work with here, a big cast of characters who all seem capable of some nefarious deeds. Unfortunately Natalie is not much of an anchor to ground us in the story. Natalie is presented as accomplished and admired because she... used her rich dad's money to open a yoga studio in the small town she grew up in. The more I read the less I liked Natalie or really cared about her at all. Her fumbling efforts to investigate didn't help, especially because they didn't make any sense.

The pieces of the plot are good enough. But this was really one of those the whole is less than the sum of its parts situation. The longer it went on the more it did feel like just a collection of pieces that when put together didn't reveal anything.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Felons’ Ball” by Polly Stewart is a fun and very entertaining mystery. It’s about a southern Virginia family that encompasses within itself all the features of a riveting thriller, a bootlegging family, social media influencers, and undisclosed secrets. I really enjoyed this book and learned that in some families “hidden secrets” are better left undiscovered!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Alison Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like:
• Quick reads (hello, under 250 pages!)
• Small-town settings packed with drama
• Forbidden romances 👀
• Messy family dynamics (especially when crime runs in the bloodline)
• A good ol’ fashioned whodunit

…then this one’s your girl 😉

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming

[Donna Riopelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 kept my interest but the ending was a little lack luster.

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Felons Ball left much to be desired. It started out strong and the back synopsis had me optimistic, however it fell short.


The character development was well done but then they fizzled and felt rushed. The main character, Natalie left little to be desired and the ending felt rushed.

It’s a quick read if you’re looking for just that. There’s little mystery but not I book I dreaded or regretted reading. Ultimately I’d still recommend for a light read.

[Carey Calvert · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something about this Southern Gothic literature that includes such luminaries as S.A. Cosby, Kelly J. Ford, Eli Cranor, and now Polly Stewart; their writing seethes, creeps up on you.

Sentences like snakes that crawl through the tall grass.
And when they strike …

It’s often moonshine and murder as their exquisite storytelling courses through your veins, a lethal mix so deadly you won’t know what hit you.

The Felons’ Ball, Stewart’s second novel after The Good Ones, is a return to a different time; at once a celebration and a reflection of the small hamlet of Ewald, Virginia, once the moonshine capital of the world.

But that was long ago, and Trey Macready and his best friend Ben Marsh still find a way to bask in the waning fervor of The Felons’ Ball, Trey’s annual birthday party where old stories are reshaped and regurgitated each year.

This year however, the Felons’ Ball takes a deadly turn when Marsh is stabbed to death, found by his much younger lover, Natalie, who happens to be Trey’s daughter.

In Ewald, awash in southern hospitality and an occasional body in the lake, where circles run small and deep, a maelstrom of secrets is divulged that can tear this tiny hamlet apart.

Stewart pens a story of remarkable proportion. One that can take you around the world but bring you back home.

Jimmy Buffet once sang that gives a man hope.

Somethin’ ‘bout a boat.

[Julie Maleski (juliereads_alot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Felon's Ball By Polly Stewart
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
Publisher: Harper Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐✨ [3.75⭐]
(Rounded Up To 4⭐)

Thank you to Harper Books for the #gifted book as a part of their Harper Books Influencers program and in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

The Felon's Ball is a small town, Southern Gothic literary crime fiction story about a wealthy family and a whole lotta secrets.

Though it's a quick read at just over 200 pages, don't let that fool you: this was not a fast-paced book. The story starts off fairly salaciously with a controversial love affair and then quickly moves into a murder mystery when a family friend is killed on the night of the family's annual Felon's Ball celebration. And I was thinking this book was going to be go-go-go...but I was thinking wrong. While the story kept me entertained with its well-written narrative about a dysfunctional and fiercely loyal family in the South, this is a slow burning story that's more family drama than heart-pounding whodunnit thriller.

While there was some character development, overall I just didn't really connect with the characters, and therefore didn't really care what ultimately happened to them. There were a lot of subplots going on, with storylines seeming to only go so far, and I wasn't really sure why some of them were even included. I will say, I WAS surprised by the ending, though. The writing was great and the narrative kept me interested. I just didn't really connect with this book or the characters in it, which made it hard to love it overall. If you're a fan of Southern literary crime fiction which focuses on family drama and small-town secrets, I think this is definitely one you should check out!

