What do you think?
Rate this book
Spring Melt
Not yet published
Expected 10 Mar 26As a doctor’s wife in a thriving Adirondack village in the 1920s, Ella Devine seems to have an ideal life. Her husband grew rich catering to New York City socialites who wanted to hide their TB diagnoses from their friends. Their marriage is devoid of emotion, but so is she, having learned long ago to quietly accept whatever life offers. But all that changes when three men are charged with a nineteen-year-old murder, and the long-buried crime that shaped Ella’s childhood is exposed.
Spring Melt draws on the rich and fascinating history of the Adirondacks, where hikers who see only low hills and lush vegetation fail to perceive the hidden dangers and lose their lives by stepping two feet off the trail. Since the late 1800s, the wilderness that is the Adirondacks has been both a frontier to be conquered only by the hardiest of humans and a playland for the wealthy. When these two worlds collide, the resulting explosion can be fatal.
Spring Melt draws on the rich and fascinating history of the Adirondacks, where hikers who see only low hills and lush vegetation fail to perceive the hidden dangers and lose their lives by stepping two feet off the trail. Since the late 1800s, the wilderness that is the Adirondacks has been both a frontier to be conquered only by the hardiest of humans and a playland for the wealthy. When these two worlds collide, the resulting explosion can be fatal.
- GenresMysteryHistorical
268 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 10, 2026
3 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Lori Duffy Foster
10 books135 followersA former crime reporter, Lori Duffy Foster was born and raised in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, where a piece of her heart remains. Her previous novels include NEVER LET GO, a thriller, and the Lisa Jamison Mystery Series. Her books have been nominees or finalists for Agatha, Silver Falchion and Shamus awards. Lori is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, The Historical Novel Society, International Thriller Writers, The Finger Lakes Authors & Readers Experience and Pennwriters. After several moves about the country with her family, Lori now lives and writes in the hills of Northern Pennsylvania. Look out for two new novels in 2026 and 2027 from Speaking Volumes LLC, SPRING MELT, an historical courtroom drama, and NO STRANGER HERE, a thriller.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 22, 2025
I enjoyed Spring Melt. It’s one of those books that sticks with you because of all emotions it pulls out of you. Ella’s childhood story made me feel angry and heartbroken —-especially the way she was treated after what she went through.
As a young adult, 19 years later, she is forced to face her past again. At this point, the tone shifts, and I found myself feeling hopeful. Watching her find her strength and really begin to thrive is uplifting. Her development of true, meaningful relationships was especially heart warming.
The setting is another huge highlight. The Adirondack Mountains aren’t just scenery —they shape the whole mood of the story. The descriptions are so vivid they made me want to dig into the history of the area and the events surrounding that time period.
As the trial begins, I found myself genuinely rooting for the defendants. The way the story build up to that point makes the outcome feel so personal.
Overall, Spring Melt is engaging, beautifully set, and full of heart. I am really glad I read it.
As a young adult, 19 years later, she is forced to face her past again. At this point, the tone shifts, and I found myself feeling hopeful. Watching her find her strength and really begin to thrive is uplifting. Her development of true, meaningful relationships was especially heart warming.
The setting is another huge highlight. The Adirondack Mountains aren’t just scenery —they shape the whole mood of the story. The descriptions are so vivid they made me want to dig into the history of the area and the events surrounding that time period.
As the trial begins, I found myself genuinely rooting for the defendants. The way the story build up to that point makes the outcome feel so personal.
Overall, Spring Melt is engaging, beautifully set, and full of heart. I am really glad I read it.
November 19, 2025
Spring Melt is the 5th book I’ve read by author Lori Duffy Foster. Just as I have with her previous books, I enjoyed reading this very much. It’s a historical fiction story that centers around the legal proceedings of 3 men who are accused of murder. But was it murder or just an accident that they had no control over? I myself enjoy reading this author because she writes of areas that I am very familiar with. This book takes place in the Adirondacks, which is in New York State and I don’t live very far from there. I personally seem to connect more with stories that take place or mention areas that I know because for me they seem more real. Spring Melt is about the rape of a very young girl named Ella Devine and the effects it had on her and on her fathers 3 friends who were lumberjacks in the area. It goes on to show of the police corruption that occurred in that area due to greed and selfishness. Social class really made a difference in how people were treated and it just wasn’t fair or right. Besides the authors mention of local towns and cities that I am very familiar with, her descriptions of the Adirondack Mountains was spot on. It’s plain to see that she writes what she knows and she does it well. I was very satisfied with the way the story and verdict turned out in the end and I appreciated that the author included an epilogue that gave us a peek into Ella’s future life along with some of the other characters. I enjoyed reading this story so much and it’s a book I will be recommending to others. If you’ve never read this author, she is definitely one you should be checking out. I’m giving this story a 5 star rating!
