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A Hanging at Cinder Bottom
From the author of The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart and set in the boom years of the West Virginia coalmining industry, this is an epic story of personal ambition, exile and return, and a grand heist.
Keystone, West Virginia, 1910
In the hot August rain the townspeople gather to witness the first public hanging in over a decade. At the gallows are none other than poker player, Abe Baach, and his lover, the madam of the town’s brothel, one Goldie Toothman.
Abe split town seven years prior and has been playing cards up and down the coast ever since. But when he returns to Keystone to reunite with Goldie and to set the past right, he finds a brother dead and his father's saloon in shambles – and suspects the same men might be responsible for both. Only then, in facing his family's past, does the real swindle begin.
Keystone, West Virginia, 1910
In the hot August rain the townspeople gather to witness the first public hanging in over a decade. At the gallows are none other than poker player, Abe Baach, and his lover, the madam of the town’s brothel, one Goldie Toothman.
Abe split town seven years prior and has been playing cards up and down the coast ever since. But when he returns to Keystone to reunite with Goldie and to set the past right, he finds a brother dead and his father's saloon in shambles – and suspects the same men might be responsible for both. Only then, in facing his family's past, does the real swindle begin.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2015
23 people are currently reading
948 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Taylor
3 books30 followersGlenn Taylor is the author of the novels A Hanging at Cinder Bottom, The Marrowbone Marble Company and The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, GQ, and Electric Literature, among others. He resided for a time in Austin, Texas, and after that, Chicago. He earned an MFA from Texas State University. Glenn was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia, and he now lives with his wife and three sons in Morgantown, where he teaches in the MFA Program at West Virginia University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 9, 2016
Ok. I guess I have to be "that guy" who doesn't agree. I wanted this to be good but it was just too complicated. At one point, about three quarters into the story, there were: multiple family members, lovers, friends, neighbors, many politicians and towns folk, multiple characters from "out of town" brought in, relatives of characters unseen, even a monkey. Story lines from the distant past, the recent past, the present and the future (a hanging yet to happen).
Does the author have an editor? There is a story here if this draft could be cleaned up. A "sting" needs to be more elegant
Does the author have an editor? There is a story here if this draft could be cleaned up. A "sting" needs to be more elegant
July 8, 2015
Story takes place in 1910 in WV and tells the tale of cards, magic, love, murder, deceit and the first public hanging! It's a very unexpected tale and I wasn't sure I'd follow it well but what a GREAT book! Characters are amazing, the scenery is intoxicating and retribution is humbling...read to understand! Side note: loved the cover and loved the feel of the cover as well.
October 19, 2015
Entertaining as hell! Set in an early 20th century West Virginia boomtown filled with a rainbow of folks plus swindlers, gamblers, crooks, whores, politicians, conmen, and the meanest little lawman on earth. Loads of fun if you can bear the racist speech of the bad guys. The big ending was just plain crazy showmanship. Great!
November 3, 2015
A colorful tale of a fictional town in turn-of-the-20th-Century West Virginia, featuring a heroic young couple of mythical proportions and attributes. For the first hundred pages I was captivated, and particularly admiring the author's quirky language; the book was looking like a strong four star rating. Somewhere about half way through, the book started to go off the rails. The end game became obvious; the characters, coincidences, and plot contrivances multiplied beyond control; continuity suffered, and credulity strained beyond the breaking point. I like magical realism, but this was over the top. A for effort, but disappointing in the execution.
April 14, 2020
It's a book about con artists and swindlers. It feels like a western with its saloons and sheriffs but is set in the hills of southern WV which admittedly earns it bonus points. Taylor does a great job of carrying a narrative along and keeping you invested in the story and does so with unmatched wit. As a WV native, Taylor doesn't paint WVians as stupid inbred folks but instead as sharp and cunning con artists, all of them out to outdo the others.
This is a really great book and I already can't wait to read his other work.
This is a really great book and I already can't wait to read his other work.
September 21, 2015
Although this isn't really my kind of book, I ended up enjoying it for several reasons.
I thought this was going to be a mystery, but it isn't, exactly. It's more of a con -- with a huge sting at the end. If Newman and Redford had wanted to do Sting II, they couldn't have gone wrong with this book.
I picked it up because it's set in Keystone, West Virginia, very close to where I grew up. The Keystone depicted in this novel is very different from the struggling town I knew; here, it's in its heyday, growing and thriving as a coal town and growing, also, a corrupt underside, especially in the red light district known as Cinder Bottom. The main character, Abe Baach (pronounced Baytch), is the middle son of a Jewish saloon keeper who found his way to Keystone after coming to the U.S. Al Baach, the father, was victimized by a scam as he arrived in the area and generally keeps a low profile. His son Abe, however, discovers at a young age that he has a gift for cards and by 17 becomes the best known gambler in the area. He's good enough, in fact, to get into trouble early and need to leave town. When he comes back,years later, it is to avenge a death, and with Goldie, the only woman he has ever loved, concocts a sting operation of great complexity, depth, and cleverness.
I am not drawn at all to the world of gambling, violence, and betrayal, so I almost abandoned this book midway through. However, I was fascinated by the world that once operated within an hour of my own hometown, and I remain impressed by the meticulous research that had to have gone into this book. Glenn Taylor obviously did a lot of digging into the history of Keystone and McDowell County, and notes the difference between then and now in his afterword. And Taylor is a gifted writer; every sentence contains just what he wants the reader to know and no more. There is no trickery on the author's part at all -- no red herrings for the reader to follow, no need to worry that you are being conned, at all. But beware -- I think every single character Taylor introduces, even early on in the story, comes back; so pay attention. The waters in Cinder Bottom run as deep as the mines, as does the deceit in the hearts of many of its citizens.
There's a lot to discuss here, so this would be a good book for book clubs to read, as long as they know beforehand the milieu they are entering. Current or former West Virginians have an additional reason to read this novel, if only for the historical local color it provides. I will look for Glenn Taylor's books in the future.
I thought this was going to be a mystery, but it isn't, exactly. It's more of a con -- with a huge sting at the end. If Newman and Redford had wanted to do Sting II, they couldn't have gone wrong with this book.
I picked it up because it's set in Keystone, West Virginia, very close to where I grew up. The Keystone depicted in this novel is very different from the struggling town I knew; here, it's in its heyday, growing and thriving as a coal town and growing, also, a corrupt underside, especially in the red light district known as Cinder Bottom. The main character, Abe Baach (pronounced Baytch), is the middle son of a Jewish saloon keeper who found his way to Keystone after coming to the U.S. Al Baach, the father, was victimized by a scam as he arrived in the area and generally keeps a low profile. His son Abe, however, discovers at a young age that he has a gift for cards and by 17 becomes the best known gambler in the area. He's good enough, in fact, to get into trouble early and need to leave town. When he comes back,years later, it is to avenge a death, and with Goldie, the only woman he has ever loved, concocts a sting operation of great complexity, depth, and cleverness.
I am not drawn at all to the world of gambling, violence, and betrayal, so I almost abandoned this book midway through. However, I was fascinated by the world that once operated within an hour of my own hometown, and I remain impressed by the meticulous research that had to have gone into this book. Glenn Taylor obviously did a lot of digging into the history of Keystone and McDowell County, and notes the difference between then and now in his afterword. And Taylor is a gifted writer; every sentence contains just what he wants the reader to know and no more. There is no trickery on the author's part at all -- no red herrings for the reader to follow, no need to worry that you are being conned, at all. But beware -- I think every single character Taylor introduces, even early on in the story, comes back; so pay attention. The waters in Cinder Bottom run as deep as the mines, as does the deceit in the hearts of many of its citizens.
There's a lot to discuss here, so this would be a good book for book clubs to read, as long as they know beforehand the milieu they are entering. Current or former West Virginians have an additional reason to read this novel, if only for the historical local color it provides. I will look for Glenn Taylor's books in the future.
June 27, 2015
I received an advance reader's copy of this book for free through the Goodreads First Reads program and would like to thank everyone who made that happen.
I wasn't sure what to expect of this but once I got into I really enjoyed it. Ultimately this novel was a fun, clever and quirky read with some good twists, a great structure and a very satisfying ending. The only negative for me were some minor typos and quite a bit of word duplication (for example "the the" and "had had", etc.) throughout that was kind of distracting but hopefully this will get cleared up for the final version. I'm really glad I got the chance to read this one and look forward to checking out some of Taylor's other novels!
I wasn't sure what to expect of this but once I got into I really enjoyed it. Ultimately this novel was a fun, clever and quirky read with some good twists, a great structure and a very satisfying ending. The only negative for me were some minor typos and quite a bit of word duplication (for example "the the" and "had had", etc.) throughout that was kind of distracting but hopefully this will get cleared up for the final version. I'm really glad I got the chance to read this one and look forward to checking out some of Taylor's other novels!
December 9, 2015
This is a fun, easy to read story about the workings of loose women, coal miners, immigrants, confidence men, crooked politicians, card sharps and their various marks. The novel includes scenes of murder, love, a public hanging, and friendships galore. The writing is colorful and masterful, I will have to research Glenn Taylor's previous books.
The tale takes place in Keystone, a boom town situated in southern West Virginia, that begins in the Fall of 1877 and concludes in the Summer of 1910. All of the characters, especially Abe and his beloved Goldie, are drawn with amazing clarity. Abe is the son of an honest, hard working German Jewish immigrant, Al Baach, who unfortunately is treated as some other newcomers are to this land - he's carelessly cheated and abused by the men who run the town. Abe is quick of hand and sharp minded but is caught up in circumstances that force him to hightail it out of Keystone for several years. He practices his card playing skills up and down the east coast until he's suddenly called home to say goodbye to his dying brother. His brother's death and the wreckage of his fathers life alert him to the fact that someone somewhere is responsible for all the trouble that's befallen his family. That realization causes the great con of the story to be set in motion.
If you enjoyed Redford and Newman in "The Sting" you'll love how the plot of this story unfurls. I can definitely see a movie in the future of this wonderful novel.
The tale takes place in Keystone, a boom town situated in southern West Virginia, that begins in the Fall of 1877 and concludes in the Summer of 1910. All of the characters, especially Abe and his beloved Goldie, are drawn with amazing clarity. Abe is the son of an honest, hard working German Jewish immigrant, Al Baach, who unfortunately is treated as some other newcomers are to this land - he's carelessly cheated and abused by the men who run the town. Abe is quick of hand and sharp minded but is caught up in circumstances that force him to hightail it out of Keystone for several years. He practices his card playing skills up and down the east coast until he's suddenly called home to say goodbye to his dying brother. His brother's death and the wreckage of his fathers life alert him to the fact that someone somewhere is responsible for all the trouble that's befallen his family. That realization causes the great con of the story to be set in motion.
If you enjoyed Redford and Newman in "The Sting" you'll love how the plot of this story unfurls. I can definitely see a movie in the future of this wonderful novel.
August 26, 2015
With three novels to his credit, Taylor has proven that he is a force to be reckoned with as a storyteller. Each work stands high by itself as a masterful work, taking you into the hill country of Appalachia for great tales. A HANGING AT CINDER BOTTOM contains more 'humor' than the earlier works, but it also has the same amazing storyteller weaving the tale for you. Taylor knows and loves West Virginia and it shows in his writing. No apologies, no sugar-coating; he tells it like it is/was. You believe everything put before you, hook line and sinker he is THAT good a storyteller. It is 1910 and the locals of Keystone, WV are waiting for hanging of Abe Baach - gambler and Goldie Toothman - madame. Jump back to 1877 for needed history as to the reason for the pending hanging. The story rings like Ocean's Eleven - a con game leaving you in stitches. The language rough, ribald, honest. You cannot put this book into one genre. Just read it, and then read his other two if you have not found Mr. Taylor already. Tin House Books printed this for book lovers. The cover art is wonderful. The paperstock used for the cover is great, the book feels like an old classic friend. ENJOY! Glenn Taylor - THANKS AGAIN FOR GREATNESS.
September 19, 2015
Creative with tight, solid storytelling. Starting in 1877-1910 and set in southern West Virginia this is a story of cardsharks, magicians, corruption, swindling and racial (whites, blacks, Asians), ethnic (Italians, Germans, Scots) and religious (Christian, Jews) divides.
Arnold (Al) Baach, a Jew, arrives from Germany on a ship with Vincenzo Munetti (Vic Moon) from Italy. They are attacked one night by Rutherford Rutherford and Henry Trent who ultimately becomes mayor. Vic is killed with $123 in his boot. Al is promised Vic's remains will be sent to his family but this never happens. Al marries Sallie and they have three sons, Jake, Abe, Sam and a daughter Agnes. They run a saloon in a Cinder Bottoms. Abe (Keystone Kid) is forced to leave home and he becomes a highly successful cardshark with five false names. He is in love with Goldie Toothman (Queen) who co-runs a brothel across the street. The newspaper is run by a black man.
The book opens with Abe and Goldie facing their execution. The story unfolds as to why they are facing execution and it all flows back to the murder of Vic Moon.
Arnold (Al) Baach, a Jew, arrives from Germany on a ship with Vincenzo Munetti (Vic Moon) from Italy. They are attacked one night by Rutherford Rutherford and Henry Trent who ultimately becomes mayor. Vic is killed with $123 in his boot. Al is promised Vic's remains will be sent to his family but this never happens. Al marries Sallie and they have three sons, Jake, Abe, Sam and a daughter Agnes. They run a saloon in a Cinder Bottoms. Abe (Keystone Kid) is forced to leave home and he becomes a highly successful cardshark with five false names. He is in love with Goldie Toothman (Queen) who co-runs a brothel across the street. The newspaper is run by a black man.
The book opens with Abe and Goldie facing their execution. The story unfolds as to why they are facing execution and it all flows back to the murder of Vic Moon.
May 5, 2016
This book was ok, but I wouldn't recommend it.
The main female character in this book is one of those fantasy girls, the ones with the perfect bodies, who are happy please the male character in whatever way possible. I hate one-dimensional female characters who are just there to fill in the horny factor.
The main female character in this book is one of those fantasy girls, the ones with the perfect bodies, who are happy please the male character in whatever way possible. I hate one-dimensional female characters who are just there to fill in the horny factor.
July 4, 2022
A Hanging at Cinder Bottom starts off immediately where the title suggests: our two assumed protagonists, Abe and Goldie, are about to be unrightfully hung for their crimes. With a little tease of card trickery and sabotage in the first chapter, we can only wait and assume our characters escape before we begin the story of what brought Abe to West Virginia in the first place, what led him to finding Goldie, and the journey the character maneuvered through to get to the gallows he's standing on.
Raunchy and unfiltered, A Hanging at Cinder Bottom is a ride through the turn of the century, following a character filled with charisma and whiskey. We watch as he progresses through obstacles in life and transforms this novel from a Wild West, Doc Holliday-themed draw, to a Black Bart-style heist that includes several characters to spin the gears for it to work.
Perhaps my favorite part of A Hanging at Cinder Bottom is the relationship between Abe and Goldie. Glenn Taylor does a great job articulating an early, more adoring and less guilty Bonnie and Clyde. The two become inseparable both in love and in executing their schemes, as it almost seems like the two share the same brain in knowing what the other needs.
With the love of family made apparent throughout the book, we get a sense of the humility Abe has for both those he shares blood with, and for those that he surrounds himself with. Adding this extra layer brings a sense of innocence and genuineness to Abe; Taylor could have easily written Abe to be raucous, murderous, or cunning, but instead, Taylor strengthens this story that much more by giving its protagonist that breath of life.
Raunchy and unfiltered, A Hanging at Cinder Bottom is a ride through the turn of the century, following a character filled with charisma and whiskey. We watch as he progresses through obstacles in life and transforms this novel from a Wild West, Doc Holliday-themed draw, to a Black Bart-style heist that includes several characters to spin the gears for it to work.
Perhaps my favorite part of A Hanging at Cinder Bottom is the relationship between Abe and Goldie. Glenn Taylor does a great job articulating an early, more adoring and less guilty Bonnie and Clyde. The two become inseparable both in love and in executing their schemes, as it almost seems like the two share the same brain in knowing what the other needs.
With the love of family made apparent throughout the book, we get a sense of the humility Abe has for both those he shares blood with, and for those that he surrounds himself with. Adding this extra layer brings a sense of innocence and genuineness to Abe; Taylor could have easily written Abe to be raucous, murderous, or cunning, but instead, Taylor strengthens this story that much more by giving its protagonist that breath of life.
July 23, 2024
Taylor wrote a thriller, historical novel that is also a love story. The main character, Abe Baach, is a card shark who does tricks and sleight of hand. His girlfriend is Goldie Toothman, a stunning young woman who's a madam. They live in a coal mining boomtown, Keystone, WV, during the early 1900s. Both the plot and the characters are complicated. And the narrative is highly detailed. Reviewers have compared the novel with True Grit and Carter Beats the Devil, both mystery thrillers. The latter features a magician. And Abe does stage shows with card tricks as he travels to different cities. He uses aliases because he's wanted for murder. Henry Trent is the bad guy of Keystone, running a saloon/hotel. He becomes mayor and forces businessmen to pay him dues. Rutherford is Trent's enforcer and becomes Chief of the Police. The story is character driven, with a good deal of suspense.
November 30, 2018
This novel is set in the booming coalfields of southern West Virginia at the turn of the 20th century. It follows the son of a half Jewish German immigrant who finds a temporary home at the card tables of the region's notorious red light district before running afoul of the area's corrupt leaders.
In this work of fiction the author spotlights a fascinating era in the history of West Virginia and the Pocahontas coal fields. He creates vivid characters in this environment and weaves an engaging story.
This is a good story well told.
In this work of fiction the author spotlights a fascinating era in the history of West Virginia and the Pocahontas coal fields. He creates vivid characters in this environment and weaves an engaging story.
This is a good story well told.
January 26, 2019
A Hanging at Cinder Bottom started strongly. Two people, a man and a woman, in separate cells, facing their impending execution, written with a dark humour and, towards the end of the opening chapter, a sense of the absurd. The dark humour popped up from time to time, but the absurd took a back seat as we followed the events that led to Abe and Goldie being sentenced to the death penalty. And enjoyable most of these events were, too, until towards the final third when Abe's avenging tactics got rather far-fetched and the novel turned into an inferior, early 20th century take on The Sting.
October 6, 2024
Did I pick this up only because of the cover? Yup.
Was I immediately turned off by the author's preoccupation with male genitalia and flatulence? Absolutely.
Did I still finish the book and enjoy it? Sure.
This wasn't a bad read, but I didn't really click with or care about any of the characters. It starts out like a family saga and then morphs into a revenge tale with shades of Ocean's Eleven. Second half was definitely better than the beginning. Would give it 3.5 stars if half stars were allowed.
Was I immediately turned off by the author's preoccupation with male genitalia and flatulence? Absolutely.
Did I still finish the book and enjoy it? Sure.
This wasn't a bad read, but I didn't really click with or care about any of the characters. It starts out like a family saga and then morphs into a revenge tale with shades of Ocean's Eleven. Second half was definitely better than the beginning. Would give it 3.5 stars if half stars were allowed.
June 27, 2017
This was the weirdest book I've ever read yet at the same time it curiously captivating. Raunchy humor and poetic speech plus I couldn't give up because I had to find out how the hanging went. I cannot figure out how I would've heard about this book to pick it up in the first place. It's just so strange that I think it requires a certain type of reader to really enjoy it.
March 20, 2023
A little frisky for my liking, and I think it got a star just because of the Author’s connection to WV and the placement of the story in West Virginia. Made for an easy read while waiting on connecting flights at the airport.
June 2, 2017
Rip-roaring bawdy tale set in a frontier-type community in West Virginia between 1877 and 1910. Very entertaining.
August 12, 2017
entertaining
March 5, 2018
Just wonderful. So cleverly plotted and thoroughly entertaining. I loved this.
August 31, 2018
Really an interesting book. It is an old west tale and is a page turner! Thanks to Greg Holt for loaning it to me!
February 25, 2019
A bit tidy at the end, but this is a much better novel than Taylor's second. Couldn't put it down.
February 27, 2019
Good yarn; I like the author. If you want to try some West Virginia fiction, The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart is great.
March 3, 2024
I was so excited to finish this. You can always tell when a man has written a book
March 21, 2024
Another fine tale set in Southern place and early times.
July 6, 2025
Amazing story and world building. Incredible constellation of interesting characters. Brought together with strong descriptive writing.
August 3, 2015
This book was fantastic. I wanted to read it as soon as I read the review in Entertainment Weekly. It did not disappoint. I want to read it again. Kirkus called it "...an American fable with literary nuance." That is spot on. The writing was a pleasure to read. I loved the Old West voice and feel, albeit in WV. The historical background shed light on early 20th century America in a way Westerns seldom do--including race relations and organized crime as well as Haley's comet's arrival. But at heart, the story was both a mystery and a Big Con, like Oceans Eleven.
The romance between the two con artists added another delicious flavor. (The emotions were portrayed so well with few words. I wanted to cheer when Abe and Goldie were reunited after 7 years.) As if this story weren't already brilliant, it included subtle humor and funny anecdotes throughout. To top it off, the ending was perfect--maybe a little smaller than I had hoped for, but also stratospheric in ways I hadn't expected.
The author used the same "head-hopping" style employed by James Michener but it worked well once I got used to it. It fits the style of the period. As long as you don't mind a story that's a little untamed and raunchy, I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
The romance between the two con artists added another delicious flavor. (The emotions were portrayed so well with few words. I wanted to cheer when Abe and Goldie were reunited after 7 years.) As if this story weren't already brilliant, it included subtle humor and funny anecdotes throughout. To top it off, the ending was perfect--maybe a little smaller than I had hoped for, but also stratospheric in ways I hadn't expected.
The author used the same "head-hopping" style employed by James Michener but it worked well once I got used to it. It fits the style of the period. As long as you don't mind a story that's a little untamed and raunchy, I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
September 27, 2015
After what I thought was a difficult and confusing start the book redeems itself. Let me also say that the writing is absolutely beautiful. His usage of the English language combined with good metaphors and vivid descriptions make for a gratifying read. If I had one complaint it had to do with his transition between character narration. He does so without pause and at times it tends to take you away from the thread of the story. The story itself is fascinating. It takes place in Keystone, WV, in the early 1910s. This was the time of the coal rush and this town came to represent the excesses of the time. A time in which prohibition was beginning to flower and prejudice towards blacks was diminishing. Amid this background the author tells the tale of a gambler, the keystone kid, and his prostitute lover, Goldie. They have been betrayed by the town well to do robber barons, so to get even they prepare a “sting” as revenge. A fascinating historical fiction story told with great humor and great characters
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews