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Rachel Goddard Mystery #2
Disturbing the Dead
Tom Bridger, who is half Melungeon, thought he had escaped his Virginia mountain community's lingering prejudice against the mixed-race group when he left to join the Richmond Police Department. Tom was moving up the detective ranks when a family tragedy brought him back home and moved him into his father's job as chief deputy in the Mason County Sheriff's Department. Now the bones of a Melungeon woman who disappeared ten years ago have surfaced on a remote mountaintop, and all evidence points to murder. Violence escalates as the victim's poor family and the wealthy white family she married into scramble to protect their secrets from Tom's scrutiny. As he probes into his father's investigation of the case, he finds his father was not the man he idolized.
The woman Tom is falling in love with, Rachel Goddard, is struggling to start a new life in a place that holds no memories for her. She puts herself in danger when she befriends the dead Melungeon woman's teenage niece, Holly. As a child, the girl witnessed something that could implicate her aunt's killer, but she is too terrified to tell anyone what she knows. While Rachel is determined to keep Holly safe and help her piece together past events, the guilty are equally determined to silence the girl -- and Rachel too, if necessary.
Will this murder investigation be Tom's and Rachel's undoing or will it free them to look to the future?
The woman Tom is falling in love with, Rachel Goddard, is struggling to start a new life in a place that holds no memories for her. She puts herself in danger when she befriends the dead Melungeon woman's teenage niece, Holly. As a child, the girl witnessed something that could implicate her aunt's killer, but she is too terrified to tell anyone what she knows. While Rachel is determined to keep Holly safe and help her piece together past events, the guilty are equally determined to silence the girl -- and Rachel too, if necessary.
Will this murder investigation be Tom's and Rachel's undoing or will it free them to look to the future?
326 pages, Hardcover
First published March 9, 2007
17 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Parshall
10 books60 followersSandra Parshall is the author of the Rachel Goddard Mysteries: The Heat of the Moon, which won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel of 2006; Disturbing the Dead; Broken Places; Under the Dog Star; and Bleeding Through (Sept 2012). A former reporter on newspapers in her home state of South Carolina as well as West Virginia and Baltimore, MD, she now lives in the Washington, DC, area with her journalist husband and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 16, 2015
Dr. Rachel Goddard has returned in DISTURBING THE DEAD but it is a different time and place. Two years have passed since she found out the truth about her childhood. She has recently bought a veterinary practice in the Appalachian mountains and is trying to settle in. This time she is caught between a crazy man bent on harming her and trying to befriend the citizens of her newly adopted town.
At the same time Deputy Chief Tom Bridger is attracted to Rachel but she is still trying to recover from previous mistakes. I liked Tom. He had some personal issues that he was trying to get over but he was upfront with Rachel about how he felt towards her.
The actual mystery surrounding the once cold-case death of Pauline McClure was the best part of this story with plenty of twists and turns. The author explored the lives of the Melungeons, a multicultural group of people that have resided in the area for decades. The tension between some of the white people and the Melungeons drove the story. Tom, half-Melungeon, had empathy for both sides. I could understand his dilemma.
DISTURBING THE DEAD was a much better mystery than THE HEAT OF THE MOON. I am still not too overly fond of Rachel but I enjoyed Tom's character. The cultural impact along with a fairly decent amount of suspense kept my interest in this series.
At the same time Deputy Chief Tom Bridger is attracted to Rachel but she is still trying to recover from previous mistakes. I liked Tom. He had some personal issues that he was trying to get over but he was upfront with Rachel about how he felt towards her.
The actual mystery surrounding the once cold-case death of Pauline McClure was the best part of this story with plenty of twists and turns. The author explored the lives of the Melungeons, a multicultural group of people that have resided in the area for decades. The tension between some of the white people and the Melungeons drove the story. Tom, half-Melungeon, had empathy for both sides. I could understand his dilemma.
DISTURBING THE DEAD was a much better mystery than THE HEAT OF THE MOON. I am still not too overly fond of Rachel but I enjoyed Tom's character. The cultural impact along with a fairly decent amount of suspense kept my interest in this series.
July 26, 2016
Family secrets in a rural mountain community are the basis for making a cold-case very very hot again. When human bones are found on a mountain top, they are identified as a women who went missing ten years previously. And it was not just any woman, it was the beautiful mixed-race wife of a wealthy white man prominent in the community. It was also Tom Bridger's father's only unsolved case, and Tom feels he owes it to his dead father to close the file once and for all.
Tom, a sheriff's deputy, is Melungeon (part Portuguese and part Native American) so he understands the prejudice that can be encountered in Appalachia. It seems that the dead Melungeon woman was murdered, and Tom will go to any lengths to find the person responsible.
Through his dog, Tom befriends Rachel Goddard, the local veterinarian. Both she and Tom have experienced violence and personal tragedy in their pasts, and they soon find themselves drawn to one another. When Rachel hires Holly, a young Melungeon girl as a veterinary assistant, she brings the case closer than either she or Tom can predict. Holly is the dead woman's niece and she holds suppressed memories that could either solve the case or put herself and those around her in mortal danger. Tension builds as her threatening relatives seem determined to silence the girl, which leads the reader to suspect that the family were responsible for the murder. But what family member? And why?
When Tom gets shot, he and the police team feel that they have their prime suspect, but when an arsonist burns the veterinary office and Rachel and her assistant are shot at, they know that there is more to the story than seems apparent. Tom must solve the case before Rachel or anyone else is put in more danger.
With a brooding, winter Appalachian setting, family secrets, and a hint of romance, this novel is an appealing police-procedural. The reader finds an instant rapport with a flawed protagonist who inspires both empathy and respect.
Disturbing the Dead was my introduction to Sandra Parshall and she has now joined my list of favorite authors.
Tom, a sheriff's deputy, is Melungeon (part Portuguese and part Native American) so he understands the prejudice that can be encountered in Appalachia. It seems that the dead Melungeon woman was murdered, and Tom will go to any lengths to find the person responsible.
Through his dog, Tom befriends Rachel Goddard, the local veterinarian. Both she and Tom have experienced violence and personal tragedy in their pasts, and they soon find themselves drawn to one another. When Rachel hires Holly, a young Melungeon girl as a veterinary assistant, she brings the case closer than either she or Tom can predict. Holly is the dead woman's niece and she holds suppressed memories that could either solve the case or put herself and those around her in mortal danger. Tension builds as her threatening relatives seem determined to silence the girl, which leads the reader to suspect that the family were responsible for the murder. But what family member? And why?
When Tom gets shot, he and the police team feel that they have their prime suspect, but when an arsonist burns the veterinary office and Rachel and her assistant are shot at, they know that there is more to the story than seems apparent. Tom must solve the case before Rachel or anyone else is put in more danger.
With a brooding, winter Appalachian setting, family secrets, and a hint of romance, this novel is an appealing police-procedural. The reader finds an instant rapport with a flawed protagonist who inspires both empathy and respect.
Disturbing the Dead was my introduction to Sandra Parshall and she has now joined my list of favorite authors.
July 14, 2023
I have only recently learned about the Melungeon people, and Parshall writes this series in the heart of the country that has a population in it.
Human remains are found on a remote mountain side, and the local sheriff thinks it could be a woman who disappeared years ago. When two skulls are found, the mystery intensifies, and the small town becomes involved in keeping old secrets and unmasking the murderers.
Very intense. The characters, especially the veterinarian, are well drawn and believable. The central puzzle is clever and the ending a bit of a surprise.
Human remains are found on a remote mountain side, and the local sheriff thinks it could be a woman who disappeared years ago. When two skulls are found, the mystery intensifies, and the small town becomes involved in keeping old secrets and unmasking the murderers.
Very intense. The characters, especially the veterinarian, are well drawn and believable. The central puzzle is clever and the ending a bit of a surprise.
May 18, 2008
Sandra Parshall's debut novel, The Heat of the Moon, has been nominated for an Agatha Award for First Novel and her talent shows no sign of stopping. Her follow up novel, Disturbing the Dead, continues the story of veterinarian Rachel Goddard.
Rachel has bought a veterinary clinic and is happily settling into her new life. She is content with her status as single woman, business owner, and friend. Her hopes for peace and quiet in her daily life are dashed by a local scandal from the past. A skull discovered in the near by hills turns out to be that of a woman missing for many years. Rachel gets dragged into the mystery by the investigative policeman, Tom Bridges. And she is not prepared for the feelings that arise when she becomes involved with the young girl, Holly. Holly is a relative of the missing woman, from a family living in the back woods of the area. When Rachel hires her to work at the vet clinic she also lets her live at her house and must protect then both from the efforts of Holly’s family to make her move back home. She also is fighting off her feeling for Tom Bridges, who has made clear his interest in her. They are both dealing with demons from their past, fighting off the effects from their pasts that threaten to overwhelm their present. As the mystery becomes more complicated and personal, the feelings of all come to a boiling point.
The plot runs along smoothly, the mystery itself is carefully mapped out to keep the reader enthralled to the end. The characters are strong enough to stand on their own- each one is finely drawn, detailed to hold their roles in the story strongly and consistently. Rachel, in this book as in the first, is a woman learning to stay strong but yet let others into her life. Sandra Parshall has done an interesting plot device by weaving in a traumatic storyline of Rachel's past that occurs between the first book and this one. Instead of relying on the events of The Heat of the Moon she created another past episode that affects Rachel strongly. Since so often a second book with the same characters just refers back to the original plot, this technique was fine for new readers and a treat for returning fans.
The storyline revolves around Tom Bridges and many of the characters being of Melungeon descent. The story of the Melungeon people was a fascinating glimpse into a part of US history that is not well known. It is the effort of the author to add this setting with such detail and background that supplies the extra care to this mystery. The suspicion and prejudice that surround these people drives the mystery and its resolution.
This is another exceptional entry by Sandra Parshall into the mystery genre. She is able to write a suspenseful story that does give way until the last page. The mix of tension, of potential, impending violence, from past violence and romantic confusion, creates a knot of anticipation from beginning to end. It will be interesting to see what else Parshall has planned for her characters. It is hopeful that she will not leave them or her readers dangling for long.
Rachel has bought a veterinary clinic and is happily settling into her new life. She is content with her status as single woman, business owner, and friend. Her hopes for peace and quiet in her daily life are dashed by a local scandal from the past. A skull discovered in the near by hills turns out to be that of a woman missing for many years. Rachel gets dragged into the mystery by the investigative policeman, Tom Bridges. And she is not prepared for the feelings that arise when she becomes involved with the young girl, Holly. Holly is a relative of the missing woman, from a family living in the back woods of the area. When Rachel hires her to work at the vet clinic she also lets her live at her house and must protect then both from the efforts of Holly’s family to make her move back home. She also is fighting off her feeling for Tom Bridges, who has made clear his interest in her. They are both dealing with demons from their past, fighting off the effects from their pasts that threaten to overwhelm their present. As the mystery becomes more complicated and personal, the feelings of all come to a boiling point.
The plot runs along smoothly, the mystery itself is carefully mapped out to keep the reader enthralled to the end. The characters are strong enough to stand on their own- each one is finely drawn, detailed to hold their roles in the story strongly and consistently. Rachel, in this book as in the first, is a woman learning to stay strong but yet let others into her life. Sandra Parshall has done an interesting plot device by weaving in a traumatic storyline of Rachel's past that occurs between the first book and this one. Instead of relying on the events of The Heat of the Moon she created another past episode that affects Rachel strongly. Since so often a second book with the same characters just refers back to the original plot, this technique was fine for new readers and a treat for returning fans.
The storyline revolves around Tom Bridges and many of the characters being of Melungeon descent. The story of the Melungeon people was a fascinating glimpse into a part of US history that is not well known. It is the effort of the author to add this setting with such detail and background that supplies the extra care to this mystery. The suspicion and prejudice that surround these people drives the mystery and its resolution.
This is another exceptional entry by Sandra Parshall into the mystery genre. She is able to write a suspenseful story that does give way until the last page. The mix of tension, of potential, impending violence, from past violence and romantic confusion, creates a knot of anticipation from beginning to end. It will be interesting to see what else Parshall has planned for her characters. It is hopeful that she will not leave them or her readers dangling for long.
January 10, 2011
After enjoying Sandra Parshall's BROKEN PLACES earlier in the year, I realized I'd skipped the second book in her series.
DISTURBING THE DEAD finds veterinarian Rachel Goddard rebuilding her
life in a small town in southern Virginia, having left a lot of trauma
behind along with an overly-controlling boyfriend. Sheriff's deputy
Tom Bridger is also dealing with a tragic past, and he's beginning to
fall in love with Rachel. The discovery of a long-buried body on a
local mountain begins to solve the mystery that plagued Bridger's late
father, but still more mystery is to come. This is a richly-textured
story with great characters and a realistic setting (I come from
Northeast Appalachia, myself, so I should know!) I also liked the
Melungeon aspect -- don't think I've read much about them since Manly
Wade Wellman's books. I'll be eagerly awaiting the continuation of
this series or whatever else Sandra Parshall wants to write.
DISTURBING THE DEAD finds veterinarian Rachel Goddard rebuilding her
life in a small town in southern Virginia, having left a lot of trauma
behind along with an overly-controlling boyfriend. Sheriff's deputy
Tom Bridger is also dealing with a tragic past, and he's beginning to
fall in love with Rachel. The discovery of a long-buried body on a
local mountain begins to solve the mystery that plagued Bridger's late
father, but still more mystery is to come. This is a richly-textured
story with great characters and a realistic setting (I come from
Northeast Appalachia, myself, so I should know!) I also liked the
Melungeon aspect -- don't think I've read much about them since Manly
Wade Wellman's books. I'll be eagerly awaiting the continuation of
this series or whatever else Sandra Parshall wants to write.
January 6, 2016
lots of twists and turns in this one...very enjoyable
March 27, 2023
This story seemed like a soap opera. There were too many deaths that happened long ago. The police department seemed poorly ran. The characters all had serious trauma and many secrets.
July 18, 2025
SPOILER ALERT
A complicated story of family, feuds, greed, identity. Rachel Goddard has moved to Mason County and bought a veterinarian clinic. Deputy Tom Bridger is interested in her, willing to wait her out as she tries to recover from her former trauma, being shot by a client who she turned in for mistreating his dog. Perry Nelson is now in a psychiatric hospital, and the doctors are advocating his limited release.
Tom is now thoroughly involved in the case of the disappearance of Pauline McClure, a case that his father was unable to solve. He is also recovering from the loss of his parents, his brother and wife in an auto accident while he was driving, during a storm. Bones have been found in the Blue Ridge foothills, and it turns out they are those of Pauline. But to complicate the case, a second skull is also found. Finally, a third skull will be located in the back of cave, which turn out to be that of Jean Turner, mother of Holly.
Rachel rescues Holly offering her job in her clinic. Holly's grandmother has been sheltering her and keeping her from repeating what she knows about the family. Her father Troy, whom her mother never married, Shackleford is a drug dealer. Holly and her family are Melungeon. Part white, Native American and Black, they are regarded as colored and experience racism and hatred by the whites of the community. Tom is also Melungeon. Pauline had married Adam McClure much to the McClure family's horror. Robert McClure begins a campaign to stop her from inheriting Adam's estate when he dies and is unsuccessful. He hated Pauline. Ed McClure, his brother was having an affair with her, and the rumors abound that Mary Lee is not his child. In fact, Mary Lee is the child of Jack and Bonnie Watford. They already had five children. Adam was sterile. So, they sold Mary Lee to Adam and Pauline. But Bonnie has had second thoughts about the transaction and wants Mary Lee back. Especially since her other daughter, Amy, is seduced by Pauline and their money. Bonnie sees Amy as being stolen by Pauline. She contracts for Pauline's murder, hiring Troy Shackleford, Holly's father. He takes the money not intending to kill her. But she is killed anyway. Jack and Bonnie come to the house. Bonnie kills Mary Lee, and Amy takes over her identity. Jack kills Pauline with an ax, and later when taking Jean to the bus to leave, he sees her get off the bus and head for the sheriff's office. He catches her and kills her. Holly was aware of what had happened. O'Dell who was roped into helping Troy bury the bodies, gets overexcited when he shoots Tom, and Troy kills him, afraid he will reveal what happened.
Both Holly and Rachel are put in jeopardy when everything begins to unravel. They are shot at. Then Amy shows up, as Mary Lee, and Holly recognizes her. The Watfords show up and Bonnie tries to embrace Amy. Tom has been called and arrives to save Rachel and Holly. It is then revealed that Holly is going to inherit the entire estate, as Pauline had willed the estate to Mary Lee, to go to Jean and Holly if they died at the same time, which happened.
A complicated story of family, feuds, greed, identity. Rachel Goddard has moved to Mason County and bought a veterinarian clinic. Deputy Tom Bridger is interested in her, willing to wait her out as she tries to recover from her former trauma, being shot by a client who she turned in for mistreating his dog. Perry Nelson is now in a psychiatric hospital, and the doctors are advocating his limited release.
Tom is now thoroughly involved in the case of the disappearance of Pauline McClure, a case that his father was unable to solve. He is also recovering from the loss of his parents, his brother and wife in an auto accident while he was driving, during a storm. Bones have been found in the Blue Ridge foothills, and it turns out they are those of Pauline. But to complicate the case, a second skull is also found. Finally, a third skull will be located in the back of cave, which turn out to be that of Jean Turner, mother of Holly.
Rachel rescues Holly offering her job in her clinic. Holly's grandmother has been sheltering her and keeping her from repeating what she knows about the family. Her father Troy, whom her mother never married, Shackleford is a drug dealer. Holly and her family are Melungeon. Part white, Native American and Black, they are regarded as colored and experience racism and hatred by the whites of the community. Tom is also Melungeon. Pauline had married Adam McClure much to the McClure family's horror. Robert McClure begins a campaign to stop her from inheriting Adam's estate when he dies and is unsuccessful. He hated Pauline. Ed McClure, his brother was having an affair with her, and the rumors abound that Mary Lee is not his child. In fact, Mary Lee is the child of Jack and Bonnie Watford. They already had five children. Adam was sterile. So, they sold Mary Lee to Adam and Pauline. But Bonnie has had second thoughts about the transaction and wants Mary Lee back. Especially since her other daughter, Amy, is seduced by Pauline and their money. Bonnie sees Amy as being stolen by Pauline. She contracts for Pauline's murder, hiring Troy Shackleford, Holly's father. He takes the money not intending to kill her. But she is killed anyway. Jack and Bonnie come to the house. Bonnie kills Mary Lee, and Amy takes over her identity. Jack kills Pauline with an ax, and later when taking Jean to the bus to leave, he sees her get off the bus and head for the sheriff's office. He catches her and kills her. Holly was aware of what had happened. O'Dell who was roped into helping Troy bury the bodies, gets overexcited when he shoots Tom, and Troy kills him, afraid he will reveal what happened.
Both Holly and Rachel are put in jeopardy when everything begins to unravel. They are shot at. Then Amy shows up, as Mary Lee, and Holly recognizes her. The Watfords show up and Bonnie tries to embrace Amy. Tom has been called and arrives to save Rachel and Holly. It is then revealed that Holly is going to inherit the entire estate, as Pauline had willed the estate to Mary Lee, to go to Jean and Holly if they died at the same time, which happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2019
Disturbing the Dead by Sandra Parshall is the second book of the Rachel Goddard mystery series set in a small Appalachian mountain town in contemporary Virginia. Rachel is busy operating her own veterinary clinic, and healing emotionally from terrible events in her past. Tom Bridger is a local sheriff, formerly of Richmond police force, who returned to his home town to take over his late father's job. A skull is discovered on a mountaintop, likely belonging to a woman who disappeared decades ago. Tom remembers his father was obsessed over the missing person case, never solved it.
The murder victim and Tom are Melungeons, a tri-racial mixture. Even in modern-day Appalachia, Melungeons face prejudice. They live in isolated areas in poverty, or turn to crime. When Tom goes to inform the victim's mother of her daughter's death, he meets young Holly, the victim's niece (also Melungeon). Holly's bright, good with animals, but has no chance for education. Tom wants to help Holly, so suggests Rachel hire her at the veterinary clinic.
Rachel sees her younger self in Holly, struggling against obstacles for her future. As soon as Rachel hires (and houses) Holly, they become the target of attacks. The entire extended clan related to the murder victim want to prevent Holly from sharing memories. Holly's grandmother has virtually brainwashed Holly that she "mis-remembered" - that nothing happened - but Holly's nightmares convince Rachel the girl witnessed crimes.
Rachel and Tom are attracted to one another, not quite ready to share themselves fully. Both want to know what Holly remembers, but don't want to destroy her emotionally. When Rachel and Tom separately learn clues about the case, unfortunately they don't pool their knowledge right away, which delays the case and endangers them all. Plenty of villains and red herrings throughout; plot twists come fast and furious at the end.
The murder victim and Tom are Melungeons, a tri-racial mixture. Even in modern-day Appalachia, Melungeons face prejudice. They live in isolated areas in poverty, or turn to crime. When Tom goes to inform the victim's mother of her daughter's death, he meets young Holly, the victim's niece (also Melungeon). Holly's bright, good with animals, but has no chance for education. Tom wants to help Holly, so suggests Rachel hire her at the veterinary clinic.
Rachel sees her younger self in Holly, struggling against obstacles for her future. As soon as Rachel hires (and houses) Holly, they become the target of attacks. The entire extended clan related to the murder victim want to prevent Holly from sharing memories. Holly's grandmother has virtually brainwashed Holly that she "mis-remembered" - that nothing happened - but Holly's nightmares convince Rachel the girl witnessed crimes.
Rachel and Tom are attracted to one another, not quite ready to share themselves fully. Both want to know what Holly remembers, but don't want to destroy her emotionally. When Rachel and Tom separately learn clues about the case, unfortunately they don't pool their knowledge right away, which delays the case and endangers them all. Plenty of villains and red herrings throughout; plot twists come fast and furious at the end.
June 9, 2019
A captivating story, good for a road trip listen. I really worry about our protagonist, Rachel Goddard. She can be such a strong defender of the downtrodden but she is so wracked by fear. Her desire for strength, her desire for just being left alone and her desire for peace and safety leave her just too flighty for her own or anyone else's good. I hope that she will grow in future episodes. I hope that she will stop running from her past and start fully living in the present.
I learned a new word in this book, melungeon. A term for tri-racial folk in the southeastern United States. In this book it serves as a background for class struggle in the modern day. If we would have focused more on the melungeon history of the characters and let the criminality of some of the characters be the background I might have called this a historical fiction work. Or maybe that distinction was made and it was just too subtle for me.
I learned a new word in this book, melungeon. A term for tri-racial folk in the southeastern United States. In this book it serves as a background for class struggle in the modern day. If we would have focused more on the melungeon history of the characters and let the criminality of some of the characters be the background I might have called this a historical fiction work. Or maybe that distinction was made and it was just too subtle for me.
May 8, 2024
Tom Bridger, who is half Melungeon, has returned to his mountain home after being a detective in Richmond after a family tragedy. When a skull is discovered on a mountain top he is drawn into reinvestigating the case that obsessed his father, the murder of Pauline McClure, a Melungeon woman. Rachel Goddard has bought the animal clinic in town after a client at her old workplace stole her prescription pad to get narcotics and then broke into the old clinic and took a shot at her. How Rachel and Tom try to help Holly Shackleford and how that leads them to the killer of Pauline McClure makes for a great read.
May 24, 2025
More intrigue and mayhem in Rachel’s life.
Trying to start a new life, away from all the drama in the last book, she has set up her own vet clinic in a small community. But no sooner is she settling in when she takes in Holly.
Holly is a young girl whose family is up to mischief. Tom, the local deputy, has a tragic past of his own, but he becomes involved in a cold case when skeletal remains are found. They are linked to an unsolved crime his father was investigating.
Holly is a young woman in this family. She wants to work with animals and Rachel hires her.
Lots of hidden secrets.
Trying to start a new life, away from all the drama in the last book, she has set up her own vet clinic in a small community. But no sooner is she settling in when she takes in Holly.
Holly is a young girl whose family is up to mischief. Tom, the local deputy, has a tragic past of his own, but he becomes involved in a cold case when skeletal remains are found. They are linked to an unsolved crime his father was investigating.
Holly is a young woman in this family. She wants to work with animals and Rachel hires her.
Lots of hidden secrets.
November 26, 2018
This was a DNF for me. I get it is to be 2 years after the 1st book, but it didn't really connect at all to the 1st one except for the main character being in this book. I thought there would be more about her and her sister, picking up from the 1st book, that ended the way it did. I may try to go back and finish this another time once I get through other books I'd rather listen to or read first
December 10, 2023
The convoluted mystery aspect was decent, although the bad police behavior was too much. The romantic aspect curdled my stomach. The guy was an ass a few times, the female noted that he did some things she hates. She never noted anything good about him. Just wanted him and was falling for him. Ugh. Pathetic. I really feel bad for the last bf, too, and don't understand how he's worse than the new guy.
January 28, 2017
Skeletons of 3 women are found in the mountains and they all seem to lead to long kept secrets of one family.
July 13, 2017
A favorite series & a favorite narrator!
October 10, 2017
Good book, second in series, really should be read in order, still not a real likeable main character...
August 28, 2018
book 2 in series but was my first intro into this author and series.....outstanding!!!!
February 7, 2019
Excellent mystery! Every time you think you know who did or why, you're wrong!
July 29, 2019
Riveting story that makes you whirl as you try to figure out the story. Keeps you on your toes.
August 14, 2022
Quite a suspenseful story with a unexpected ending.
January 18, 2024
Brutal killings discovered in small town VA mtns.
October 5, 2024
A great read. Strong female characters. Good flow. Enough suspense to keep it interesting. Kept my interest piqued so I had to finish it in a few days instead of a few weeks.
April 4, 2015
I listen to a lot of audiobooks after having had a neck injury which makes reading a regular book painful - before that, I roamed libraries far and near for new books to read. Now, I end up browsing the online offerings at all of the SF Bay Area libraries to see if I can find something I haven't read yet and might enjoy. It's can be a daunting task since my tastes don't fit what's popular a lot of the time. Over the years, I've learned to enjoy genres I never had an interest in simply because they're so well represented in the world of audiobooks.
One of these genres is mysteries. I tend to like the more psychological series such as those by Jonathan Kellerman, Val McDermid, and Tana French. I also like series which give their protagonists complex and believable worlds to live in like P.D. James' Dalgliesh and Louise Penny's Gamache. What I really DON'T like is mystery series which read more like romance novels than mysteries.
I found Parshall at the SF Public Library but the only audiobooks of her series which were available were Book 2 (Disturbing the Dead) and Book 5 (Bleeding Through). I ended up reading both of them, #2 first. I enjoyed them but probably won't look for the rest of the first 5 novels in the series. OTOH, I will probably read what comes after Book 5, if it becomes available. (See my review of Bleeding Through for more on this.)
At times, the the main character, Rachel Goddard, really drives me up a wall with her contrary and idiotic behavior since she's supposed to be an intelligent woman. OTOH, I know plenty of real people who might do the same things she does so I take it with a grain of salt. Forewarned is forearmed, though, so keep that in mind while reading. If you can bear with that way of moving a plot foreword, it's worth reading them to the end. There are some interesting places and people in those two novels. I enjoyed this one enough to look for more.
One of these genres is mysteries. I tend to like the more psychological series such as those by Jonathan Kellerman, Val McDermid, and Tana French. I also like series which give their protagonists complex and believable worlds to live in like P.D. James' Dalgliesh and Louise Penny's Gamache. What I really DON'T like is mystery series which read more like romance novels than mysteries.
I found Parshall at the SF Public Library but the only audiobooks of her series which were available were Book 2 (Disturbing the Dead) and Book 5 (Bleeding Through). I ended up reading both of them, #2 first. I enjoyed them but probably won't look for the rest of the first 5 novels in the series. OTOH, I will probably read what comes after Book 5, if it becomes available. (See my review of Bleeding Through for more on this.)
At times, the the main character, Rachel Goddard, really drives me up a wall with her contrary and idiotic behavior since she's supposed to be an intelligent woman. OTOH, I know plenty of real people who might do the same things she does so I take it with a grain of salt. Forewarned is forearmed, though, so keep that in mind while reading. If you can bear with that way of moving a plot foreword, it's worth reading them to the end. There are some interesting places and people in those two novels. I enjoyed this one enough to look for more.
February 12, 2017
As soon as I finished book one in this series (the debut for this author), I purchased and read this one -- book 2. It was a story that kept me guessing from the start. I want to read more books by this author especially those in this series. I am a fan of Rachel Goddard and want to see what her next adventure is!
January 12, 2015
This is the second in a series about Rachel Goddard, veterinarian. In her first book, The Heat of the Moon we learn who Rachel really is ... and she also finds out. In this, her second book, some time has passed. She has moved away and opened her own veterinarian practice in a small town where she meets Tom Bridger, previous Virginia State Police, and now the County Sheriff Department.
The bones of a Melungeon woman are found in the mountains 10 years after she disappeared. While trolling the ground, they find the remains of another woman.... and the skull of a third one.
Rachel becomes involved with the daughter of the first dead woman's niece, when the niece witnessed something that could implicate the killer. Now both of them are in danger and Tom Bridger will stop at nothing to protect these women.
I'm actually really enjoying this series. I've learned a lot about the Melungeon people, and I loved learning about this small mountain town. The author has certainly done her homework. It's entertaining, nicely descriptive, with plenty of action for stimulation. 5 stars .... and looking forward to the next one in the series.
The bones of a Melungeon woman are found in the mountains 10 years after she disappeared. While trolling the ground, they find the remains of another woman.... and the skull of a third one.
Rachel becomes involved with the daughter of the first dead woman's niece, when the niece witnessed something that could implicate the killer. Now both of them are in danger and Tom Bridger will stop at nothing to protect these women.
I'm actually really enjoying this series. I've learned a lot about the Melungeon people, and I loved learning about this small mountain town. The author has certainly done her homework. It's entertaining, nicely descriptive, with plenty of action for stimulation. 5 stars .... and looking forward to the next one in the series.
July 20, 2015
This book was not so much a Rachel Goddard mystery as it was a Tom Bridger mystery. But, it was a thoroughly enthralling and exciting read, nevertheless.
The main focus was on Tom, a sheriff’s deputy and half Melungeon (a mixed race of Portuguese and Native American), who was fiercely determined to solve the only case his late father had failed to close—the decades-old murder of Pauline McClure, a Melungeon woman who had been married to a rich, white businessman in the community in the Appalachian mountains. Rachel’s role in the story consisted mainly of trying to protect Pauline’s vulnerable young niece, Holly, who might harbour suppressed memories of the night her aunt disappeared, and of fighting her own demons from the past and her growing feelings for Tom.
Dark family secrets, murder, prejudice, tension, violence, suspense and a hint of romance made this a rich, gripping tale that had plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the end.
The main focus was on Tom, a sheriff’s deputy and half Melungeon (a mixed race of Portuguese and Native American), who was fiercely determined to solve the only case his late father had failed to close—the decades-old murder of Pauline McClure, a Melungeon woman who had been married to a rich, white businessman in the community in the Appalachian mountains. Rachel’s role in the story consisted mainly of trying to protect Pauline’s vulnerable young niece, Holly, who might harbour suppressed memories of the night her aunt disappeared, and of fighting her own demons from the past and her growing feelings for Tom.
Dark family secrets, murder, prejudice, tension, violence, suspense and a hint of romance made this a rich, gripping tale that had plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the end.
March 20, 2014
In Parshall’s mystery novel, Dr. Rachel Goddard is all too familiar with the desire to start over. She hires Holly Turner to work at her new Appalachian veterinary clinic and hopes that each of them will be able to have a fresh start. One day the skeleton of Holly’s wealthy Aunt Pauline is found along with another unidentified body. Holly’s family is abusive and manipulative and they try everything to encourage her to return home. As the crime is investigated, numerous suspects are identified all with excellent reasons to want the old woman dead. Rachel suspects Holly is hiding something but with years of abuse build up, both their lives will be put in danger as the necessary time unfolds all the past horror. Time is of the essence as a ruthless killer moves closer with murder on his mind.
A fast-paced addition to the A Rachel Goddard Mystery series.
A fast-paced addition to the A Rachel Goddard Mystery series.
January 13, 2016
In the second book of the Rachel Goddard series, Rachel has moved to a small community where she hopes to escape the violence and memories of her past. She has opened a veterinary practice in town, and one of her patients is a dog owned by the deputy sheriff, Tom Bridger; he, too, has come to the town in hope of making a fresh start. But that's harder for him, since his family is from the community, and his dad was a cop.
As the book opens, Tom is late picking up his dog from Rachel. Bones and a scull have been found, and speculation is they belong to a woman dead more than 10 years.
Tensions and murders mount as people keen on keeping secrets determine that Tom will not solve this case. Rachel, too, is drawn in when she hires the teenage niece of the dead woman.
This is compelling, and the plot, characters, and places described make this a book well worth reading.
As the book opens, Tom is late picking up his dog from Rachel. Bones and a scull have been found, and speculation is they belong to a woman dead more than 10 years.
Tensions and murders mount as people keen on keeping secrets determine that Tom will not solve this case. Rachel, too, is drawn in when she hires the teenage niece of the dead woman.
This is compelling, and the plot, characters, and places described make this a book well worth reading.
March 10, 2018
After reading the first novel in the Rachel Goddard Mystery series, I knew I wanted to continue reading this series. Through the next steps in Rachel Goddard's life, the author incorporates the story of the Melungeon people and shares a glimpse of history that I was not aware. As the author states in her opening Acknowledgements, "Disturbing the Dead" is a work of fiction, set in a fictional Virginia mountain community, but the Melungeon people of Appalachia are real and their history as 'tri-racial isolates'-a mixture of white, Native American and black-is as I describe it."
The Melungeon Heritage Association is a non-profit organization documenting and preserving the history and cultural legacy of mixed ancestry peoples of the southern and eastern United States. For more information, visit the website for the Melungeon Heritage Association, http://melungeon.org/
The Melungeon Heritage Association is a non-profit organization documenting and preserving the history and cultural legacy of mixed ancestry peoples of the southern and eastern United States. For more information, visit the website for the Melungeon Heritage Association, http://melungeon.org/
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