December 7, 2025
Spring Melt is a riveting story of justice, forgiveness, and redemption, in which revelations about past crimes and long-buried secrets unfold with nail-biting intensity. The layered narrative is a high-stakes courtroom drama that is also a thriller, as well as a coming-of-age story for the woman at the center of the conflict. As evidence piles up, for and against three men accused of murder, the personal bumps up against the political in ways that surprise, and yet, at the same time, feel inevitable.
Spring Melt is not merely set in the Adirondacks. It’s that rare work in which the place and time are inextricably woven into the fabric of the tale. The descriptions are so vivid, I felt as if I knew, as well as the author, the landscape.
Though the conclusion is deeply satisfying, I was sorry to turn the last page. It was that good.
Spring Melt is not merely set in the Adirondacks. It’s that rare work in which the place and time are inextricably woven into the fabric of the tale. The descriptions are so vivid, I felt as if I knew, as well as the author, the landscape.
Though the conclusion is deeply satisfying, I was sorry to turn the last page. It was that good.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Picture this: 1920's. Adirondack. rural New York. A 9 year old girl who was the apple of her dead lumberjack father's eye is brutally raped by her mother's employer's son.
What transpires over the next 20 years is heartbreaking, evil, devious, and eventually promising.
Having read the prologue, I just want to commend the author for her persistence in getting this work published. Yes, it was worth the wait.
There are a lot of characters in this book. Too many, with a lot of different storylines. I felt I needed an outline to keep some of the characters straight. And sadly, it meant I really felt no depth from any of them.
There was a lot of description in the beginning of the book "George heard the heavy door shut as his clerk headed down the dimly lit staircase to the street below." You can hear and see yourself there, right? Throughout the novel intricate descriptions are used to evoke reader senses in different scenes as we finalize the thriller that started over 20 years ago. I felt a parent's anxiety. Smelled the sweat of an overcrowded courtroom.
This was a historical thriller set in a different era and different part of the country for me. I enjoyed the descriptive writing.
I had a really hard time with quiet, anxious Ella going from super introverted to hiking in the mountains alone with a man in less than two weeks. Some outcomes just seemed beyond realistic.
I received an advanced copy of this book for free. I am writing this review voluntarily.
.
What transpires over the next 20 years is heartbreaking, evil, devious, and eventually promising.
Having read the prologue, I just want to commend the author for her persistence in getting this work published. Yes, it was worth the wait.
There are a lot of characters in this book. Too many, with a lot of different storylines. I felt I needed an outline to keep some of the characters straight. And sadly, it meant I really felt no depth from any of them.
There was a lot of description in the beginning of the book "George heard the heavy door shut as his clerk headed down the dimly lit staircase to the street below." You can hear and see yourself there, right? Throughout the novel intricate descriptions are used to evoke reader senses in different scenes as we finalize the thriller that started over 20 years ago. I felt a parent's anxiety. Smelled the sweat of an overcrowded courtroom.
This was a historical thriller set in a different era and different part of the country for me. I enjoyed the descriptive writing.
I had a really hard time with quiet, anxious Ella going from super introverted to hiking in the mountains alone with a man in less than two weeks. Some outcomes just seemed beyond realistic.
I received an advanced copy of this book for free. I am writing this review voluntarily.
.
November 17, 2025
When the winter is over and the snow melts, what has been hidden is revealed. In ‘Spring Melt’, Lori Duffy Foster introduces us to an intriguing scenario. Ella Devine, now 28 years of age, was raped by Henry Roth when she was nine. The crime was covered up, money exchanged hands, and the victim was raised by an older couple, after her mother deserted her. Shortly after, Roth dies ‘accidentally’. Years later, three lumberjacks go on trial for murdering Roth, after evidence surfaces of their crime. They are seen as delivering justice to the young woman whose rapist never faced court. Now, Ella must now face the brutal reality of what she experienced at the hands of the dead man as she testifies in court.
The first half of the book introduces us to the character and viewpoints of the main actors in the drama: Ella Devine, the prosecutor, the defence attorney, the defendants and so on. The second half involves the court case, which is portrayed really well. Each chapter presents the point of view of one of the characters, giving a nuanced and comprehensive interpretation of the trial and their place in it.
The strength of the writing is in the portrayal of the natural beauty of the Adirondack mountains, the setting of the novel. Foster’s prose is a delight, poetic even, as she portrays Ella’s response to her surroundings. Her character is finely drawn; the effects of childhood trauma having a lasting effect on her interaction with family and neighbours. Will Ella emerge from her hibernation, as she confronts her past and finally finds her voice?