SIDE NOTE: Amazon ranks this book's sales in multiple categories, including Vampire Suspense and Werewolf & Shifter Thrillers. However, there are absolutely NO vampires, werewolves, or shifters in this book...and I wouldn't exactly call it a thriller either. It's good to know what you're about to read, and those descriptors ⬆️⬆️ ain't it. 😉

#TheFelonsBall #PollyStewart #HarperBooks #partner #HarperBooksInfluencers #gifted #literarycrimefiction #Southerngothic #familydrama #bookreviews #bookrecs #booklover #bookaddict

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: The Felons’ Ball
Author: Polly Stewart
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Amanda Stribling
Publisher: HarperAudio Adult/Harper Audio
Genre: Mystery
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
My Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 240

Natalie Macready and her sister Katlyn are Yoga Instructors. Katlyn has the beginners and Natalie the more advanced. One day ear the end of class when the students are preparing for the relaxation part of yoga Amanda one of the advanced students collapses and is bleeding in what looks like a miscarriage. Amanda says she isn’t pregnant. 911 is called and they rush Amanda to the hospital. Natalie finds out that it is a female problem and requires minor surgery but will be fine.
Not sure what this has to do with the story but had me curious.

Trey Macready is the father of Natalie and Katlyn and will be celebrating his fifth birthday so a large party is being planned in congestion with the annual “Felons Ball’ witch is a birthday celebration held the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Trey and his best friend Ben Marsh were distributors and enforcers for the local distillers who made their small hamlet of Ewald, Virginia, the moonshine capital of the world. But that was years ago, and now the only tie to their criminal past is the ‘Felons’ Ball’ so the he participants all have tales of their youthful exploits that they love to share.’

Only this year Ben is found dead after Trey’s fiftieth celebration,
Ben is believed to have secretly been in love with Natalie who is much younger.
(There are actually a lot of secrets in this story!)
Natalie has always had a soft spot for Ben and sets out to find the truth about his killing.

Story had my attention I soon struggled to stay focused. I did finish and was surprises as to whodunit!

Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult/ Harper Audio for this audiobook eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 15, 2025.

[Craig Pittman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as sharp a thriller as I had hoped. I picked this one up because my friend Ace Atkins raved about it.

The author, Polly Stewart, does do a vivid job of depicting a semi-rural part of Virginia where the action takes place. And she nicely contrasts her New South protagonist -- a yoga teacher having an affair with her parents' oldest friend -- with her Old South family who made their money running shine in the old days. Now they're in the construction business -- and also the secret-keeping business.

The family throws an annual party called the Felons' Ball to celebrate their survival after leaving their illegal business. Only one relative, Uncle Leo, served any time and the rest skated free. The night of the ball, though, Natalie sees her sometime lover, Ben, get drunk and storm off. Later, she goes to see him on his houseboat and discovers he's been stabbed to death.

The whole thing goes back to the night when Natalie was a teenager and there was a horrific boat accident that put her in the hospital. Slowly she unravels what really happened and how Ben's only son, Lanny, disappeared afterward. Others have disappeared as well, including her sister's Indian husband, a major social media influencer/yoga guru. Meanwhile, she's trying to figure out whether her attraction to the new sheriff is worth pursuing (turns out he's attracted right back).

Some of this seems improbable and more plot-driven than organic. For instance, Natalie just found her undercover lover dead, yet she's feeling strongly attracted to the sheriff? To the point where she shows up at his house for a makeout session? I had a hard time swallowing that.

In the end, Natalie uncovers a whole lot of her family's secrets and even blows away one bad guy. But she has to keep her mouth shut about another one in order to protect her family, which struck me as the most realistic part of the whole book.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was interested in the setting and premise: the daughter of a moonshiner's family trying to solve the murder of her lover, set in rural Virginia. However, the characters never really gelled for me. Natalie was sleeping with her father's friend, whom she'd know from childhood, who also was the father of her high school crush. Right off the bat it just smacked of "Ew." I never got a sense of connection between the sisters, between Natalie and her parents, or even between Natalie and her new lover. The closest I can get is Natalie seeking her father's approval in the arms of any older man she meets. Every lead Natalie follows trying to find Ben's killer leads her back to more of her own family's murderous secrets. In the end, she decides to fall in line with "family above all else" motto and carry on the secrets. The most frustrating part of the ending was the ambiguity of the boat wreck that ruined everyone's lives. Supposedly Luke tainted the drink for Lanny to give to Cassy but Natalie accidentally drank it. They then blame Lanny for drugging Natalie? So Croaker goes to jail, and Lanny is dealt backwoods justice, but Luke goes blameless? It just wasn't a satisfying conclusion for me.

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always have a good look at the cover of my next read. What clues can you glean from the cover of The Felons' Ball - the new novel from Polly Stewart. The play on the family's name and the cuffs...?

The book opens with the annual birthday party for Trey, head of the family. Tonight‘s party is a catalyst, bringing up secrets that were not meant to ever be uncovered again. Some characters want that, but others don’t.

And at the center of all, it is the Macready family. Dad, Mom and their three adult daughters. Each daughter has a voice in the narrative and as a reader we are privy to their, thoughts and actions.

The supporting characters are many and all of them are also keeping secrets. Slowly, but surely, answers start to come in. But what is that going to cost everyone?

Stewart does a fabulous job of melding the crimes and the family. I didn’t manage to find the right person in the who dunnit. (which I always appreciate!)

The Felons' Ball was the first book I've read of Stewart. I would happily read her next book.

[Johanna Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yoga with a side of poisoned sweet tea--not a spoiler, but a vibe!

Thank you to Polly Stewart for sending me an advanced reader's copy of her newest novel, The Felons' Ball, which I read in a single gulp.

Secrets run deep with the Macready family, a founding family of a lakeside community in rural Virginia where blood definitely runs thicker than water. I love a psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns and this book delivered, from its exploration of the complex nature of the relationship between sisters to the roles each person plays in their family and the struggle to accept or reject those roles. Add to that a history of bootlegging, a lake popular with tourists situated on a small town where it's *virtually impossible to keep secrets and you have a recipe for keeping this reader glued to the page.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This exciting new thriller is at times a real page turner about events and at times a look back at the criminal history of a couple of friends.

Natalie Macready and her sister Katlyn are yoga instructors and start off the novel. Their father Trey and his best friend Ben were distributors and enforcers for the local distillers who made their small hamlet in Virginia the moonshine capital of the world The only tie to their criminal past is Trey's annual birthday party called the Felons Ball. This year right after the party, Ben is found dead. Despite the age difference, Natalie and Ben were lovers so she decided to find out who killed him. This story was full of twists and turns as the past collided with the present and Natalie begins to wonder if the past should be left in the past.

[Ruth Setton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Felons’ Ball pulled me in from the first page and kept this delicious hum of tension running underneath everything—like something dangerous was always about to surface. Polly Stewart paints her small Virginia town so vividly I could practically feel the humidity and hear the whispers behind closed doors. The three sisters at the heart of the novel are wonderfully complex—each carrying her own wounds, desires, and loyalties—and watching their relationships twist and tighten as old secrets push their way into the light was completely gripping. It’s a story about family, betrayal, and the long shadows cast by the past, and I couldn’t put it down.

[Ilyssa Wesche · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book was excellent. So many flawed characters, small town, family drama, rich people and influencers behaving questionably, all my favorite stuff. But like her debut, this started so strong and then the end felt a little disjointed. Like we got a lot of information out of nowhere. And I was surprised - although I should not have been, honestly - that Natalie was ultimately not willing to change all that much. I hoped for more for her. The middle sister turned out to be my favorite of them all.

[Allison Buccola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed The Felons' Ball, Polly Stewart's new Southern thriller about a family who made their fortune running moonshine. They now make their money in legitimate ways, but every year they host a huge party called the Felons’ Ball, and this year something goes terribly wrong. Stewart really knows how to conjure a setting, and her description of this small Southern town immediately drew me in. So much of this book is set on the water—on houseboats and motorboats and dock bars—and the specter of the family’s past hangs over everything. Great summer reading!

