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Stony Kill

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After the sudden death of her mother, Joss Ryckman finds herself running away from everything―the life she did not choose of managing the family bakery in Brooklyn, the troubled relationship with her sometimes violent father, and her conflicts with Wyatt, a lover who always wants more. But when she flees to the country farm of her childhood in upstate New York, will she finally find the truth of dark events in her family’s past? Or will all that she has held at bay for twenty years come crashing down? As Joss comes to terms with her loss, she is forced to confront memories of a childhood steeped in both joy and sorrow. As the past seeps in through the rich farmland and the landscape of the treacherous, churning Stony Kill, Piecing together the broken past and her family’s dysfunction, the dark secrets of a family submerged in a history of violence and regret begin to take shape, and the reality of two brutal killings can no longer be denied. Joss must make her own choices and, ultimately, let go.Rich with beautiful language and immersed in powerful descriptions of Joss’s feelings, Stony Kill tells a powerful story of the heartbreak and suffering from violent acts of a dysfunctional family, and ultimately her hope and choice of a better life.

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 13, 2015

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795 people want to read

About the author

Marie White Small

2 books31 followers
A secret writer from a pragmatic blue-collar neighborhood, Marie White Small brings her skills as a florist, waitress, antiquarian bookseller, bookbinder, cook, and pie baker to the page. She studied at the Center for Book Arts in NYC and was the founder and moderator of a community literary critique group, North Gotham Fiction Writers, for ten years. Most recently, Ms. Small was the writer-in-residence at a Vermont mountaintop writer's retreat for most of 2015. She has published short fiction in the anthology, Southshire Pepper-Pot (Lion's Mark Press, 2007). Stony Kill (SelectBooks, Inc. 2015), is her debut novel. The companion cookbook, Miss Euphrates' Pies (SelectBooks, Inc., 2015) is available for download on Ms. Small's website.

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
1 review
October 16, 2015
“Stony Kill” – a disappointment.
(ARC edition)

Breaking into print is the brass ring writers lunge for. And I applaud Ms Small’s ability to get her novel published. It is neither easy, nor something to be taken lightly. And as a reader, I tend to crack open a book by a new author with hopeful expectations. “Stony Kill” was no exception. Even though the first couple of pages were a bit of a slog, there were glimmers of intriguing prose, a nice turn of phrase here and there. And the initial set-up hinted at definite possibilities. I truly hoped for an enjoyable read.
Sadly, my hopes were dashed in short order.

With contrived plot, two-dimensional characters, and overwritten prose, “Stony Kill” has all the mushy pretensions of “literary” fiction without the imagination, ear, or skill to make it more than a creative-writing class assignment. The dialogue is clunky, the prose redundant and at times outright offensive [referring to a vender in the garment district as a “witless slob” and Miss Euphrates’ stereotyped patois and persona were definite WTF moments].

As for the story itself, the protagonist is a whiny thirty-something who is supposedly haunted by family secrets she never even imagined until her mother’s recent death. As dysfunctional families go, hers is run-of-the-mill at worst, and the most interesting questions the author raises wind up being totally ignored. Though living in NYC, it seems she has to go upstate to meet any black people. And in that role, Miss Euphrates is but a caricature of the earthy, wise, “magic negro,” little more than a pale imitation of Margaret Mitchell’s Mammy and Carson McCullers’ Bernice Sadie Brown (“The Member of the Wedding”). And if one more person rattles off the menu of one more meal! I don’t need to know how to make an apple pie – complete with a product placement for King Arthur Flour – I want to know how it plays with the taste buds and tickles the nose. I want to know how it is important to the story aside from the fact that the protagonist is a baker.

I understand that SelectBooks has only recently expanded their standard catalogue of non-fiction/self-help fare to include a little fiction. SelectBooks might consider providing their authors with decent editors next time around. From split infinitives to overwrought description, not to mention whole passages that feel like author’s backstory better left in one’s bedside journal, this book is rife with rookie mistakes any good editor should have caught and corrected.

If this is the caliber of current American literary fiction, then we are in serious cultural trouble.


Profile Image for Lisa Smith.
Author 3 books112 followers
July 15, 2015
Stony Kill is a fantastic read, a beautifully written novel. I was transported into the world of Joss, the heroine, and her complicated family. The author has a real talent for developing settings through specific detail and observation. The cultural references of various eras and the dialogue were terrific. It felt like the author had to have been there and done that to know. I loved how the action flowed between past and present so seamlessly. The vivid language made it feel like watching a movie. And the central heartbreak of the book, the sadness and secrets that this family has carried for decades, is made all the more powerful by the reader's connection to these fully developed characters. The author clearly has a keen eye for human behavior and shows us what this family is all about in an affecting way. Like all great books, Stony Kill is bound to touch readers who can relate to one aspect or many of the messy, less than perfect family dynamics. There's no glorification here -- we get an honest depiction of how easy it is for simple acts to haunt people far into the future and how life can change on a dime. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys novels that are both literary and highly relatable. These characters and this story will stay with me.
Profile Image for Erin Wentworth.
1 review
November 15, 2015
I think Stony Kill is an amazing book, rich with beautiful language and a deep understanding of complex relationships through the portrayal of a young woman named Joss, coming to terms with the loss of her Mother, old family secrets and a dysfunction that reaches out from the past and affects her life as a young woman. This is shown brilliantly with the back and forth between Joss's experiences as a 12 year old girl and the repercussions of past events and her struggles as a thirty-something year old.

The characters seem more like memories of real people than made up characters in a book. In fact the whole story, setting and people take on a realness that transcends the pages, feeling like you have actually been there and met them. It's a real page turner; the story propels forward almost effortlessly and I found myself finishing it in just a few sittings. The themes are more than relevant in today's world and the sorrow of the book is both heightened and made richer and deeper by the truly beautiful and surprising ending which I won't give away!

The writing is superbly descriptive and has a very lyrical quality-some sentences and paragraphs just beg to be read aloud. One of my favorites, which also captures the intense anger Joss feels as a child goes, "I glared at the back of his head as he walked away and wished the sun would melt him all over his putrid tomato plants. Or that some young green tendril would grow oh so wicked and wise and bend its spiny arm round and round his haggard neck until it turned gray and broke. In the snap of a branch. Clonk. His head fallen off like one of his rotten, overripe tomatoes. Rolling and rotting beneath his Big Boys and Beefsteaks."

I highly recommend this book- the story itself, the characters (including the wise and wonderful Miss Euphrates) leap off the page. The writing is stunningly crafted and a joy to read Do yourself a favor and give this book a read.
Profile Image for Cynthia Kirk.
3 reviews1 follower
November 17, 2015
Stony Kill is a beautifully written book, with well-realized characters, especially vivid physical descriptions and a compelling story of unfathomable pain; the generosity and wisdom of empathy.
Profile Image for Matthew Harrill.
Author 32 books56 followers
June 22, 2015
I read this because I am in awe of the author as a person and knew that whether this story was my 'cup of tea' or not, it would be a book to pay attention to. Perhaps one of the most important tales in this current climate.

The message to me: Guns kill innocent people. Whether by design, whether by mistake. The result is the same. It will affect all involved for the rest of their lives.

The story itself is a tale of personal tragedy, of sadness, and of hope for possible redemption. It has a father who wishes for a son and imposes his designs for the boy on his daughter. It has the bond of friendship between children that made me think of something akin to Huckleberry Finn, and the plight of the central character to move beyond a history that never wants to let go of her.

It also has the most wonderful character in Miss Euphrates. I would not spoil it for you, but she made the story for me. I am on purpose avoiding retelling the story. That is for you the reader to find out yourself.

I will say that the POV isn't my thing. I am not a huge fan of first person and flashbacks, but they are combined to show the imprint of present life on past and vice versa. But what is undeniable is the power with which Marie White Small writes. This is a book that, like it or not, should have you reading cover to cover.
Profile Image for Lolly K Dandeneau.
1,933 reviews252 followers
May 20, 2015
Stony Kill is about a woman named Joss, whose father has always called Paulie-girl and Boy-o, a mini replica of himself. With her older sister Naomi closer to her distant mother, Joss becomes her dad's favored child, as if the family were split with divided loyalites, all her mother and father's making. But being her father's favorite wanes and she longs to be closer to her mother, much to her fathers dismay. There is a dark memory her mother carries as a heavy grief, having mysteriously lost her brother long ago, but who did it and why? The truth is a long time coming. Joss (Paulie-girl) doesn't know her father as well as she thought, and we journey with her memories of the past as she struggles with her angry aging father and strains against the love she shares with Wyatt. This story has one foot in the past and the other in the present.
When Joss and her mother pack up and leave her father to live on her mother's family farm, Miss Euphrates enters her life, caring for her on weekends when her mother cannot. She is my favorite character of the novel with her stories and wisdom. Joss learns her cooking skills from Miss Euphrates and so much more. It's not long before her sister brings her son, Haley (Joss nephew) to live on the famr, the two ramble through the land with Joss's friend Fletcher in tow. When Joss's father comes to visit, it's clear the peace of the place rises with tension- her father is angry and no one quite understands why. From the start he wants nothing to do with his grandsonn Haley, but the boy is gifted musically and bonds with his grandfather, winning his heart.
The parts of the novel that take us through Joss's childhood is delightful, and Miss Euphrates is vital to the heart of her youth but there is a cloud of tragedy following this family. Adult Joss is holding back her own life and chance of having a family of her own with Wyatt, who also has a haunting past that makes it easier for him to connect with Joss's irrate elderly father. The reader will understand what has tormented him by the novel's end and everything connects. This is not a happpy story, but it is a family one. One could very well use the famous quote by Tolstoy from Anna Karenina “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Whether ice skating, catching fire flies, baking with Miss Euphrates or struggling to dissect her parents complicated marriage and strange ways- Joss will pull you in.
Profile Image for Jennifer Kiley.
1 review61 followers
December 9, 2015
If I am ever able to get through Stony Kill I will write a more complete review. At the present time all I can say about it is it jumps all over the place and is hard to follow. The opening line was badly written and made me wonder if the author knew how to lead the reader into her story. I didn't much care for the protagonist and didn't feel like I cared much about the story she wanted to tell. It is the main problem as to why I am having so much trouble giving any of my valuable time in continuing to read further. I did jump around hoping for a place to settle where I would want to continue with following what was happening in the characters lives. I didn't find any jumping off points to lead me back in. It is sitting on my reading shelf. Maybe on a rainy day when I want to take a break from my own writing I will give it another go. I am stubborn. An example of my persistence is, I even liked and watched the film Ishtar. Nobody liked that much either but I thought it was hysterically funny. So I am determined to figure out why the author of Stony Kill bothered with the telling of her tale involving a revelation from her mother's death bed regarding a murder I am told doesn't get explained until the end of the book. If I were writing this story, I would revolve it around the murder and turn it into a mystery, rather than making it a dragging through the boredom of a literary novel that doesn't in any way resemble any of the great literary novels I have read in my life time so far, and intend to continue to read further into that field, as well as the other genres that I love.

I felt I forced myself to read as far as I was able. My intention was to torture myself looking for the best of the book. Unfortunately, I never was able to find the best. I cannot recommend this book unless you are desperate to read something and have nothing else from which to choose. Sorry to say I was disappointed. I really wanted this to be good but it was not. - jk
Profile Image for John Roche.
5 reviews8 followers
May 24, 2016
The story of Joss Ryckman's journey to confront her past, one carved by deep family secrets, steeped in violent tragedy and yet laced with joyful childhood recollections, is complex and complicated. Therefore, it's a good thing such a spellbinding tale is written by the hand of such a gifted storyteller. In this fine debut novel, Marie White Small not only masterfully carries us from Page 1 all the way through to a suspenseful and satisfying conclusion, but she leaves us hoping for many more novels that will transport us so fully and vividly as Stony Kill does. Harsh realities, insight into the human condition and elegant, spot-on prose makes this book a real treat. Read the first chapter and try to stop: I dare you.
Profile Image for Cindy.
80 reviews3 followers
December 30, 2017
This book took me a very long time to read. There's nothing wrong with it exactly, it just isn't my type of book. It's like a leisurely walk through the park. When I go walking, I like to get from point A to point B as efficiently as possible. I feel like this book lacked a clear purpose, describing scenes and situations simply for the sake of describing them rather than furthering the plot. Probably some people enjoy slow and savory reads like this, but I learned it's not really my jam.
Profile Image for E.A..
Author 7 books39 followers
August 16, 2016
A poetic slice of life
Marie White Small creates characters that are relatable, and that you root for, keeping you turning the pages. The writing is poetic, and the descriptions elegant. The food descriptions alone will leave you wishing you could have Joss, Mrs. E and Wyatt cook for you.
Profile Image for Cindy Jewkes.
29 reviews11 followers
January 24, 2018
Overall, this was a beautifully written book: the perfect lazy summer read. I liked how thoroughly I got to know the characters, who were quite well-rounded.

The main criticism I had was that I wanted to pick up the pace–quite a bit. I enjoyed the meandering pace for awhile, but by about halfway through, I started to get a little impatient, which is probably my personality showing through more than anything. The book starts out with a murder that happens at Stony Kill, then flash-forwards to our main character. In my opinion, this murder scene is misleading. It makes it seem like the book will have an element of whodunnit mystery, when in reality, it’s a very different type of story. I spent the rest of the book wondering what that scene had to do with the story I was reading, and honestly, the main reason I stuck it out and finished the book was because I stubbornly wanted to know the resolution for the opening scene.

My criticisms, however, are not indicative of the quality of this book. The writing is strong and beautiful and is probably the perfect fit for many readers. It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean it’s not someone else’s!

4 stars out of 5

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Profile Image for Missi Martin (Stockwell).
1,130 reviews33 followers
September 20, 2016
If you are looking for a book about family and the ups and downs they experience, than this is the book for you. Stony Kill takes you from the present to the past trying to find the way to the future of one troubled woman.

Growing up Joss spent most of her time with her father while her older sister, Naomi, was with their mother. Joss never fully understood the split but she was young so she went along with it. Once Naomi was off on her own, their mother moved from the city where she ran the family bakery to her old family farmhouse taking Joss with her. For a while Joss wasn’t the tomboy her father liked and was the girl she wanted to be with her mother.

Then Naomi moves to the farmhouse with her son, Haley. They move into the cottage on the land and Joss’s mother moves in with them leaving the big farmhouse to Joss and her dad. Luckily Miss Euphrates is there to oversee and nurture Joss.

In the present time, Joss’s mother has passed away suddenly leaving the bakery and the farm to Joss. Joss travels from farmhouse to city running the bakery and trying to come to terms with life and what it all means. Why is she always running like her mother ? Why is she pushing the man who loves her away ? Why does her father still scare her ?

Throughout the book, Joss will escape to the past for fun memories as well as try to come to terms with life and death. There is a lot going on in Joss’s mind that she needs to come to terms with so she can stop running and start living with the people who love her. Unfortunately some of the answers hidden in her past will come to light. Can she be strong enough to work through them or will she keep running ???

Marie White Small has a knack for keeping you reading….even when there are monsters lurking in the dark. There is a lot in this book that you will be able to relate too. And really isn’t that what reading a book is ALL about ? Connecting to the story……..
1 review1 follower
July 11, 2016


" Stony Kill " Novel by - Marie White Small
- A relevant novel for today's gun violence climate -

Marie White Small has awoken a period of time that I could roll around in my mind and heart and say yes ! Marie's descriptions of Vermont through the four seasons strike a harmonic cord, her visual words put me right in the landscape. The way the children play especially.
I became a silent character witnessing the chain of events.
" Stony Kill " begins with a stray bullet piercing Morgan's breastbone. Joss's mother Lydah's memory of that April event she witnessed.
What I really enjoy is how Marie White Small, weaves the timeline around the Stony Kill river, characters grow and mature with the influences of youth and family as they grow older. There are mysteries revealed that stay a peek around the corner. And just at the right time you get a vision of what is to come.
Magical stories within the main story, and characters rich in lore and herbal knowledge, along with wonderful pie making with recipes shared through generations, families sharing rural life, a time rich in abundance, kitchens with fresh picked garden delights. I love the pie cooking lessons and more recipes Miss Euphrates teaches Joss.

Profile Image for Frank Smith.
1 review
November 16, 2015
Stony Kill is one of those books that transported me back to my boyhood days of fishing with my brothers, playing in our backyard treefort, and catching fireflies on hot summer nights in Ohio. Like most kids, we got in trouble and dealt with family problems, but this story made me understand how much I, too, was impacted by what seemed innocent enough at the time. The author has a way of making the characters and story cinematic. I felt like I personally knew these people and places.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1 review
October 26, 2020
Pointless, overly sentimental, a laughable number of unnecessary adjectives throughout, and poor editing. Took me two months to get through - and I just pushed through because I thought the ending might redeem it a little or because maybe something would actually happen. Found a few pages interesting near the end - but if I could go back, I definitely wouldn’t waste my time on these whiny, two-dimensional characters with largely boring lives.
Profile Image for Elle.
26 reviews14 followers
January 24, 2016
A thought provoking work by a Vermont author. A must read for anyone who was raised in a "dysfunctional" family but loved them in spite of it all.
Profile Image for Laree.
18 reviews2 followers
November 9, 2016
Very detailed, descriptive read. Enjoyed the ups and downs of Joss's life and how she worked thru it
3 reviews
Want to read
June 21, 2016
Received email on 4/25/16 that I had won a copy of Stoney Kill. Never received the book.
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