Snakebit: A joyous tale of death, hate, and forbidden love

by Bill Ed Scruggs

Southern Appalachians, 1963The sheriff says Lucy Cutler stripped off her clothes to go swimming in the Caney River and was attacked by a horde of copperheads. But she was a modest lady, the water where her clothes were found is too swift for swimming, and copperheads aren't water snakes. A country deputy with a small amount of Native American ancestry is investigating, but he's harassed by local bigots who consider him unfit to enforce the law, and distracted by the pure country sweetness of a Black woman who grew up in a snake-handling church and was the last to see one victim alive. Meanwhile other women die from multiple snakebites, and an armed band of bigots plot to stop a bus carrying freedom riders to the deep South as it passes through their territory. The deputy is game, but he can't win 'em all."I kept thinking about this book and its people for weeks after finishing it, and months later I still want to go see where it happened." Dr. Robyn Redinger

386 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 23, 2014

About the author

Grew up in the hill country of East Tennessee.

Reviews

[Melba · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was filled with mystery, and I was truly surprised when they true villain was revealed; however, it should have been a bit more clearer earlier, but I believe it led to a different conclusion before the big reveal. I enjoyed reading this book, and it was a bit like tales I have heard from old-timers before - with a bit more intrigue that is. The characters were unique & believable, and many of them were truly likeable - others not so much.

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read

this was a spellbinding murder mystery with interesting characters and was very hard to figure what was going to happen next the main characters were likeable and the action was easy to imagine the writing telling a clear story
adults not for young kids teens ok