[Meghan ReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felon’s Ball is like The Sopranos crashed a Southern Gothic garden party—moody, sharp, and brimming with secrets. The Macready family takes center stage: a patriarch with power, three complicated daughters, and enough old grudges to fill a bourbon barrel. I loved how Polly Stewart weaves a classic whodunit through layers of family drama, Southern tradition, and simmering resentments. A fast, fun mystery with an unexpected heroine. The pacing might ebb and flow a bit but I was engaged and interested to see how the plot came together!
Thank you to Harper for the DRC on NetGalley

[Alena Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does it keep your attention? Yes. Is it full of drama and WTF moments? Also yes. Is it life changing? No.
I listening to the audiobook and I enjoyed it. I think if I would have read it I may not have stuck with it, but listening made it easier. I enjoyed the twists, the way one things would lead to something. I was always guessing what would happen next. It was a bit like a soap opera mixed with a thriller (gotta love small towns, if you're from one you know ). I don't fell like I wasted my time and was pleased with the ending!

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A murder mystery set in a small-town in the heart of Virginia (where illegal moonshine is still a thing? who knew!). Natalie's secret lover, Ben, is murdered the night of her family's annual Felons Ball. Natalie starts trying to figure out who killed him, and she uncovers a lot more family secrets in the process! I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read, and I did not guess at who the murder was! Definitely a lot of twists in the book.

I won this copy in one of the Goodread giveaways, but my review is my own.

[Love_booksforlife Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Natalie's secret lover, her fathers's best friend, is murdered, she sets off to find out what happened not only to him but also his son who left town years earlier.

This was a fun thriller/mystery! Here's what I liked:

The romance: I love any thriller that sneaks in a little romance. Here, you have Natalie not only coming to terms with what happened to her lover but also her finding solace in someone new. This added another level to the story for me.

The setting: This one has a lot of local drama and I adored that. Natalie's entire family is one of those families that really are engrained in the small town they live. She not only starts looking into the current murder but also some of her family's sordid past. Along with that, you get a really stunning lakeside setting. I wanted to go here the entire time.

All in all, this was a really great small town thriller!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

[Texas · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE FELONS' BALL - Good title. Good start but then nothing. The book does not deliver what the blurb promised. A variety of characters that I cared less about. Story lines that went everywhere and nowhere. Things happen, people disappear, half attempted tries, and other mishmash without continuance in the story but a brief mention at the end of the book. The pace is slow and boring. This could have been an interesting story but it barely made an average read. Source: Netgalley. 3.

[Sara Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy happy pub day to Polly Stewart and The Felons' Ball! This family drama/crime thriller opens with quite a bloody scene and had me on the edge of my seat. Stewart's characters are complicated, thorny, and break the mold of what you might expect from the tale of a family that keeps its secrets close ... The Felons' Ball kept me guessing.

[Kimberly Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Polly Stewart had me wrapped around her little finger with this psychological thriller replete with Appalachian bootleggers, a lakeside town, and a complicated family that could have sprung from my own family tree if I was willing to admit to a lot of secrets. This is one of my favorite books this year!

[A_Stylish_Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the bootlegger aspect and how that tied in with what is happening today. All the family secrets kept me interested and not knowing who to trust.

Natalie's actions made me scratch my head. I wished they did not add the romance aspect with the sheriff.

Overall an entertaining read but nothing memorable.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an easy/quick read that has a very interesting premise. Lots of misdirection and intrigue keeps you reading. At times the character motivations seemed shallow and underdeveloped. IMO this book could have been a lot better if they spent more time developing the characters.

[Tiffany Friend · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second polly Stewart book and my favorite by far! I was hooked from the very beginning all the way to the end. I highly recommend this read! I need to know where she pulled research and truth from as I want to read that history account for myself.

[Rosario Cook]

DNF - stopped listening to this audiobook really really early. I couldn’t stand the choppy style of the narrator. Also I read a few of the Goodreads reviews and they didn’t exactly sway me into getting through this issue and listening to the entire book.

[Megan Langille · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generic southern lake location whodunit that would make a decent Lifetime Movie. Geuninely surprised by the ending, though the entire book could have used 100 more pages of description, character building, and motive setting.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through a goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed this book. I had a hard time putting it down. if you like crime and family drama, this book is for you.