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Appendectomy
Sunflower County, Mississippi, 1982. In a quiet Delta town, new babies have stopped being born on one side of the tracks.
Six-year-old Mae Tatum spends her summer on her grandparents' front porch, filing away every whispered secret she is not supposed to hear. Inside the farmhouse, her twenty-year-old cousin Joann carries a private ache and a painful secret. Down the road, a hardworking housekeeper is fired without warning and visits the local doctor for relief, only to lose something she can never get back.
Behind the doors of a small clinic on Route 7, a doctor operates under the shadow of a dark family legacy. Local women know the danger only as a quiet the "Mississippi appendectomy," an unasked-for surgery that steals their futures under the cover of routine care.
When Joann's older sister Marley returns home with a medical degree, she refuses to accept the silence. Digging into old files and hidden records, she uncovers the full truth of what happened in the clinic’s back room. Together, the Tatum women must stand against a system built to silence them and demand justice for the generations stolen.
Inspired by the true history of medical exploitation and the resilience of Southern Black women, Appendectomy is a moving story of family loyalty, survival, and the power of remembering.
Six-year-old Mae Tatum spends her summer on her grandparents' front porch, filing away every whispered secret she is not supposed to hear. Inside the farmhouse, her twenty-year-old cousin Joann carries a private ache and a painful secret. Down the road, a hardworking housekeeper is fired without warning and visits the local doctor for relief, only to lose something she can never get back.
Behind the doors of a small clinic on Route 7, a doctor operates under the shadow of a dark family legacy. Local women know the danger only as a quiet the "Mississippi appendectomy," an unasked-for surgery that steals their futures under the cover of routine care.
When Joann's older sister Marley returns home with a medical degree, she refuses to accept the silence. Digging into old files and hidden records, she uncovers the full truth of what happened in the clinic’s back room. Together, the Tatum women must stand against a system built to silence them and demand justice for the generations stolen.
Inspired by the true history of medical exploitation and the resilience of Southern Black women, Appendectomy is a moving story of family loyalty, survival, and the power of remembering.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 2, 2026
As a disclaimer, I was hired as the proofreader for this book. That said, this is my unbiased review left because I wanted to review; the author did not request a public review and this is outside the scope of my paid work.
I purchased this book upon publication, and these are my thoughts from the perspective of a reader.
Appendectomy is the most important book I've read this year, and has one of the best narrative voices I've read in a long time.
This book hits hard and asks the reader to think critically from a variety of characters' unique points of view. Each of them is presented with a clear voice, and it all reads cohesively at the same time. Racism in the US is as old as the country itself, and that didn't change in the 20th century (or 21st). Reading how that boils down to institutionally impact individuals, families, and communities is a splash of cold water, a wakeup call to readers delivered unflinchingly and beautifully. Every page of this book is crafted so beautifully. I cried several times during the reading experience, as well as when recommending this book in-person to another friend who I thought would appreciate the read. Appendectomy hits the mark as a work of fiction in that it makes us consider the real world that inspired the characters and settings -- all the more because, in this case, it was all very directly inspired by real events and, in some cases, by real people (ancestrally).
This is slice-of-life meets systemic racism meets generational trauma meets hope.
I cannot recommend this book enough. To everyone.
I purchased this book upon publication, and these are my thoughts from the perspective of a reader.
Appendectomy is the most important book I've read this year, and has one of the best narrative voices I've read in a long time.
This book hits hard and asks the reader to think critically from a variety of characters' unique points of view. Each of them is presented with a clear voice, and it all reads cohesively at the same time. Racism in the US is as old as the country itself, and that didn't change in the 20th century (or 21st). Reading how that boils down to institutionally impact individuals, families, and communities is a splash of cold water, a wakeup call to readers delivered unflinchingly and beautifully. Every page of this book is crafted so beautifully. I cried several times during the reading experience, as well as when recommending this book in-person to another friend who I thought would appreciate the read. Appendectomy hits the mark as a work of fiction in that it makes us consider the real world that inspired the characters and settings -- all the more because, in this case, it was all very directly inspired by real events and, in some cases, by real people (ancestrally).
This is slice-of-life meets systemic racism meets generational trauma meets hope.
I cannot recommend this book enough. To everyone.
October 1, 2026
Quietly Heartbreaking, Immensely Powerful
The dynamic between the sisters and the broader family is the true heartbeat of this book. The contrast between little Mae listening in on adult secrets and Dr. Marley actively fighting to expose them creates a rhythm that keeps you turning pages late into the night. It exposes systematic injustice without ever losing sight of the resilience, warmth, and quiet dignity of the people fighting back. A haunting, eye-opening read that handled a heavy subject with absolute respect and storytelling mastery. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.
The dynamic between the sisters and the broader family is the true heartbeat of this book. The contrast between little Mae listening in on adult secrets and Dr. Marley actively fighting to expose them creates a rhythm that keeps you turning pages late into the night. It exposes systematic injustice without ever losing sight of the resilience, warmth, and quiet dignity of the people fighting back. A haunting, eye-opening read that handled a heavy subject with absolute respect and storytelling mastery. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews