Copper Kettle

by Frederick Ramsay

"Set in 1920, Ramsay's satisfying prequel to his contemporary Ike Schwartz series provides fascinating details of a soldier's life during WWI. It's a genuine pleasure to read a story of detection that depends purely on observation and logical deduction to reach its conclusions." ― Publishers Weekly It's 1920. Jesse Sutherlin has returned to Buffalo Mountain a war hero, having after survived the trenches of World War I. Not only did he fight the enemy, reaching the rank of officer, he went a few rounds with some of his fellow soldier who viewed him as a hillbilly. Jesse is glad to be home. But his view of the world and of himself has changed. What next? He can't shake his training as an officer to follow the old lifestyle. He applies for a job at the local sawmill where his new boss quickly makes him foreman for a decent wage. And he meets the independent Serena Barker. His cousin and fellow soldier, Solomon McAdoo, was less fortunate in his war service. He's suffering from shell shock. One day, up on the mountain while tending to a family moonshine still owned by Big Tom McAdoo, he's shot in the back. When Jesse hears this, he knows violence is going to boil up. The west side of the mountain is McAdoo territory, while the east side belongs to the Lebruns. The dispute ignited by Solomon's murder will be like the feud between the West Virginia Hatfields and McCoys, with no winners, only more dead men. The mountain is a hard place, where shooting someone over a disagreement is just part of life. Jesse decides to head off the violence by investigating the crime. But he's hampered by his bellicose Sutherlin family who want retribution. Jesse is also held back by Serena, a Lebrun relative, who urges him to get away before he gets himself killed, and by a bigoted local sheriff who soon arrests him on the testimony of an eyewitness to Solomon's death. Jesse encounters a lawyer in Floyd, the county seat, who is hired to defend him when he's arrested, romances the girl from the enemy camp, and tries to stay alive while preventing more, perhaps wholesale, deaths. Big Tom gives him a four days. Looming over all this drama is the specter of the influenza epidemic that killed more people worldwide than died in the trenches, as well as the grinding kind of poverty that has become a way of life for folks on the played-out farmland of this corner of Appalachia.

236 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2017

About the author

Dr. Frederick Ramsay was born in Baltimore, the son of a respected teacher researcher and scientist. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in Virginia and received his doctorate from the University of Illinois. After a stint in the Army, he joined the faculty of the University of Maryland, School of Medicine, where he taught Anatomy, Embryology and Histology; engaged in research and served as an Associate Dean. During this time he also pursued studies in theology and in 1971 was ordained an Episcopal priest.

Leaving academia, he tried his hand at a variety of vocations. At one time or another, he served as a Vice President for Public Affairs, worked as an insurance salesman, a tow man and line supervisor at Baltimore’s BWI airport, a community college instructor, and substitute. Finally, he accepted a full time position as a clergyman.

He is now retired from full-time ministry and writes fiction.

Dr. Ramsay is the author of several scientific and general articles, tracts, theses, and co-author of The Baltimore Declaration. He is an iconographer, an accomplished public speaker and once hosted a television spot, Prognosis, on the evening news for WMAR-TV, Baltimore. He currently lives in Surprise, Arizona with his wife and partner, Susan.

Reviews

[Richard Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a rather unusual mystery. It is set in rural Appalachian Virginia. It features feuding clans and, the aftermath of World War I, and a fascinating mystery and a love story between members of the feuding factions. The hero of the story seems to be a backwards young man recently back from the war, but we find out soon enough that he is very bright and catches things that others miss. He is also respected by everyone involved, which makes his inquiry into some deaths in the area dangerous to him and his family. It is a short novel and moves right along. I would recommend this to anyone interested in historical fiction or mystery.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a mystery here that needs to be solved, but the focus is on the main character, a WWI soldier returned to his Appalachian community after having seen "Gay Paree", who isn't sure what he wants to do with the rest of his life. If you like well-written characters in an interesting setting, you'll want to read this book.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing story about life on Buffalo Mountain with WWI war hero Jesse Sutherlin in simpler times. Not really, but compared to the present it is and Ramsay captures the mountain folk talk with fantastic dialogue. The story is rich, the scenery upstart, a classic mystery story bar none. A first read by this author but not by far the last.