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Last Ride to Graceland
One woman sets out for Graceland hoping to answer the question: Is Elvis Presley her father?
Blues musician Cory Ainsworth is barely scraping by after her mother’s death when she discovers a priceless piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia hidden away in a shed out back of the family’s coastal South Carolina home: Elvis Presley’s Stutz Blackhawk, its interior a time capsule of the singer’s last day on earth.
A backup singer for the King, Cory’s mother Honey was at Graceland the day Elvis died. She quickly returned home to Beaufort and married her high school sweetheart. Yearning to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past—and possibly her own identity—Cory decides to drive the car back to Memphis and turn it over to Elvis’s estate, retracing the exact route her mother took thirty-seven years earlier. As she winds her way through the sprawling deep south with its quaint towns and long stretches of open road, the burning question in Cory’s mind—who is my father?—takes a backseat to the truth she learns about her complicated mother, the minister's daughter who spent a lifetime struggling to conceal the consequences of a single year of rebellion.
Blues musician Cory Ainsworth is barely scraping by after her mother’s death when she discovers a priceless piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia hidden away in a shed out back of the family’s coastal South Carolina home: Elvis Presley’s Stutz Blackhawk, its interior a time capsule of the singer’s last day on earth.
A backup singer for the King, Cory’s mother Honey was at Graceland the day Elvis died. She quickly returned home to Beaufort and married her high school sweetheart. Yearning to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past—and possibly her own identity—Cory decides to drive the car back to Memphis and turn it over to Elvis’s estate, retracing the exact route her mother took thirty-seven years earlier. As she winds her way through the sprawling deep south with its quaint towns and long stretches of open road, the burning question in Cory’s mind—who is my father?—takes a backseat to the truth she learns about her complicated mother, the minister's daughter who spent a lifetime struggling to conceal the consequences of a single year of rebellion.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2016
46 people are currently reading
2539 people want to read
About the author
Kim Wright
16 books255 followersWhen I was a kid I was so obsessed with books I used to check out four at a time from the library - that was the limit in the small NC town where I was raised - then walk down the street, sit under a tree, and read them as fast a I could so I could go back to get four more.
Now I am the author of Love in Mid Air, The Unexpected Waltz, The Canterbury Sisters, and the most recent, Last Ride to Graceland, all published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster.
I also write the City of Mystery series which includes City of Darkness, City of Light, City of Silence, City of Bells, City of Stone, and the Christmas-themed novella, The Angel of Hever Castle. This series is set in the Victorian era and deals with another of my obsessions, the founding of the first forensics unit in Scotland Yard. My chief detective, Trevor Welles, struggles to be a modern man in an antiquated system.
I am the mother of two grown children and recently became a grandmother for the first time. (I highly recommend it!) My hobbies include ballroom dance, travel, and dogs.
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August 22, 2016
Last Ride to Graceland by Kim Wright is the post-1980 group read for the Southern literary trail group for September 2016. It is the story of Cory Beth Ainsworth, a 38 year old who has made a career of singing in bars and living from paycheck to paycheck. One day, while running an errand for her father, Cory Beth discovers a 1973 stutz Blackhawk once belonging to Elvis Presley. Only knowing that her recently deceased mother Laura Berry was once the King's backup singer, Cory Beth decides to take the stutz for one last ride back to Graceland in order to find out both about her mother's past and about herself.
The story takes place in five parts, which Wright has said correspond to five southern states. What ensues is a charming summer road trip as Ainsworth ventures from her home in Beaufort, South Carolina, taking back roads all the way to Memphis. Along the way she makes stops in Macon, Georgia; Fairhope, Alabama; and Tupelo, Mississippi. At each stop, Cory Beth meets a key figure who was part of her mother's life during her year singing with Elvis, as she tries to unravel the mystery that was her mother's life the year before she was born.
Wright, a writer for 20 years, most recently the Unexpected Waltz, has created some memorable characters, from Cory Beth and Laura to Marilee Jones, Laura's former backup singer, to Dirk, a Graceland security guard. As in any road trip book, there are other characters at every stop along the way as well as road trip companion, in this case Lucy the dog. Additionally, there is local food in order to get a taste for Americana from southern barbecue to fried seafood to honey and biscuits on Beale Street.
Yet what makes this more than a fast paced summer road trip is Cory Beth's quest for self discovery. All along she wondered about her mother's life in Memphis; why she has left the comfort of her life of her life in Beaufort, which included marrying her high school sweetheart after graduation. Why exchange the life of a preacher's daughter for that of a roadie. After not knowing for the first 38 years of her life, Cory Beth, upon uncovering the car, was determined to find out. At each stop, Wright peels back another layer to Laura's life, creating intrigue that kept me reading until the conclusion.
The Last Ride to Graceland is a story of self discovery and a glimpse at Elvis. This was the first time I had read a book by Kim Wright, but it will not be the last. From the memorable characters to charming story to a slice of Americana, there was something for everyone in this book. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, summer read.
The story takes place in five parts, which Wright has said correspond to five southern states. What ensues is a charming summer road trip as Ainsworth ventures from her home in Beaufort, South Carolina, taking back roads all the way to Memphis. Along the way she makes stops in Macon, Georgia; Fairhope, Alabama; and Tupelo, Mississippi. At each stop, Cory Beth meets a key figure who was part of her mother's life during her year singing with Elvis, as she tries to unravel the mystery that was her mother's life the year before she was born.
Wright, a writer for 20 years, most recently the Unexpected Waltz, has created some memorable characters, from Cory Beth and Laura to Marilee Jones, Laura's former backup singer, to Dirk, a Graceland security guard. As in any road trip book, there are other characters at every stop along the way as well as road trip companion, in this case Lucy the dog. Additionally, there is local food in order to get a taste for Americana from southern barbecue to fried seafood to honey and biscuits on Beale Street.
Yet what makes this more than a fast paced summer road trip is Cory Beth's quest for self discovery. All along she wondered about her mother's life in Memphis; why she has left the comfort of her life of her life in Beaufort, which included marrying her high school sweetheart after graduation. Why exchange the life of a preacher's daughter for that of a roadie. After not knowing for the first 38 years of her life, Cory Beth, upon uncovering the car, was determined to find out. At each stop, Wright peels back another layer to Laura's life, creating intrigue that kept me reading until the conclusion.
The Last Ride to Graceland is a story of self discovery and a glimpse at Elvis. This was the first time I had read a book by Kim Wright, but it will not be the last. From the memorable characters to charming story to a slice of Americana, there was something for everyone in this book. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, summer read.
August 25, 2016
This book has to go into the category of "much better than I thought it would be." Something about the cover art, (all that pink!), the fact it was only issued in paperback, I don't know, I just had the impression it was going to be a sweet, romancey kind of thing, which I'm not really into.
But I was SO wrong. It's a book about a solo road trip taken by a woman who has always thought that Elvis was her father because her mother had been a back-up singer for him, and she came home pregnant and married her high school boyfriend in Beaufort, SC. She finds Elvis' Stutz Blackhawk in a shed after her mother's death, and sets off for Graceland, following the trail of trash left in the car. Her path takes her through, Macon, GA, Fairhope, AL, and Tupelo, MS, finding people and clues all along the way.
This book is told in alternating chapters by Cory, our heroine, looking for the truth, and Honey, her mother, telling us what really happened. The inclusion of Elvis's story, and his last days at Graceland, the panic and confusion surrounding his death, and the vulnerability and loneliness that all his fame and money couldn't salve, is what puts this book over the top.
Did the author take liberties with the truth? Yes, because it's fiction, and that is known as literary license. But it sticks close to what is known about Elvis Presley and his last days, and also gives us the story of a woman searching for her real father, and finding pieces of her real mother, and herself as well.
So, I was wrong. Not a romance at all. But it was a very funny, entertaining, informative read. I liked it a lot. And yes, Cory finds her father.
But I was SO wrong. It's a book about a solo road trip taken by a woman who has always thought that Elvis was her father because her mother had been a back-up singer for him, and she came home pregnant and married her high school boyfriend in Beaufort, SC. She finds Elvis' Stutz Blackhawk in a shed after her mother's death, and sets off for Graceland, following the trail of trash left in the car. Her path takes her through, Macon, GA, Fairhope, AL, and Tupelo, MS, finding people and clues all along the way.
This book is told in alternating chapters by Cory, our heroine, looking for the truth, and Honey, her mother, telling us what really happened. The inclusion of Elvis's story, and his last days at Graceland, the panic and confusion surrounding his death, and the vulnerability and loneliness that all his fame and money couldn't salve, is what puts this book over the top.
Did the author take liberties with the truth? Yes, because it's fiction, and that is known as literary license. But it sticks close to what is known about Elvis Presley and his last days, and also gives us the story of a woman searching for her real father, and finding pieces of her real mother, and herself as well.
So, I was wrong. Not a romance at all. But it was a very funny, entertaining, informative read. I liked it a lot. And yes, Cory finds her father.
October 4, 2016
Don't let the pink cover discourage you from reading a story you'll most likely enjoy !! Finding out ( after her recent death) that her Mother had a mysterious past as " Honey " a back up singer in Memphis Tennessee, 38 year old Cory Beth Ainsworth a struggling musician decides to set out on what will become a well imagined search for her roots. Following leads found in a shiny black Stutz Blackhawk unearthed from a shed near her families South Carolina home, she traces her mom's trail right to , you guessed it, Graceland itself. Could Elvis have actually been her biological father? It's pretty hard not to be interested in all things Elvis, even if you ( like me) missed the full excitement surrounding him in the 1950's. In addition it's a fun, easy , read about a mother and daughter each on their own journey of self-discovery. 4 stars
July 5, 2016
Jump in the car -- we are going on a road trip!
Corey Ainsworth of Beaufort, SC has always stumbled around through life, and even at the age of 37 she doesn't quite know what she wants to do when she "grows up." There's something that's always been gnawing at the back of her mind though. In her words, she was "a premature baby who weighed nine pounds, nine ounces. Yeah, I know. Impossible. But you have to understand that this particular kind of medical miracle is common in the rural South." Born 7 months after her parents got married (and 7 months and 1 day after her mother, a former back up singer for Elvis Presley, unexpectedly returned to town after living at Graceland for a year) Corey has long suspected that her biological father isn't Bradley Ainsworth, who lovingly raised her, but The King himself.
A few months after Corey's mother passes away, she makes a startling discovery in the shed of the family's fishing cabin -- a flawless Stutz Blackhawk (Elvis's favorite car) packed up tight. Corey decides to drive the car back to Graceland following the route her mother must have taken (based on clues left in the car) to determine once and for all the identify of her biological father.
The story is told in alternating points of view between Corey and her mother, Honey. While one does not need to be an Elvis fan to enjoy the story, some familiarity with the singer and his story will probably add to one's interest.
Kim Wright has found her niche in developing strong female characters, entertaining story lines laced with humor and grace, and a plot that seems fresh. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I did with last year's The Canterbury Sisters. This book is perfect for the beach, pool, or a trip of your own. It would also be a good "palate cleanser" between heavier books.
4+ stars
Although I was given a galley of this book, I listened to the audio, which was excellent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Corey Ainsworth of Beaufort, SC has always stumbled around through life, and even at the age of 37 she doesn't quite know what she wants to do when she "grows up." There's something that's always been gnawing at the back of her mind though. In her words, she was "a premature baby who weighed nine pounds, nine ounces. Yeah, I know. Impossible. But you have to understand that this particular kind of medical miracle is common in the rural South." Born 7 months after her parents got married (and 7 months and 1 day after her mother, a former back up singer for Elvis Presley, unexpectedly returned to town after living at Graceland for a year) Corey has long suspected that her biological father isn't Bradley Ainsworth, who lovingly raised her, but The King himself.
A few months after Corey's mother passes away, she makes a startling discovery in the shed of the family's fishing cabin -- a flawless Stutz Blackhawk (Elvis's favorite car) packed up tight. Corey decides to drive the car back to Graceland following the route her mother must have taken (based on clues left in the car) to determine once and for all the identify of her biological father.
The story is told in alternating points of view between Corey and her mother, Honey. While one does not need to be an Elvis fan to enjoy the story, some familiarity with the singer and his story will probably add to one's interest.
Kim Wright has found her niche in developing strong female characters, entertaining story lines laced with humor and grace, and a plot that seems fresh. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I did with last year's The Canterbury Sisters. This book is perfect for the beach, pool, or a trip of your own. It would also be a good "palate cleanser" between heavier books.
4+ stars
Although I was given a galley of this book, I listened to the audio, which was excellent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2016
Last Ride to Graceland by Kim Wright by Kim Wright is a 2016 Gallery Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.
“It was like he came along and whispered some dream in everybody’s ear, and somehow we all dreamed it. - Bruce Springsteen
This is an engrossing story, steeped in whimsical history, featuring the King of rock -n- roll, and the story of Laura “Honey” Berry and her daughter, Cory.
The rich atmosphere of a good old fashioned southern road trip, peppered with history and sprinkled with a colorful cast, all works together to generate a poignant tale which connects a mother and daughter, on the ultimate journey of self-discovery.
Cory Ainsworth, a blues musician, at the age of thirty-seven, has never seemed able to settle down. With her mother’s recent death, Cory feels as though the time is long overdue for her address the issue of her biological father, because it is most certainly not Bradley, the man who raised her as his own.
Laura Ainsworth, nee’ Berry, also known as “Honey”, was a backup singer for Elvis in the last years of his life. She lived at Graceland, fell in love, then soon finds herself ‘in trouble’. She makes the long sojourn back home to South Carolina and immediately married her high school sweetheart, gave birth to Cory seven months later, and continued on with life with little mention of her past and certainly not Elvis.
Now, all these years later, Bradley sets things in motion for Cory by sending her on an errand which leads her to the discovery of a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk automobile, that has been literally entombed since 1977. There is no doubt this car belonged to Elvis and Cory intends to return it to Graceland and retrace her mother’s journey in reverse from South Carolina to Memphis, hoping to prove Elvis was her real father.
Along the way, Cory picks up a fellow traveler, a coon hound, she names Lucy and the two become inseparable, which convinces me this trip is karma at its finest.
While Cory’s focus is on finding her father, what she discovers is how complex her mother really was. Honey was not the Laura Ainsworth that Cory grew up with. She is certainly remembered by many, but each person seems to have a different take on her character, making her a bit of a mystery to Cory.
Via Honey’s diaries, we are privy to Honey’s version of events, which, coupled with the retelling of Elvis’ last days adds a bittersweet quality to the tale.
Cory’s journey opens her eyes to many things, as the past merges with the present, and she discovers she is more like her mother than she ever thought possible. All the characters she encounters are unique, all of them giving Cory a little insight into her mother’s past. Some of these characters are likeable, some not as much., but in their own way, I think they all felt a sincere fondness for Honey and for Cory, even those who were full of it.
I have to admit, I was never a huge fan of Elvis, but I did find the passages highlighting conversations between him and Honey to be interesting, and I do believe Honey and Cory had him pegged pretty good, but of course, he did show Honey a great kindness, and for that reason, he is a redeemable character in the story.
This journey will resolve many of Cory’s lingering and burning questions, the most important of which is the discovery of the real Laura Ainsworth, and in the process, the discovery of her own self, which gives her the courage to grab hold of a promising future with both hands, which I am sure would make Honey, and maybe even Elvis, very proud.
I enjoyed this story very much, thought it was poignant, humorous at times, bittersweet, but ultimately a heartwarming story that left feeling like Cory has finally gotten her footing and will become the success she was destined to be.
“It was like he came along and whispered some dream in everybody’s ear, and somehow we all dreamed it. - Bruce Springsteen
This is an engrossing story, steeped in whimsical history, featuring the King of rock -n- roll, and the story of Laura “Honey” Berry and her daughter, Cory.
The rich atmosphere of a good old fashioned southern road trip, peppered with history and sprinkled with a colorful cast, all works together to generate a poignant tale which connects a mother and daughter, on the ultimate journey of self-discovery.
Cory Ainsworth, a blues musician, at the age of thirty-seven, has never seemed able to settle down. With her mother’s recent death, Cory feels as though the time is long overdue for her address the issue of her biological father, because it is most certainly not Bradley, the man who raised her as his own.
Laura Ainsworth, nee’ Berry, also known as “Honey”, was a backup singer for Elvis in the last years of his life. She lived at Graceland, fell in love, then soon finds herself ‘in trouble’. She makes the long sojourn back home to South Carolina and immediately married her high school sweetheart, gave birth to Cory seven months later, and continued on with life with little mention of her past and certainly not Elvis.
Now, all these years later, Bradley sets things in motion for Cory by sending her on an errand which leads her to the discovery of a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk automobile, that has been literally entombed since 1977. There is no doubt this car belonged to Elvis and Cory intends to return it to Graceland and retrace her mother’s journey in reverse from South Carolina to Memphis, hoping to prove Elvis was her real father.
Along the way, Cory picks up a fellow traveler, a coon hound, she names Lucy and the two become inseparable, which convinces me this trip is karma at its finest.
While Cory’s focus is on finding her father, what she discovers is how complex her mother really was. Honey was not the Laura Ainsworth that Cory grew up with. She is certainly remembered by many, but each person seems to have a different take on her character, making her a bit of a mystery to Cory.
Via Honey’s diaries, we are privy to Honey’s version of events, which, coupled with the retelling of Elvis’ last days adds a bittersweet quality to the tale.
Cory’s journey opens her eyes to many things, as the past merges with the present, and she discovers she is more like her mother than she ever thought possible. All the characters she encounters are unique, all of them giving Cory a little insight into her mother’s past. Some of these characters are likeable, some not as much., but in their own way, I think they all felt a sincere fondness for Honey and for Cory, even those who were full of it.
I have to admit, I was never a huge fan of Elvis, but I did find the passages highlighting conversations between him and Honey to be interesting, and I do believe Honey and Cory had him pegged pretty good, but of course, he did show Honey a great kindness, and for that reason, he is a redeemable character in the story.
This journey will resolve many of Cory’s lingering and burning questions, the most important of which is the discovery of the real Laura Ainsworth, and in the process, the discovery of her own self, which gives her the courage to grab hold of a promising future with both hands, which I am sure would make Honey, and maybe even Elvis, very proud.
I enjoyed this story very much, thought it was poignant, humorous at times, bittersweet, but ultimately a heartwarming story that left feeling like Cory has finally gotten her footing and will become the success she was destined to be.
September 10, 2016
Being a member in good standing of the ‘He Man Woman-Haters Club’ I don’t usually stoop to reading that subgenre commonly referred to as chick lit but after corresponding with author Kim Wright and finding her to be delightful and funny, I figured I would go ahead and give her newest book a try, so I ordered a copy. My resolve waivered a bit when it arrived and I found the cover to be pinker than a flamingo’s tutu but Kim assured me that as the author she had no say in any decisions regarding cover color so I braced myself, wrapped the book in a brown paper cover like mama used to do in grade school, and gave it a go.
It was actually pretty good. For starters, it’s about a road trip. For some reason 2016 seems to be my ear for southern road trip books, what with Carrying Albert Home, Fallen Land, Rivers and Absalom's Daughters: A Novel, and I’ve found that I’ve come to enjoy the way they flow with new adventures arising at every bend in the road. LTtG has the advantage of including one of the coolest cars in existence, a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk, the last car that Elvis Presley (pause for moment of reverent silence) ever drove. Before I started this book my only knowledge of the Stutz Motor Company came from building a model of a 1913 Stutz Bearcat, the stripped-down models with the cylindrical gas tank behind the seats. I didn’t even know the company still existed into my lifetime. But this car is amazing. It’s like if a Lincoln Town Car and a Jaguar got together and had a shiny black baby.
I digress. In short, Cory finds a car that once belonged to her mother, once a back-up singer for Elvis, and set off on a four-state ramble to discover just who she was, or so she thinks. Over the next few days she meets several people who share with her the story of her mama’s trip from Graceland on that fateful night in August 1977.
Ms. Wright spins an imaginative tale full of well-developed characters and does it in a manner that would make her story-telling southern ancestors proud.
It was actually pretty good. For starters, it’s about a road trip. For some reason 2016 seems to be my ear for southern road trip books, what with Carrying Albert Home, Fallen Land, Rivers and Absalom's Daughters: A Novel, and I’ve found that I’ve come to enjoy the way they flow with new adventures arising at every bend in the road. LTtG has the advantage of including one of the coolest cars in existence, a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk, the last car that Elvis Presley (pause for moment of reverent silence) ever drove. Before I started this book my only knowledge of the Stutz Motor Company came from building a model of a 1913 Stutz Bearcat, the stripped-down models with the cylindrical gas tank behind the seats. I didn’t even know the company still existed into my lifetime. But this car is amazing. It’s like if a Lincoln Town Car and a Jaguar got together and had a shiny black baby.
I digress. In short, Cory finds a car that once belonged to her mother, once a back-up singer for Elvis, and set off on a four-state ramble to discover just who she was, or so she thinks. Over the next few days she meets several people who share with her the story of her mama’s trip from Graceland on that fateful night in August 1977.
Ms. Wright spins an imaginative tale full of well-developed characters and does it in a manner that would make her story-telling southern ancestors proud.
May 26, 2016
Fans of Kim Wright will no doubt want to put this in their to read pile! I fell in love with this author when I read her book The Canterbury Sisters last year so when I got my greedy little hands on this advanced copy I couldn't wait to dive in! And, no I definitely was not disappointed.
I will give you a little teaser... it's the opening paragraph:
"I was a premature baby who weighted nine pounds and nine ounces. Yeah, I know. Impossible. But you have to understand that this particular kind of medical miracle is common in the rural South. Jesus still looks down from billboards around here and people care what their neighbors think. We pray and we salute... and most of all, we lie. It's why we have so many good writers per capita, and so many bad writers too, because all of us learned to bend the truth before we could even half talk."
I was giggling out loud at this opening paragraph because I grew up in the South and yes, we do have some very unique ways of telling half truths to cover up the most ridiculous lies. And, we opt to just let these lies go even when we know that they are the biggest whoppers you've ever heard. It is a strange phenomenon but so very true! And this book is basically the story of a daughter that finally decides to dig out the truth behind a big whopper of a lie that she had been choosing to ignore for most of her life. But, as all lies go, the truth eventually finds it way to the surface. And, when Cory finds her truth it is indeed life changing. This is a book where past finally catches up with the present and truths are finally shaken out of the seats of a famous car with red leather seats... A Black Hawk that belonged to none other than... Elvis.
This author has a unique writing style that I think appeals very strongly to older women who have been through the many ups and downs that life can throw at you. Women who are that point in their lives when they begin to reflect on the past and are at a crossroads.
That is how I felt about this book. Cory was a woman who recently lost her mom. She was stuck in a rut and had an unsettled past. A past that was haunted by the spirit of Elvis and the impact he made on her mother. She travels the same route back to Memphis that her mom took back to her hometown decades ago in the hopes of discovering the secrets of the past that made her mom the woman she was. It was a "Who am I?" search. And, I'm sure we can all relate to that.
The book takes us from past to present and we get to meet her mom as a young woman named "Honey" and how her life became irreversibly changed because of her time as a backup singer for Elvis during his last year as a performer before he died. She was only with him for a year but the things that occurred during her time there would change her forever.
The one thing that I truly enjoyed about this book was the effect it had on me in regards to the life Elvis apparently lived behind the scenes. A man who had it all but it was still not enough. He was haunted by his own ghosts and he was clearly a troubled man. I only know Elvis as the King of Rock 'n Roll and never really thought about how hard this fame truly was on him as an ordinary man. He was indeed very eccentric, but also very compassionate and kind. Even though this is a work of fiction, I appreciated the way the author honored Elvis by adding in snippets of him as a real person who like everyone else can be forever haunted by the tragic events and loss that surrounded him throughout his life. Beautiful storytelling!
As someone who has recently lost her mom, I can tell you that the things mothers leave behind can drive you to do some serious soul searching. And, Cory had some of her own to do when she found a very large secret that her mom had been hiding from her for almost 30 years hidden in the shed after her death.
Cory's road back to Graceland as she followed her mothers long ago footsteps is a compelling, touching and emotional journey of a young woman discovering that life is not always as it seems. She meets some very eccentric characters from her mothers past that helps her to learn not only who her mother truly was but she also eventually finds out where she truly belongs.
I adored this book and I have found a new author to stalk! She definitely writes stories that touch me in ways that will keep me coming back for more.
I received an advanced copy of this book as a member of the Simon & Schuster XOXperts street team.
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I will give you a little teaser... it's the opening paragraph:
"I was a premature baby who weighted nine pounds and nine ounces. Yeah, I know. Impossible. But you have to understand that this particular kind of medical miracle is common in the rural South. Jesus still looks down from billboards around here and people care what their neighbors think. We pray and we salute... and most of all, we lie. It's why we have so many good writers per capita, and so many bad writers too, because all of us learned to bend the truth before we could even half talk."
I was giggling out loud at this opening paragraph because I grew up in the South and yes, we do have some very unique ways of telling half truths to cover up the most ridiculous lies. And, we opt to just let these lies go even when we know that they are the biggest whoppers you've ever heard. It is a strange phenomenon but so very true! And this book is basically the story of a daughter that finally decides to dig out the truth behind a big whopper of a lie that she had been choosing to ignore for most of her life. But, as all lies go, the truth eventually finds it way to the surface. And, when Cory finds her truth it is indeed life changing. This is a book where past finally catches up with the present and truths are finally shaken out of the seats of a famous car with red leather seats... A Black Hawk that belonged to none other than... Elvis.
This author has a unique writing style that I think appeals very strongly to older women who have been through the many ups and downs that life can throw at you. Women who are that point in their lives when they begin to reflect on the past and are at a crossroads.
That is how I felt about this book. Cory was a woman who recently lost her mom. She was stuck in a rut and had an unsettled past. A past that was haunted by the spirit of Elvis and the impact he made on her mother. She travels the same route back to Memphis that her mom took back to her hometown decades ago in the hopes of discovering the secrets of the past that made her mom the woman she was. It was a "Who am I?" search. And, I'm sure we can all relate to that.
The book takes us from past to present and we get to meet her mom as a young woman named "Honey" and how her life became irreversibly changed because of her time as a backup singer for Elvis during his last year as a performer before he died. She was only with him for a year but the things that occurred during her time there would change her forever.
The one thing that I truly enjoyed about this book was the effect it had on me in regards to the life Elvis apparently lived behind the scenes. A man who had it all but it was still not enough. He was haunted by his own ghosts and he was clearly a troubled man. I only know Elvis as the King of Rock 'n Roll and never really thought about how hard this fame truly was on him as an ordinary man. He was indeed very eccentric, but also very compassionate and kind. Even though this is a work of fiction, I appreciated the way the author honored Elvis by adding in snippets of him as a real person who like everyone else can be forever haunted by the tragic events and loss that surrounded him throughout his life. Beautiful storytelling!
As someone who has recently lost her mom, I can tell you that the things mothers leave behind can drive you to do some serious soul searching. And, Cory had some of her own to do when she found a very large secret that her mom had been hiding from her for almost 30 years hidden in the shed after her death.
Cory's road back to Graceland as she followed her mothers long ago footsteps is a compelling, touching and emotional journey of a young woman discovering that life is not always as it seems. She meets some very eccentric characters from her mothers past that helps her to learn not only who her mother truly was but she also eventually finds out where she truly belongs.
I adored this book and I have found a new author to stalk! She definitely writes stories that touch me in ways that will keep me coming back for more.
I received an advanced copy of this book as a member of the Simon & Schuster XOXperts street team.
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KT Book Reviews
September 25, 2016
This was a great story of a daughter re-tracing her mothers trip from Graceland to hometown Beaufort SC in Elvis' Stutz Blackhawk car, finding more about herself and her mom along the way. I didn't like Cory so much, but loved the car and Elvis lore, the towns she visited and the characters from her mothers year at Graceland as back-up singer!
February 29, 2016
Cory Ainsworth knows her mother was a backup singer for Elvis Presley. Her mother was there the day Elvis died, but she quickly returned home to Beaufort and married her high school sweetheart. Cory also knows she could not possibly be her father’s biological daughter. The math just does not add up, although friends and family will tell you Cory was a nine-pound premature baby.
The Last Ride to Graceland really takes off when Cory finds Elvis Presley’s Stutz Blackhawk bubble wrapped inside her families shed. It is like a time capsule with clues from the past. Anxious to know more about her mother and possibly discover whom her Daddy is, thirty-seven year old Cory impulsively jumps in the car and decides to retrace her mother’s trip from Graceland.
Wright delivers the story from Cory’s perspective, but she also takes us back to the summer Cory’s mother Honey spent in Graceland. The journey may have begun as a quest to learn who her father was, but it slowly becomes a journey to understand her mother and herself.
The pace of Last Ride to Graceland was easy-going, as we traveled the back roads and met friends of Cory’s mother. I enjoyed these small-towns and the bits of nostalgia. While fictional, Wright did research Elvis, giving bits of the tale an authentic feel.
I loved the landscape, iconic stops we made and enjoyed getting to know Cory and all of her quirks. The reveal of Cory’s biological father felt genuine and Wright gave us a clear account of Honey’s time in Graceland leaving me satisfied. I closed the book happy and hopeful for Cory.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The Last Ride to Graceland really takes off when Cory finds Elvis Presley’s Stutz Blackhawk bubble wrapped inside her families shed. It is like a time capsule with clues from the past. Anxious to know more about her mother and possibly discover whom her Daddy is, thirty-seven year old Cory impulsively jumps in the car and decides to retrace her mother’s trip from Graceland.
Wright delivers the story from Cory’s perspective, but she also takes us back to the summer Cory’s mother Honey spent in Graceland. The journey may have begun as a quest to learn who her father was, but it slowly becomes a journey to understand her mother and herself.
The pace of Last Ride to Graceland was easy-going, as we traveled the back roads and met friends of Cory’s mother. I enjoyed these small-towns and the bits of nostalgia. While fictional, Wright did research Elvis, giving bits of the tale an authentic feel.
I loved the landscape, iconic stops we made and enjoyed getting to know Cory and all of her quirks. The reveal of Cory’s biological father felt genuine and Wright gave us a clear account of Honey’s time in Graceland leaving me satisfied. I closed the book happy and hopeful for Cory.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer
September 30, 2016
Ladies and Gents,
You should never judge a book by its' pink, girlie, screaming of romance cover. You might miss out on a really good, all genders allowed, humorous read. Glad I nominated this one for my book club. I had a feeling there was more than bubble gum under that pink wrapper.
More on this story and a male hound named Lucy later. Hey, if Johnny Cash can write a song about a boy named Sue, why not?
To be continued...
You should never judge a book by its' pink, girlie, screaming of romance cover. You might miss out on a really good, all genders allowed, humorous read. Glad I nominated this one for my book club. I had a feeling there was more than bubble gum under that pink wrapper.
More on this story and a male hound named Lucy later. Hey, if Johnny Cash can write a song about a boy named Sue, why not?
To be continued...
June 8, 2016
I just returned a couple of weeks ago from a vacation in Memphis, Tennessee. I went to visit some friends. We spent the weekend seeing some awesome music at the Beale Street Music Festival. I stayed on past the weekend because, as a lifetime Elvis fan I wasn’t going to miss out on a visit to Graceland! I didn’t have a lot of time that day so I didn’t get to see everything there is to see. Let me tell you, there is a heap to see and do. But I am so glad I finally got to see it! Much to my surprise, I found myself in tears when I got to the meditation garden where Elvis is buried. It was an emotional experience for me.
Coming home and reading Last Ride to Graceland was a special treat after having just been there. This book will be enjoyed by all, whether you are an Elvis fan or not. If you are an Elvis fan, well what’s not to like! If you’re not an Elvis fan, you may learn some things here. And hey, why aren’t you an Elvis fan??? ~LOL~
Cory Beth Ainsworth is a 37 year old musician in her hometown of Beaufort, SC. Cory plays guitar and sings locally. It’s a seasonal gig and Cory just manages to eke out a living. Cory has inherited her musical talent from her mother, who left town after high school and spent a year living at Graceland and performing as one of Elvis’s backup singers.
Cory has recently lost her mother to breast cancer, but her father Bradley is still there for her. Though Cory was raised in a loving home, she’s known since she was 9 years-old that Bradley isn’t her real father. Her school project led her to do the math. Everything points to her mother having been pregnant already when she returned from her time at Graceland. There’s always been that one little question in the back of Cory’s head, is Elvis Presley her real father?
When Bradley calls Cory at work and leaves her a message to send him his boots, she goes out to his place. Since Bradley’s message specified over and over that she should NOT to look in his shed for the boots, Cory can’t resist the temptation of looking in his shed! So what to her wondering eyes should appear? Well, when Cory manages to unwrap it, it’s a 1977 Stutz Blackhawk in mint condition. There is not a doubt in Cory’s mind who this car once belonged to. Elvis was renowned for his love of this car.
Cory’s mother never talked about the year she was at Graceland and Cory has always been more than a little curious about her mother’s past. Hoping to discover the answers she has wondered about for so long, Cory sets out on a road trip through the south, on her way to Graceland. Using the items she finds in the car she retraces the route her mother took home those many years ago. Cory knows that her real motive is to find out if Elvis was her father. What she doesn’t bargain on are the truths she reveals about her mother’s past.
Cory’s a gal who doesn’t hesitate to face down her fears. She may not have done much with her life, but she’s not apologizing for it. Hey, it’s her life and she likes it that way! She’s gritty and a bit rebellious and I loved her character. The fact that she named her male dog Lucy just cracked me up.
The author, Kim Wright infuses this book with heart and humor galore! She paints Elvis as the huge megastar that he was, but also as a gentle, caring, scared and vulnerable person with a heart of gold. All of these traits ultimately led to his tragic death. I admire her for respecting our memories of Elvis, his great talent, and the wonderful legacy that he left behind.
I would definitely recommend this book. I enjoyed every moment of this ride to Graceland.
I want to thank the publisher (Gallery Books) for providing me with the ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
Coming home and reading Last Ride to Graceland was a special treat after having just been there. This book will be enjoyed by all, whether you are an Elvis fan or not. If you are an Elvis fan, well what’s not to like! If you’re not an Elvis fan, you may learn some things here. And hey, why aren’t you an Elvis fan??? ~LOL~
Cory Beth Ainsworth is a 37 year old musician in her hometown of Beaufort, SC. Cory plays guitar and sings locally. It’s a seasonal gig and Cory just manages to eke out a living. Cory has inherited her musical talent from her mother, who left town after high school and spent a year living at Graceland and performing as one of Elvis’s backup singers.
Cory has recently lost her mother to breast cancer, but her father Bradley is still there for her. Though Cory was raised in a loving home, she’s known since she was 9 years-old that Bradley isn’t her real father. Her school project led her to do the math. Everything points to her mother having been pregnant already when she returned from her time at Graceland. There’s always been that one little question in the back of Cory’s head, is Elvis Presley her real father?
When Bradley calls Cory at work and leaves her a message to send him his boots, she goes out to his place. Since Bradley’s message specified over and over that she should NOT to look in his shed for the boots, Cory can’t resist the temptation of looking in his shed! So what to her wondering eyes should appear? Well, when Cory manages to unwrap it, it’s a 1977 Stutz Blackhawk in mint condition. There is not a doubt in Cory’s mind who this car once belonged to. Elvis was renowned for his love of this car.
Cory’s mother never talked about the year she was at Graceland and Cory has always been more than a little curious about her mother’s past. Hoping to discover the answers she has wondered about for so long, Cory sets out on a road trip through the south, on her way to Graceland. Using the items she finds in the car she retraces the route her mother took home those many years ago. Cory knows that her real motive is to find out if Elvis was her father. What she doesn’t bargain on are the truths she reveals about her mother’s past.
Cory’s a gal who doesn’t hesitate to face down her fears. She may not have done much with her life, but she’s not apologizing for it. Hey, it’s her life and she likes it that way! She’s gritty and a bit rebellious and I loved her character. The fact that she named her male dog Lucy just cracked me up.
The author, Kim Wright infuses this book with heart and humor galore! She paints Elvis as the huge megastar that he was, but also as a gentle, caring, scared and vulnerable person with a heart of gold. All of these traits ultimately led to his tragic death. I admire her for respecting our memories of Elvis, his great talent, and the wonderful legacy that he left behind.
I would definitely recommend this book. I enjoyed every moment of this ride to Graceland.
I want to thank the publisher (Gallery Books) for providing me with the ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
May 23, 2016
Author Kim Wright has created a fresh and original road trip down memory lane that involves not only the main characters mother but also Elvis. Who could resist a cool book like that?
The author take some literary license and a lot of history about Elvis and crafts a delightful story that is told from two points of view – the mothers, from 40 years ago and her daughter’s, from today.
When Cory finds a unique and cool car on her parents property that she suspects belongs to none other than Elvis, she knows she has to follow in her mother’s footsteps and return the vehicle to Graceland. What she doesn’t realize is that her walk down memory lane will teach her not only something about herself but her mom and who she really was too.
With a unique concept like this, the author has developed a lighthearted read that is perfect in so many ways. As we meander through the southern states and everything with that southern feel to it, I actually found myself reading with a southern twang that I used to have when I lived in the south. LoL! It was a humorous way for me to enjoy this book thoroughly!
The author has a beautiful talent to create in your mind a free spirited, fun-loving and somewhat humorous road trip that begs to be enjoyed curled up in your comfy chair, but even better, on a road trip of your own. It reminds you to take the road less traveled and be open to anything.
With memorable characters and a look at the deep South in its truest fashion, Last Ride to Graceland by Kim Wright will spark something in you that won’t soon be forgotten. A fast yet engrossing read any contemporary fiction reader will enjoy immensely.
Full review on http://AMidlifeWife.com
The author take some literary license and a lot of history about Elvis and crafts a delightful story that is told from two points of view – the mothers, from 40 years ago and her daughter’s, from today.
When Cory finds a unique and cool car on her parents property that she suspects belongs to none other than Elvis, she knows she has to follow in her mother’s footsteps and return the vehicle to Graceland. What she doesn’t realize is that her walk down memory lane will teach her not only something about herself but her mom and who she really was too.
With a unique concept like this, the author has developed a lighthearted read that is perfect in so many ways. As we meander through the southern states and everything with that southern feel to it, I actually found myself reading with a southern twang that I used to have when I lived in the south. LoL! It was a humorous way for me to enjoy this book thoroughly!
The author has a beautiful talent to create in your mind a free spirited, fun-loving and somewhat humorous road trip that begs to be enjoyed curled up in your comfy chair, but even better, on a road trip of your own. It reminds you to take the road less traveled and be open to anything.
With memorable characters and a look at the deep South in its truest fashion, Last Ride to Graceland by Kim Wright will spark something in you that won’t soon be forgotten. A fast yet engrossing read any contemporary fiction reader will enjoy immensely.
Full review on http://AMidlifeWife.com
May 28, 2021
A road trip, the Deep South and Elvis Presley. What's not to love about this book? When Cory Beth finds a Stuz Blackhawk, belonging to Elvis, hidden away in her father's shed, it starts her on a journey of discovery. Her mother was a back up singer for Elvis and spent a year at Graceland. Could Elvis be her biological father? This was an entertaining and at times emotional read filled with lots of nostalgia, especially for fans of Elvis. I thought it was cleverly written and the way Kim Wright created a story around a car, that weaved through so many towns, on a road trip from South Carolina to Memphis and through history was an enjoyable read. This was a re-read for me and I have to say I enjoyed it more the second time round. Having now been to Graceland and some of the places mentioned here I found it even more relateable and although a work of fiction, really enjoyed the references to Elvis. I also picked up on a lot that I'd forgotten or missed the first time around. And even some Elvis related "errors" which I will overlook as difficult as that is being such a massive fan!!!! But fan or not this is a fun read.
August 22, 2017
There was a lot for me to like about this book.........I enjoy Southern Fiction, I like reading stories that involve a road trip & I love Elvis. It just happened to be a coincidence that I was reading this book during the 40th anniversary of Elvis's death. I toured Graceland in 1985 and have always wanted to go back. Knowing the author visited Graceland to help her in writing this book, I felt she
gave a detailed description of Graceland and the Memphis area. It sounds like Graceland has expanded since I visited 32 years ago.
The author creates a fictional story with fictional characters around true events and people. The book points out many of Elvis's short comings and demons, which at times can be hard to read even when you know they are true. A story of self discovery, I really felt for Cory on her quest for the truth. The fictional characters were interesting and quirky. Even though they were created by the author's imagination, you could picture Elvis having people like this in his large entourage of workers, "friends" and family.
gave a detailed description of Graceland and the Memphis area. It sounds like Graceland has expanded since I visited 32 years ago.
The author creates a fictional story with fictional characters around true events and people. The book points out many of Elvis's short comings and demons, which at times can be hard to read even when you know they are true. A story of self discovery, I really felt for Cory on her quest for the truth. The fictional characters were interesting and quirky. Even though they were created by the author's imagination, you could picture Elvis having people like this in his large entourage of workers, "friends" and family.
May 24, 2016
What a great concept this book was! There were Elvis facts in the book, but the story was of Cory Beth taking the same journey that her mother, once a backup singer of Elvis, made thirty seven years prior. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next on Cory's journey, in Elvis Presley's favorite car of course!
September 12, 2016
I loved this book. It reminded me of how Elvis-centric the world was, and it made me see him in a whole new way. Who does not love a road trip, & one in one of Elvis's classic cars is so much fun. A cast of wonderful characters, and Southern cuisine, and a dog...with a little mystery and coming-of-age a little later than most...it is all wonderful. Beautifully written. Highly recommended.
June 24, 2022
A real rollercoaster ride of a book, with parts that make you giggle out loud, and also some that bring a lump to your throat.
I saw Graceland last in 1995, and it seems from the details given by the character Cory upon her 2015 visit, it hasn’t changed much in 20 years. Brought back lots of good memories of my trip to Memphis!
I appreciated the author’s notes at the end. She explained where she got the idea for her story, what was fact, and what was fictional.
I saw Graceland last in 1995, and it seems from the details given by the character Cory upon her 2015 visit, it hasn’t changed much in 20 years. Brought back lots of good memories of my trip to Memphis!
I appreciated the author’s notes at the end. She explained where she got the idea for her story, what was fact, and what was fictional.
April 7, 2016
The narrator begins her story by informing the reader that she was a premature baby who just happened to weigh nine pounds and nine ounces. This sort of laugh out loud humor is found throughout the book. She is now an unreliable woman in her late 30’s who knows that her mother, a preacher’s daughter, was once a backup singer for Elvis Presley. She thinks that Elvis might be her biological father. A year after her mother’s death she goes to Graceland in attempt to learn more about herself instead she learns about her mom; a woman who was much more complex than her daughter ever knew. Her mother was finally able to share her life secrets. This gave her daughter the gift of understanding, something that she never had but was longing for. I thoroughly enjoyed my Graceland ride filled with southern food, southern bourbon and southern hospitality while meeting sassy women hiding their burdens. The reader gets the wonderful opportunity of learning, especially if you are not a southerner like me, that there are states located in the south that do, indeed, have a southern culture and then there is “The Real South,” located way below the Mason Dixon Line where locals live in bus houses, have coonhounds and use expressions such as “ain't got the good sense God gave a rock.” Although located in Memphis, Graceland was not “The Real South.” Elvis grew up a dirt poor kid. By this time in Elvis’s life the author portrays him as often sweet, often sad, always a major pain in the butt to his staff but never intentionally harmful to anyone. It is made clear that living life as “The King” would have been impossible for anyone. From the beginning till the end of the tale I felt that I was in the hands of an author talented enough to make me cry as well as laugh without being sappy as is often the case with dramedy. This is my first time reading a novel by Wright but it will not be my last. My only criticism is some parts of the book felt unnecessarily slow. Then again, maybe it’s that this New York minute northerner needs to slow down and embrace some sweet, southern style. This novel will be released to the public on May 24th. If you enjoyed reading "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café" or "Steel Magnolias" then I highly recommend "Last Ride to Graceland."
May 9, 2016
Ill recommend this book forevermore. What an incredible read! From the first page, Wright pulls you in to the narrative with the compelling, authentically Southern voice of blues musician Cory Beth and doesn't let go. Although the richly detailed portrait of Elvis and the mystery swirling around Cory is riveting in itself, the heart of this book is Cory's journey in uncovering the true person of her recently deceased mother--the person she was before marriage, before children. On this day especially--Mother's Day--this book presents such an important challenge: to look at our mothers not only in the context of their love for us, but to look at their lives with fresh eyes and appreciate the way their passions and backgrounds and stories have made us the people we are. Highly highly highly recommend!!!!
January 4, 2017
This probably deserves more than 3 stars - the writing was great, the story interesting with moments of poignancy. But it took me SO LONG to read! I just never found myself wanting to pick it up! Call it wrong timing. This is at its core a mother-daughter story. After her mother dies, Cory Beth Ainsworth goes in search of her "real" father (believing it to be Elvis, for whom her mother was a backup singer). She takes a road trip to Graceland and on the way she collects a dog and runs into a cast of interesting characters who reveal a more complex and deeper picture of who her mother was.
I got this book as an e-arc from Netgalley.
I got this book as an e-arc from Netgalley.
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April 8, 2025This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & More 7 Reasons to read Last Ride to Graceland
February 23, 2016
Cory is an wayward adult looking to discover who she is and where she is going. Cory discovers Elvis’ Blackhawk car in her dad’s shed. She decides to drive to Graceland via a circuitous route. What she discovers about herself and her family lead to a great story!
I love Cory! She is such a misguided individual with a kind heart. Very few characters touch your soul, Cory touched mine. She is a REAL person and her struggles pull your heart strings. I think it is because she has such a low expectation out of life, when she succeeds at anything, the reader CHEERS!
This is an engrossing read from start to finish. The mystery surrounding the Blackhawk, Cory’s adventure to find out about her mother and Elvis! This combination envelopes the reader and never lets go!
Being an hour south of Memphis and 45 minutes from Tupleo, this book was like reading about home. The stories about the life inside Graceland had me completely fascinated. And I am not a huge Elvis fan. I actually had misgivings about this book. No way could the author do Elvis or Graceland justice. I praise the author for a fabulous job. What a huge undertaking and to do it correctly- KUDOS!!!
I love Cory! She is such a misguided individual with a kind heart. Very few characters touch your soul, Cory touched mine. She is a REAL person and her struggles pull your heart strings. I think it is because she has such a low expectation out of life, when she succeeds at anything, the reader CHEERS!
This is an engrossing read from start to finish. The mystery surrounding the Blackhawk, Cory’s adventure to find out about her mother and Elvis! This combination envelopes the reader and never lets go!
Being an hour south of Memphis and 45 minutes from Tupleo, this book was like reading about home. The stories about the life inside Graceland had me completely fascinated. And I am not a huge Elvis fan. I actually had misgivings about this book. No way could the author do Elvis or Graceland justice. I praise the author for a fabulous job. What a huge undertaking and to do it correctly- KUDOS!!!
August 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It bounces back and forth between Cory Beth and her mom Honey when Honey was 19 and a backup singer for Elvis. Honey or Laura, has died 7 months earlier and Cory Beth is a 38-year-old singer who is barely making it. Her father calls and asks for her to mail his waders but don't look in the shed. He mentions the shed several times and so does is buddy who relayed the message. So of course Cory Beth looks. What does she find? A car wrapped in bubble wrap that is obviously one Elvis owned. Now Cory Beth retraces Honey's path from Memphis back home by the trash she finds in the car. Honey's story tells how she became a backup singer to returning back to her hometown pregnant with Cory. Very well written. At first I didn't think it was right that Cory Beth took the car but then I decided it was her birthright since her Mom originally owned it and probably saved it for her.
May 16, 2016
I loved this book!! At first I was a little weary. "oh no! Not another Elvis storyline" But as I started the first page I discovered it was about a southern girl like me! I could so relate to the southern language and humor. Hilarious!! And the main character Cory, stole my heart! Her journey from South Carolina to Graceland is heartwarming and funny. A must read for all those that need a giggle and an uplifting story.
I received this book from Goodreads free. An an honor to do a review.
I received this book from Goodreads free. An an honor to do a review.
November 15, 2020
I liked Kim Wright's Canterbury Sisters, despite my not liking the genre. So I put this book on my TBR ages ago when it came out, even though I don't care much for Elvis. I didn't quite care for the main character of this story, nor her mother as well and that's unfortunate. It's not a bad book, and I think I'll read other Kim Wright books if their subjects don't put me off, but this one was a miss.
May 24, 2016
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Southern storyteller, Kim Wright returns following her sensational The Canterbury Sisters with a charming, wild ride of fun and self-discovery, LAST RIDE TO GRACELAND. When the only way forward, may be to re-visit the past.
Bittersweet, a road trip to find her roots, through the deep south, quaint towns, history, quirky characters, and a journey to the truth of a complex mother, and a father who just might be the "King" of rock n roll.
“It was like he came along and whispered some dream in everybody’s ear, and somehow we all dreamed it.” --Bruce Springsteen
Part One Set in lovely, Beaufort, South Carolina, we hear from Cory Beth, 2015. A child of the rural Old South. Unlike Atlanta or Charlotte, just a place people drive through on their way to somewhere else. People like to protect something they love-like their family, their dignity or their reputation.
Cory was born seven months and four days after her parents got married. After her mamma left Graceland—did she make a mistake? She was a backup singer and went on the road instead of staying in town and marrying the local boy. She had been eighteen and had something to prove.
Laura Berry had left Beaufort—she toured and Bradly Ainsworth was left in the dust. However, in late summer of 1977 she returned. She had seen the world and had enough. She left Memphis –would he still have her? Bradley was a good man. He had nursed her mother when breast cancer took her. Deep down he has got to know. Cory always knew she was meant for greater things—plus she can sing.
Cory discovers a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk in her parent’s shed- a time capsule. Elvis died in Tennessee and the car’s in South Carolina, so unless a ghost sat behind the wheel, it most likely was her mother, Laura Berry Ainsworth, aka Honey Bear. She needs to retrace honey’s single wild year in Graceland. With the help of some notes left in the car she begins her journey.
Cory, 37-year-old blues musician who has been stuck hopping from one bar to another, wants answers about her past. What was her mother thinking when she left Graceland, driving back to Beauford, SC.
Flashing back and forth from Cory, 2015 to Honey, 1977. Honey was coming home in shame, with a car, no possessions, she did not like being poor. Her mama wanted her to marry Bradley, but she did not love him. She told her she may change her mind, because the human heart was a mysterious thing.
Part Two Macon, Georgia --A quest to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past, she drives back to Memphis, trying to retrace her mom’s steps from years ago. Part three, Fairhope, Alabama. Part four Tupelo, Mississippi. Were there other candidates for her father? Part Five: Memphis, Tennessee. The journey and the roads she takes –further from her destiny. A complex portrait of her mother—whose beautiful voice and rebellious spirit inspired the King.
Her desperate search for a father yields instead a complex portrait of her mother, (the parts of the woman—“rooms” inside her she didn’t really know).
While searching for her biological father, a road trip adventure provides a powerful bond of music and family in unexpected ways. An ongoing theme of memory-an integral and powerful part of the story. Ideal for book clubs and further discussions---how often do we want a different life than what we are born with—we run to escape for a better life (especially if you are from the South).
Even though I am not a huge fan of Elvis; however, always fascinating, a talented young man, from a poor Southern town, rises to glitz, glamour, and stardom. Was especially delighted, to discover Kim Wright, Charlotte, NC (also, a Charlotte native) and quickly purchased the audiobook, The Canterbury Sisters.
Wright has a unique storytelling skill, keeping you invested in the characters, and the ongoing mystery. Deeply moving, emotional, familiar places, music, and Southern dialect, blending the two time frames of both mother and daughter--mixed with humor and the true meaning of family.
Strongly reminded of Catherine Ryan Hyde with her adventures and journeys-always some wisdom, mystery, and lessons learned along the way! Loved reading the Inspiration behind the novel, and the author’s own road trip.
For further reading: HuffPost Science Feb, 2016 Elvis Presley’s Death — What Really Killed the King, by Garry Rodgers Former homicide detective and forensic coroner
JDCMustReadBoooks
Southern storyteller, Kim Wright returns following her sensational The Canterbury Sisters with a charming, wild ride of fun and self-discovery, LAST RIDE TO GRACELAND. When the only way forward, may be to re-visit the past.
Bittersweet, a road trip to find her roots, through the deep south, quaint towns, history, quirky characters, and a journey to the truth of a complex mother, and a father who just might be the "King" of rock n roll.
“It was like he came along and whispered some dream in everybody’s ear, and somehow we all dreamed it.” --Bruce Springsteen
Part One Set in lovely, Beaufort, South Carolina, we hear from Cory Beth, 2015. A child of the rural Old South. Unlike Atlanta or Charlotte, just a place people drive through on their way to somewhere else. People like to protect something they love-like their family, their dignity or their reputation.
Cory was born seven months and four days after her parents got married. After her mamma left Graceland—did she make a mistake? She was a backup singer and went on the road instead of staying in town and marrying the local boy. She had been eighteen and had something to prove.
Laura Berry had left Beaufort—she toured and Bradly Ainsworth was left in the dust. However, in late summer of 1977 she returned. She had seen the world and had enough. She left Memphis –would he still have her? Bradley was a good man. He had nursed her mother when breast cancer took her. Deep down he has got to know. Cory always knew she was meant for greater things—plus she can sing.
Cory discovers a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk in her parent’s shed- a time capsule. Elvis died in Tennessee and the car’s in South Carolina, so unless a ghost sat behind the wheel, it most likely was her mother, Laura Berry Ainsworth, aka Honey Bear. She needs to retrace honey’s single wild year in Graceland. With the help of some notes left in the car she begins her journey.
Cory, 37-year-old blues musician who has been stuck hopping from one bar to another, wants answers about her past. What was her mother thinking when she left Graceland, driving back to Beauford, SC.
Flashing back and forth from Cory, 2015 to Honey, 1977. Honey was coming home in shame, with a car, no possessions, she did not like being poor. Her mama wanted her to marry Bradley, but she did not love him. She told her she may change her mind, because the human heart was a mysterious thing.
Part Two Macon, Georgia --A quest to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past, she drives back to Memphis, trying to retrace her mom’s steps from years ago. Part three, Fairhope, Alabama. Part four Tupelo, Mississippi. Were there other candidates for her father? Part Five: Memphis, Tennessee. The journey and the roads she takes –further from her destiny. A complex portrait of her mother—whose beautiful voice and rebellious spirit inspired the King.
Her desperate search for a father yields instead a complex portrait of her mother, (the parts of the woman—“rooms” inside her she didn’t really know).
While searching for her biological father, a road trip adventure provides a powerful bond of music and family in unexpected ways. An ongoing theme of memory-an integral and powerful part of the story. Ideal for book clubs and further discussions---how often do we want a different life than what we are born with—we run to escape for a better life (especially if you are from the South).
Even though I am not a huge fan of Elvis; however, always fascinating, a talented young man, from a poor Southern town, rises to glitz, glamour, and stardom. Was especially delighted, to discover Kim Wright, Charlotte, NC (also, a Charlotte native) and quickly purchased the audiobook, The Canterbury Sisters.
Wright has a unique storytelling skill, keeping you invested in the characters, and the ongoing mystery. Deeply moving, emotional, familiar places, music, and Southern dialect, blending the two time frames of both mother and daughter--mixed with humor and the true meaning of family.
Strongly reminded of Catherine Ryan Hyde with her adventures and journeys-always some wisdom, mystery, and lessons learned along the way! Loved reading the Inspiration behind the novel, and the author’s own road trip.
For further reading: HuffPost Science Feb, 2016 Elvis Presley’s Death — What Really Killed the King, by Garry Rodgers Former homicide detective and forensic coroner
JDCMustReadBoooks
August 12, 2018
Cheesy and predictable. Had some cute moments but not enough for 3 stars. I also don't care about Elvis so maybe that contributed to my disinterest.
March 17, 2017
I liked this book better than I thought I would. I was an Elvis fan, like everyone else, but not a worshipper. The plot had a good premise and the author went from the past to the present very smoothly. The of the story proves that fame and riches cannot bring a person happiness - nor can drugs.
July 10, 2019
It was kind of cute "historical fiction". Dual timeline. The mother was one of Elvis's backup singers just before he died and finds herself pregnant. The daughter goes on a journey back to Graceand looking for her biological father in one of Elvis's old (yet well preserved) Stutz Blackhawk.
May 12, 2016
Book Info
Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: May 24th 2016 by Gallery Books
ISBN 1501100785 (ISBN13: 9781501100789)
Edition Language English
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N
Lauded for her “astute and engrossing” (People) writing style imbued with “originality galore” (RT Book Reviews), Kim Wright channels the best of Jennifer Weiner and Sarah Pekkanen in this delightful novel of self-discovery on the open road as one woman sets out for Graceland hoping to answer the question: Is Elvis Presley her father?
Blues musician Cory Ainsworth is barely scraping by after her mother’s death when she discovers a priceless piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia hidden away in a shed out back of the family’s coastal South Carolina home: Elvis Presley’s Stutz Blackhawk, its interior a time capsule of the singer’s last day on earth.
A backup singer for the King, Cory’s mother Honey was at Graceland the day Elvis died. She quickly returned home to Beaufort and married her high school sweetheart. Yearning to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past—and possibly her own identity—Cory decides to drive the car back to Memphis and turn it over to Elvis’s estate, retracing the exact route her mother took thirty-seven years earlier. As she winds her way through the sprawling deep south with its quaint towns and long stretches of open road, the burning question in Cory’s mind—who is my father?—takes a backseat to the truth she learns about her complicated mother, the minister's daughter who spent a lifetime struggling to conceal the consequences of a single year of rebellion.
When it comes to questions about Elvis Presley, even fictional ones, my curiosity knows no limits. So when read the book synopsis was intrigued to take the road trip that Cory found herself traveling on and to find out whether or not Mr. Presley is indeed her father.
Needless to say road trip scenarios are one of my favorite hooks in a book, it is always interesting to take these journeys, be open to every possibility and also meet new people as the reader along with Cory discover new places to visit along the way.
The only real drawback to finishing this tale of discovery is that having spent all that time with Cory on the road, finding out all the secrets of the past as well, it really is hard to come back to reality of real life as much for me as it will be for Cory once she finishes her long trip to find some answers.
Told from dual Points of View, Cory in 2015 and her mom Honey in 1977, the shift in time from past to present and vice versa is well done as it allows us to get a glimpse of both women’s similarities as well as their differences.
The eclectic cast of supporting characters are a mix of engaging Southern charm and hospitality as well as informative as they help Cory fill in some blanks about her Mother and the identity of her biological father.
Taking a piece of American history and adding her own take to it the author has created a lovely mix of finding truth as well as perhaps finally getting Cory the break she has long wanted as a singer.
The ending is full of possibilities that Cory never imagined when she started her road trip but if they pan out will give her the new life that she had always dreamed of for many years.
Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: May 24th 2016 by Gallery Books
ISBN 1501100785 (ISBN13: 9781501100789)
Edition Language English
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS
Lauded for her “astute and engrossing” (People) writing style imbued with “originality galore” (RT Book Reviews), Kim Wright channels the best of Jennifer Weiner and Sarah Pekkanen in this delightful novel of self-discovery on the open road as one woman sets out for Graceland hoping to answer the question: Is Elvis Presley her father?
Blues musician Cory Ainsworth is barely scraping by after her mother’s death when she discovers a priceless piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia hidden away in a shed out back of the family’s coastal South Carolina home: Elvis Presley’s Stutz Blackhawk, its interior a time capsule of the singer’s last day on earth.
A backup singer for the King, Cory’s mother Honey was at Graceland the day Elvis died. She quickly returned home to Beaufort and married her high school sweetheart. Yearning to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past—and possibly her own identity—Cory decides to drive the car back to Memphis and turn it over to Elvis’s estate, retracing the exact route her mother took thirty-seven years earlier. As she winds her way through the sprawling deep south with its quaint towns and long stretches of open road, the burning question in Cory’s mind—who is my father?—takes a backseat to the truth she learns about her complicated mother, the minister's daughter who spent a lifetime struggling to conceal the consequences of a single year of rebellion.
My Thoughts
When it comes to questions about Elvis Presley, even fictional ones, my curiosity knows no limits. So when read the book synopsis was intrigued to take the road trip that Cory found herself traveling on and to find out whether or not Mr. Presley is indeed her father.
Needless to say road trip scenarios are one of my favorite hooks in a book, it is always interesting to take these journeys, be open to every possibility and also meet new people as the reader along with Cory discover new places to visit along the way.
The only real drawback to finishing this tale of discovery is that having spent all that time with Cory on the road, finding out all the secrets of the past as well, it really is hard to come back to reality of real life as much for me as it will be for Cory once she finishes her long trip to find some answers.
Told from dual Points of View, Cory in 2015 and her mom Honey in 1977, the shift in time from past to present and vice versa is well done as it allows us to get a glimpse of both women’s similarities as well as their differences.
The eclectic cast of supporting characters are a mix of engaging Southern charm and hospitality as well as informative as they help Cory fill in some blanks about her Mother and the identity of her biological father.
Taking a piece of American history and adding her own take to it the author has created a lovely mix of finding truth as well as perhaps finally getting Cory the break she has long wanted as a singer.
The ending is full of possibilities that Cory never imagined when she started her road trip but if they pan out will give her the new life that she had always dreamed of for many years.
[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]
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