‘Spring Melt’ is life-affirming, presenting a protagonist who is given a second chance to experience and enjoy life. Foster writes with sensitivity and maturity. This is a thoughtful and nuanced story, encouraging the reader’s engagement with the issues it raises. It also presents us with an ethical question: Can murder be justified when the perpetrator has escaped justice himself?
Lori Duffy Foster has excelled herself. I loved this book!
The first half of the book introduces us to the character and viewpoints of the main actors in the drama: Ella Devine, the prosecutor, the defence attorney, the defendants and so on. The second half involves the court case, which is portrayed really well. Each chapter presents the point of view of one of the characters, giving a nuanced and comprehensive interpretation of the trial and their place in it.
The strength of the writing is in the portrayal of the natural beauty of the Adirondack mountains, the setting of the novel. Foster’s prose is a delight, poetic even, as she portrays Ella’s response to her surroundings. Her character is finely drawn; the effects of childhood trauma having a lasting effect on her interaction with family and neighbours. Will Ella emerge from her hibernation, as she confronts her past and finally finds her voice?
‘Spring Melt’ is life-affirming, presenting a protagonist who is given a second chance to experience and enjoy life. Foster writes with sensitivity and maturity. This is a thoughtful and nuanced story, encouraging the reader’s engagement with the issues it raises. It also presents us with an ethical question: Can murder be justified when the perpetrator has escaped justice himself?
Lori Duffy Foster has excelled herself. I loved this book!
December 9, 2025
Once the story started playing out with what happened to nine-year-old Ella to the trial of the three men who killed her attacker nineteen years after the murder I couldn't put the book down. The characters came to life for me in a short period of time. I wanted to protect Ella while advocating for the innocence of the three accused men. It became a real argument in my mind between the law and legal justice versus morality and moral justice. Which one is better, and should we have to give up one to impose the other? This was such a good book, and I loved the historical aspect of the story being it's in small town 1920's when a "not guilty" verdict could be bought if you had the means to do so and the local government was just corrupt enough to do it for you. Very interesting, exceedingly compelling and a wonderful story. I look forward to more from this author. Happy Reading!
November 2, 2025
Set in the 1920s Adirondacks, Spring Melt blends historical fiction, mystery, and emotional depth. The story follows Ella Devine, the wife of a successful doctor catering to wealthy New York City patients. Though her life appears perfect, her marriage lacks warmth and love until the past resurfaces with the discovery of a nineteen-year-old murder that reopens old wounds and secrets.
Foster crafts a vivid sense of time and place, painting the Adirondacks not just as a backdrop but as a living, breathing character both beautiful and perilous. The novel promises rich historical detail, complex female perspective, and an exploration of how social class, secrecy, and survival intersect in a world where appearances mean everything.
Thank you to BookSirens for an ARC
Foster crafts a vivid sense of time and place, painting the Adirondacks not just as a backdrop but as a living, breathing character both beautiful and perilous. The novel promises rich historical detail, complex female perspective, and an exploration of how social class, secrecy, and survival intersect in a world where appearances mean everything.
Thank you to BookSirens for an ARC
November 23, 2025
I’ve enjoyed Lori Duffy’s previous novels, so I was excited to dive into Spring Melt - and it did not disappoint. Stylistically, it highlights the author’s versatility and strength as a storyteller.
Spring Melt is a courtroom-drama-meets-crime novel that keeps you guessing until the very last page. It explores the harsh realities of life alongside the beauty of friendship and love. You see how ego can cloud judgment, and how staying true to yourself can lead to meaningful outcomes. The story unfolds through multiple characters and perspectives, each adding depth and dimension to the narrative.
November 5, 2025
This was a wonderful historical novel, drawing examples of corrupt police, prejudices against native Americans and even a woman who was raped as a child…. the sensitivity of the subject matter may be upsetting to some, but this is a beautifully written novel, that the author should be proud of.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In the lush, beautiful Adirondacks of New York, in the 1920s, many TB patients came to recover in “the crisp, cold, dry air.” “Fiscally desperate people were not among Dr. David Devine’s patients…Unlike his colleagues, he only accepted those patients who could pay…catering to a breed of wealthy who preferred not to mix with the poor.” David made all the decisions in his stilted marriage to Ella.
George Alberts, defense attorney, welcomed the opportunity to live in “God’s country with just enough wealthy tourists in need of lawyers to keep a good solid roof over their heads.” His wife, Marianne was a member of the Onondaga Nation, an Indian territory south of Syracuse. Their son had recently chosen to live among his Indian family.
After nineteen years, a guilt ridden lumberjack employed by the Roth family business, came forward informing prosecutor Jim Maddox about a plan three lumberjacks hatched to kill Henry Roth, the son/heir of the business. A different party remembered a drunk Henry bragging in a bar while giving a detailed description of his rape of nine year old, Ella. In alternating chapters the victims, the accused, prosecution and defense teams are introduced as three lumberjacks face charges of murder.
Ella Ward’s father, deemed a hero by fellow lumberjacks, died while trying to save a fellow logger. Ella, three years old at the time, was taught to fish, hunt and swim by her three fathers; Cyril Cole, Paul McDonald and John LeRoche. When each logging season ended with the spring melt, Ella and her mother Katherine, a camp cook, would spend the off season cooking at Roth’s Great Camp on Big Tupper Lake. One day while Ella was exploring, seventeen year old Henry Roth raped her.
After a quick investigation, Sheriff John O’Malley announced a payment plan. Ella’s mother would leave town permanently and relinquish Ella’s care to “Aunt Audrey and Uncle Ronald” Kurtz who lived in Saranac Lake. O’Malley supplemented his salary through bribery. Wealthy city families were willing to pay him to have pending charges dropped. The lumberjacks disliked O’Malley.
The re-opened case of Henry Roth’s death awakened painful memories for Ella. Although George Alberts was an experienced lawyer, he had never tried a murder case. He would be called upon to defend the three lumberjacks who killed or might have killed on behalf of Ella Devine, a victim of rape. He would need Ella’s input to help frame the case. The lumberjacks were not helpful in their own defense.
Jim Maddox, the prosecutor, wanted to run for State Senate. “It wouldn’t be easy to convince a jury and the voting public that three seemingly harmless old lumberjacks were cold-hearted killers…”. Jim would claim that Cyril Cole killed for money and status-upon Henry’s demise, he ran the Roth Lumber Camp. Cyril had strict rules thus providing safe working conditions. There were no injuries during his watch. Cyril was respected and highly regarded unlike Henry who always came to work drunk and showed no interest in his employees. Each of the defendants recounted the same story of Henry’s death. With no forensic evidence, would the jury condemn or condone the actions of the accused?
A fascinating read that combines trauma, mystery and court procedural. Kudos to author Lori Duffy Foster.
Thank you Lori Duffy Foster for the print ARC in exchange for an honest review.
George Alberts, defense attorney, welcomed the opportunity to live in “God’s country with just enough wealthy tourists in need of lawyers to keep a good solid roof over their heads.” His wife, Marianne was a member of the Onondaga Nation, an Indian territory south of Syracuse. Their son had recently chosen to live among his Indian family.
After nineteen years, a guilt ridden lumberjack employed by the Roth family business, came forward informing prosecutor Jim Maddox about a plan three lumberjacks hatched to kill Henry Roth, the son/heir of the business. A different party remembered a drunk Henry bragging in a bar while giving a detailed description of his rape of nine year old, Ella. In alternating chapters the victims, the accused, prosecution and defense teams are introduced as three lumberjacks face charges of murder.
Ella Ward’s father, deemed a hero by fellow lumberjacks, died while trying to save a fellow logger. Ella, three years old at the time, was taught to fish, hunt and swim by her three fathers; Cyril Cole, Paul McDonald and John LeRoche. When each logging season ended with the spring melt, Ella and her mother Katherine, a camp cook, would spend the off season cooking at Roth’s Great Camp on Big Tupper Lake. One day while Ella was exploring, seventeen year old Henry Roth raped her.
After a quick investigation, Sheriff John O’Malley announced a payment plan. Ella’s mother would leave town permanently and relinquish Ella’s care to “Aunt Audrey and Uncle Ronald” Kurtz who lived in Saranac Lake. O’Malley supplemented his salary through bribery. Wealthy city families were willing to pay him to have pending charges dropped. The lumberjacks disliked O’Malley.
The re-opened case of Henry Roth’s death awakened painful memories for Ella. Although George Alberts was an experienced lawyer, he had never tried a murder case. He would be called upon to defend the three lumberjacks who killed or might have killed on behalf of Ella Devine, a victim of rape. He would need Ella’s input to help frame the case. The lumberjacks were not helpful in their own defense.
Jim Maddox, the prosecutor, wanted to run for State Senate. “It wouldn’t be easy to convince a jury and the voting public that three seemingly harmless old lumberjacks were cold-hearted killers…”. Jim would claim that Cyril Cole killed for money and status-upon Henry’s demise, he ran the Roth Lumber Camp. Cyril had strict rules thus providing safe working conditions. There were no injuries during his watch. Cyril was respected and highly regarded unlike Henry who always came to work drunk and showed no interest in his employees. Each of the defendants recounted the same story of Henry’s death. With no forensic evidence, would the jury condemn or condone the actions of the accused?
A fascinating read that combines trauma, mystery and court procedural. Kudos to author Lori Duffy Foster.
Thank you Lori Duffy Foster for the print ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy
Spring Melt is set in the Adirondacks in the early 1920s and features Ella Devine, a quiet woman faced with a resurfacing reality she thought was buried nineteen years ago: the murder of Henry Roth, the only son of wealthy owners of the Roth Lumber Camp. Three loggers are charged with killing Roth after a confession reopens the previously closed case. Ella finds herself at a crossroads: either face head-on the traumatic event of her childhood or crawl back into the painful safety of her present life.
The narrative dives into the trial of the three lumberjacks, examining their motives, actions, and intent at the time of the murder, as well as their present reality and thoughts about what happened years ago. Spring Melt exposes the state of the jury system: its strengths, its ties to the wealthy of the Adirondack Mountains, and the corruption that flows from those connections.
Foster's background as a crime reporter shapes how Spring Melt is written. She shows both the past and present world of a rape survivor, exploring society's view of rape, the perpetrator, and the victim. Foster uses the Adirondack setting to depict the stark contrast between the elite who summer in the mountains and the working class that serves them.
Spring Melt is a tough read about a painful event that happened to a nine-year-old and followed her into adulthood. Though it's difficult material, readers can still enjoy the drama of the courtroom, the thrill of an unsolved murder case, and even find a rekindled trust in the jury system. Lori Duffy Foster crafted a beautiful but intense journey with Spring Melt. I received an advance review copy of this book via BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The narrative dives into the trial of the three lumberjacks, examining their motives, actions, and intent at the time of the murder, as well as their present reality and thoughts about what happened years ago. Spring Melt exposes the state of the jury system: its strengths, its ties to the wealthy of the Adirondack Mountains, and the corruption that flows from those connections.
Foster's background as a crime reporter shapes how Spring Melt is written. She shows both the past and present world of a rape survivor, exploring society's view of rape, the perpetrator, and the victim. Foster uses the Adirondack setting to depict the stark contrast between the elite who summer in the mountains and the working class that serves them.
Spring Melt is a tough read about a painful event that happened to a nine-year-old and followed her into adulthood. Though it's difficult material, readers can still enjoy the drama of the courtroom, the thrill of an unsolved murder case, and even find a rekindled trust in the jury system. Lori Duffy Foster crafted a beautiful but intense journey with Spring Melt. I received an advance review copy of this book via BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
SPRING MELT is a standalone historical crime story that tells you about Ella and the horrific act forced upon her at 9-years-old. Nineteen years later, three men are being held accountable for the murder of her r@pist. Was it really planned, or did fate play a part?
This was an amazing story that drew me in and kept my attention from the very first chapter. Normally, I wouldn't say anything about being happy with a divorce/separation in the first few pages, but this one I celebrated! Not only that, but I was with Ella every step of the way as she found herself and the peace needed to move on with her life.
The glimpse into the 1920s social system, the job of a lumberjack, plus how if you had money, you could even buy a Not Guilty verdict (if it even got that far!) was so incredibly written, I was completely engrossed.
Ella is surrounded by an amazing supporting cast of characters, including but not limited to the wonderful Will. Hooper, although not around too much, was also a firm favourite. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with Maddox, as he made me question what was right and wrong, both morally and legally. The epilogue at the end made my eyes leak in the best way.
Told from multiple perspectives, this was outstanding in every way. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, and although I have no personal knowledge of the Adirondacks, I can honestly say I feel as though I've now been there.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 11, 2026
This was an amazing story that drew me in and kept my attention from the very first chapter. Normally, I wouldn't say anything about being happy with a divorce/separation in the first few pages, but this one I celebrated! Not only that, but I was with Ella every step of the way as she found herself and the peace needed to move on with her life.
The glimpse into the 1920s social system, the job of a lumberjack, plus how if you had money, you could even buy a Not Guilty verdict (if it even got that far!) was so incredibly written, I was completely engrossed.
Ella is surrounded by an amazing supporting cast of characters, including but not limited to the wonderful Will. Hooper, although not around too much, was also a firm favourite. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with Maddox, as he made me question what was right and wrong, both morally and legally. The epilogue at the end made my eyes leak in the best way.
Told from multiple perspectives, this was outstanding in every way. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, and although I have no personal knowledge of the Adirondacks, I can honestly say I feel as though I've now been there.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 11, 2026
Review of advance copy
The book Spring Melt, by Lori Duffy Foster, is classified as historical fiction. Not only is the story is historical fiction but a courtroom and a layered narrative. The title is symbolic because as things which are buried in ice and snow in the winter they come to be revealed at the spring melt. This is true in this story as well. The center point of the story is when a secret of nineteen years is uncovered like the spring melt. As the rays of the sun melt the layers of snow, this light shines in the darkness unearthing a tragic secret impacting the lives of the characters.
The author has done a masterful writing job of taking a formula story into a very brilliant piece of writing. By utilizing the layered narrative, she has invited her readers to interact with the story. Not only are the readers pro-active but are intellectually stimulated. She treats her readers as well versed literary aficionados. The technique allows the reader to empathize with the main character, Ella Divine.
A reader who desires to be challenged in one's reading must read this book. The story is filled nuggets of gold. As with any story, the concept of good and evil is examined. Also, the idea of justice and injustice is introduced in the courtroom scenes. Do not miss reading this very complex but entertaining story.
The author has done a masterful writing job of taking a formula story into a very brilliant piece of writing. By utilizing the layered narrative, she has invited her readers to interact with the story. Not only are the readers pro-active but are intellectually stimulated. She treats her readers as well versed literary aficionados. The technique allows the reader to empathize with the main character, Ella Divine.
A reader who desires to be challenged in one's reading must read this book. The story is filled nuggets of gold. As with any story, the concept of good and evil is examined. Also, the idea of justice and injustice is introduced in the courtroom scenes. Do not miss reading this very complex but entertaining story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This well written historical mystery set in the Adirondacks in the 1920s tells a story of dishonor and dishonesty brought to light through a trial for a murder 20 years in the past. Atmospheric in a subtle way, the book elicits a range of emotions but in the end becomes a life-affirming story.
The book starts with a lawyer, George, trying to get Ella Devine, a young married woman who was raped by one of the town’s wealthy scions as a young girl , to speak about that crime. As we soon learn she has been traumatized, sent away by her mother, made to feel victimized, having sublimated it tightly away. As a trial for the murder of the rapist by several local men who worked with her father in the logging industry is set to begin, buried secrets come to light.
The trial is the most compelling part of the book. The contest between George, defending the alleged murderers, and Jim, the prosecuting attorney, has a lot of interesting twists. The characters of Ella and George were my favorites. And the budding romance between Ella and Will was sweet (Ella desperately needed someone to love her and it felt refreshing to have this happen).
This is a must read for lovers of historical mysteries. And, as I am one, I really enjoyed this book.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Speaking Volumes to allowing me to read this fine ARC.
The book starts with a lawyer, George, trying to get Ella Devine, a young married woman who was raped by one of the town’s wealthy scions as a young girl , to speak about that crime. As we soon learn she has been traumatized, sent away by her mother, made to feel victimized, having sublimated it tightly away. As a trial for the murder of the rapist by several local men who worked with her father in the logging industry is set to begin, buried secrets come to light.
The trial is the most compelling part of the book. The contest between George, defending the alleged murderers, and Jim, the prosecuting attorney, has a lot of interesting twists. The characters of Ella and George were my favorites. And the budding romance between Ella and Will was sweet (Ella desperately needed someone to love her and it felt refreshing to have this happen).
This is a must read for lovers of historical mysteries. And, as I am one, I really enjoyed this book.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Speaking Volumes to allowing me to read this fine ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
*Thank you to the author for this gifted copy!
AVAILABLE MARCH 10
5.0
1920s, redemption, lumberjacks…
Three men are charged with 3 counts regarding a death 19 years ago. Their lawyer George Alberts has 23 years of trial experience but is untested with murder cases. Lawyer & Senator wannabe Jim Maddox will be the prosecutor.
A moral vs legal dilemma for the jury.
Condemn or overlook? What to do?
THOUGHTS:
*When I was younger, I almost exclusively read legal/crime thrillers. Think “Law n Order type stories. I will forever love a good story with a trial!
*Emotional read. I was rooting for the defendants! Treatment of young Ella was outrageous.
*Yes - a crime against a child. But it wasn’t dwelled upon or described in any detail. And the trial was a murder trial.
*This gave me A Time to Kill vibes- crime against a child, injustice, & an untested lawyer.
*The setting plays an important part in the story. ( Adirondacks) Almost like another character.
*A layered story - coming of age, courtroom drama, legal & moral justice, & social class.
*Nicely wrapped up in the end. I liked the epilogue.
* I’m a first time reader of this author. I would like to read other books by this author.
AVAILABLE MARCH 10
5.0
1920s, redemption, lumberjacks…
Three men are charged with 3 counts regarding a death 19 years ago. Their lawyer George Alberts has 23 years of trial experience but is untested with murder cases. Lawyer & Senator wannabe Jim Maddox will be the prosecutor.
A moral vs legal dilemma for the jury.
Condemn or overlook? What to do?
THOUGHTS:
*When I was younger, I almost exclusively read legal/crime thrillers. Think “Law n Order type stories. I will forever love a good story with a trial!
*Emotional read. I was rooting for the defendants! Treatment of young Ella was outrageous.
*Yes - a crime against a child. But it wasn’t dwelled upon or described in any detail. And the trial was a murder trial.
*This gave me A Time to Kill vibes- crime against a child, injustice, & an untested lawyer.
*The setting plays an important part in the story. ( Adirondacks) Almost like another character.
*A layered story - coming of age, courtroom drama, legal & moral justice, & social class.
*Nicely wrapped up in the end. I liked the epilogue.
* I’m a first time reader of this author. I would like to read other books by this author.
November 7, 2025
Ella Devine has spent her life trying to forget the horrible crime that shaped her childhood. When three of her father’s friends are charged with murder, her entire world is turned upside down. Her marriage falls apart, and not only is Ella called to testify at the trial, but she must also confront the trauma of her past.
Told from multiple perspectives, the story reveals more about Ella and raises the question: will she ever be able to move beyond this painful chapter of her life?
I really enjoyed the premise of this story. I was immediately drawn in and connected with many of the characters. The multiple points of view helped provide a well-rounded perspective on the trial, and I also appreciated the vivid descriptions of the Adirondacks. However, I felt that Ella’s life wrapped up too neatly and too quickly. It feels unrealistic when people meet someone new and immediately fall in love. I would have preferred for Ella’s new relationship to develop from a friendship first.
The language was clean and there were only hints of spice.
Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Told from multiple perspectives, the story reveals more about Ella and raises the question: will she ever be able to move beyond this painful chapter of her life?
I really enjoyed the premise of this story. I was immediately drawn in and connected with many of the characters. The multiple points of view helped provide a well-rounded perspective on the trial, and I also appreciated the vivid descriptions of the Adirondacks. However, I felt that Ella’s life wrapped up too neatly and too quickly. It feels unrealistic when people meet someone new and immediately fall in love. I would have preferred for Ella’s new relationship to develop from a friendship first.
The language was clean and there were only hints of spice.
Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A quiet novel about how buried truths resurface slowly, altering lives not through drama, but through reckoning.
Spring Melt moves with a deliberate stillness, attentive to the small fractures that appear when long held silences begin to loosen. The writing resists drama. There are no grand declarations, only the steady accumulation of moments that suggest how people endure rather than transform.
What stands out is the emotional economy. The author does not instruct us how to feel. Feelings surface indirectly through gesture, through what is left unsaid, through the spaces between scenes. The restraint is purposeful. It mirrors the interior lives of the characters who carry more than they articulate.
The prose is clean, almost austere. It values clarity over ornament. At times this distance may feel withholding, especially for readers who seek catharsis. But the strength of the book lies precisely there. It understands that meaning is not always found in resolution but in observation.
Spring Melt is less concerned with answers than with attention. It watches carefully. And in doing so, it tells the truth it is willing to tell.
Spring Melt moves with a deliberate stillness, attentive to the small fractures that appear when long held silences begin to loosen. The writing resists drama. There are no grand declarations, only the steady accumulation of moments that suggest how people endure rather than transform.
What stands out is the emotional economy. The author does not instruct us how to feel. Feelings surface indirectly through gesture, through what is left unsaid, through the spaces between scenes. The restraint is purposeful. It mirrors the interior lives of the characters who carry more than they articulate.
The prose is clean, almost austere. It values clarity over ornament. At times this distance may feel withholding, especially for readers who seek catharsis. But the strength of the book lies precisely there. It understands that meaning is not always found in resolution but in observation.
Spring Melt is less concerned with answers than with attention. It watches carefully. And in doing so, it tells the truth it is willing to tell.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
This novel has multiple viewpoints, but the standout is the woman around whom the drama takes place. Set in the Adirondacks of the early 20th century, three men murdered Henry Roth many years before the story starts. But another crime, the rape of 9-year-old Ella Devine by spoiled rich boy Henry Roth, had been committed before that.
The story feels like a legal historical suspense novel, as we know who committed the crimes and why. But the repercussions from the crimes affect the lives of all the characters who have a voice here. The lawyers, the lawyers’ assistants, the victim. When one of the men comes forward and confesses, Ella’s life is completely changed, though eventually for the better. This is a captivating, steady telling of a trial, from the confession to the bitter end. It’s so well done, the prose is hypnotic in that I was totally immersed in the lives of these characters. The Adirondacks are a beautiful setting for the story, and I felt nostalgic for a time long gone by.
I highly recommend this historical legal mystery/suspense novel.
The story feels like a legal historical suspense novel, as we know who committed the crimes and why. But the repercussions from the crimes affect the lives of all the characters who have a voice here. The lawyers, the lawyers’ assistants, the victim. When one of the men comes forward and confesses, Ella’s life is completely changed, though eventually for the better. This is a captivating, steady telling of a trial, from the confession to the bitter end. It’s so well done, the prose is hypnotic in that I was totally immersed in the lives of these characters. The Adirondacks are a beautiful setting for the story, and I felt nostalgic for a time long gone by.
I highly recommend this historical legal mystery/suspense novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is a beautiful combining of two of my favorite genres: suspense and historical fiction. Set in the Adirondack Mountains during the Prohibition Era, this book takes one through the life of a woman who was raped as a young girl and sent away. Her rapist was later killed. Was it intentional murder or not? The death is reinvestigated and taken to trial many years after the fact. The story highlights the painful reality that justice systems do not always produce true justice. It wrestles with whether or not vigilante justice can be a reasonable option in certain situations. As a woman who has experienced trauma and the diminishing of that trauma by men in positions of power, I resonated with this book. The same issues still exist today. As a lover of the outdoors, I also appreciated the descriptions of the mountain and woods setting. I would recommend this book!
November 9, 2025
Ella Devine’s life in a quiet Adirondack town seems perfect. And although her marriage to a wealthy socialite doctor is cold and loveless, she is content. That is until an incident from her past, changes everything. Abandoned by her husband when her rape as a child comes to the surface after nineteen years, the three men who protected her then are charged with murdering her attacker.
Set in in lush atmosphere of beautiful mountains and lakes, this historical suspense novel is filled with rich details that make it vividly come to life. Details that former crime reporter Lori Duffy Foster turns into a captivating story you won’t want to put down.
Set in in lush atmosphere of beautiful mountains and lakes, this historical suspense novel is filled with rich details that make it vividly come to life. Details that former crime reporter Lori Duffy Foster turns into a captivating story you won’t want to put down.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Spring Melt by Lori Duffy Foster delivers a gripping mystery and courtroom drama steeped in Adirondack history and filled with characters whose grief, longing, and love leap off the page. The novel’s keen sense of place brings early-20th-century Saranac Lake vividly to life, and, as the trial at the center of the story unfolds, Foster deftly explores the many faces of justice—legal, moral, and personal—through the tapestry of relationships that have shaped each character’s life. I hope you'll give this book a try when it's published in March 2026. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley for making Spring Melt available to readers now.
Thanks to NetGalley for making Spring Melt available to readers now.
Review of advance copy
This was a very good historical crime novel. It is about a crime that happened almost 20 years prior and a man and his friends who are on trial in the 1920's for the revenge death of the perpetrator. Most of the story covers the trial and the impact on the victim of the initial crime and the people accused of murdering the perpetrator.
The book was well written. The plot and characters were easy to follow. There was lots of suspense which kept me interested. If you like historical crime stories, you may want to check this one out.
I received an advance reader copy of Spring Melt. The opinion that I express is my own.
The book was well written. The plot and characters were easy to follow. There was lots of suspense which kept me interested. If you like historical crime stories, you may want to check this one out.
I received an advance reader copy of Spring Melt. The opinion that I express is my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was well researched novel set in the Adirondacks and although it centered around rape it was not the main focus. It seemed to me that isolated communities took matters into their own hands in ways that might have been handled differently today. This story is set 20 years after the incident, when the man assumed to have committed the crime has died in an accident and his family assumed he was murdered. Was he, or were vigilantes involved. Told from several viewpoints, this story left me wondering if this really happened.
November 11, 2025
This is a wonderful Historical book. Ella Devine is married to a doctor and in an emotionless marriage. This book takes place in the beautiful Adirondacks. Ella is trying to live a quiet life but then three men are charged with a nineteen-year-old crime that was a big part of Ella's childhood. Ella now must face the past and the present as well. This Had me on the edge of my seat. Wonderfully written.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review:
The description of this book drew me in; however, it needs a trigger warning, and I am shocked that neither the author nor the publisher included one. I somehow made it through chapter 2 before deciding I couldn't finish the rest of the book, but I will not be surprised if many readers bail out before then.
The description of this book drew me in; however, it needs a trigger warning, and I am shocked that neither the author nor the publisher included one. I somehow made it through chapter 2 before deciding I couldn't finish the rest of the book, but I will not be surprised if many readers bail out before then.
November 16, 2025
Spring melt is a wonderful book about life and its seasons. How we handle them and justice.
Ella has had very little control of her life. Her father died when she was young. Tragedy struck at a young age and she was shipped away from all she knew.
It is all hitting the fan now nearly 20 years later. her world is turned upside down and she is faced with her past, as her present crumbles down around her.
This book pulls at your heart strings. community and loyalty means something totally different in the 1920's.
Ella has had very little control of her life. Her father died when she was young. Tragedy struck at a young age and she was shipped away from all she knew.
It is all hitting the fan now nearly 20 years later. her world is turned upside down and she is faced with her past, as her present crumbles down around her.
This book pulls at your heart strings. community and loyalty means something totally different in the 1920's.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews