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Song of the Chimney Sweep
Love is a song played on repeat…
A cryptic blog post leads cold case podcasters Melody and Dorian on a twisty journey back in time to uncover the mysterious story of a forgotten missing woman.
In 1969 near the Florida/Georgia Line, idealistic young Betty Langdon and fast-rising R&B singer Dominicus Owens begin an irresistible but dangerous interracial romance that ends under mysterious, heartbreaking circumstances. Betty is forced to return to her rural home to care for her manipulative mother, while Dominicus goes on to mega-stardom with his band The Downtown Sound. She follows his skyrocketing career from behind the front desk of a dying highway motel--until one day decades later, she disappears.
Now, a popular true crime podcast produced by college friends Melody Hinterson and Dorian Santos takes on the cold case of a missing local woman. The duo’s carefully-balanced workplace dynamic is weirdly off-kilter lately, but they can't take their eyes off the investigation as the intriguing new story suddenly boosts the show into the national spotlight. When the investigation uncovers the missing woman's diaries full of family secrets and the century-old legend of a fortune hidden in an old chimney somewhere in town, the truth behind the podcast's mystery suddenly becomes personal, and Melody must make life-changing choices before the final episode airs.
But who owns the rights to a secret?
A cryptic blog post leads cold case podcasters Melody and Dorian on a twisty journey back in time to uncover the mysterious story of a forgotten missing woman.
In 1969 near the Florida/Georgia Line, idealistic young Betty Langdon and fast-rising R&B singer Dominicus Owens begin an irresistible but dangerous interracial romance that ends under mysterious, heartbreaking circumstances. Betty is forced to return to her rural home to care for her manipulative mother, while Dominicus goes on to mega-stardom with his band The Downtown Sound. She follows his skyrocketing career from behind the front desk of a dying highway motel--until one day decades later, she disappears.
Now, a popular true crime podcast produced by college friends Melody Hinterson and Dorian Santos takes on the cold case of a missing local woman. The duo’s carefully-balanced workplace dynamic is weirdly off-kilter lately, but they can't take their eyes off the investigation as the intriguing new story suddenly boosts the show into the national spotlight. When the investigation uncovers the missing woman's diaries full of family secrets and the century-old legend of a fortune hidden in an old chimney somewhere in town, the truth behind the podcast's mystery suddenly becomes personal, and Melody must make life-changing choices before the final episode airs.
But who owns the rights to a secret?
475 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2022
4 people are currently reading
2569 people want to read
About the author
Tamatha Cain
2 books137 followersTamatha Cain is a former musician and bandleader. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Florida with a degree in English. Her work has appeared in national and international publications. Awards include: 2022 Florida Book Award, 2020 Royal Palm Literary Award, and grand prize in The Experience Poetry Competition. She writes reviews for Southern Literary Review, and is a member of Women's Fiction Writers Association, Women Writing the West, WFWA Historical Fiction Affinity Group, and Florida Writers Association. She is a wife and mother of three and lives in a hundred-year-old bungalow in North Florida, in close proximity to the historic locations found in her novel Song of the Chimney Sweep.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 31, 2022
Two great stories in one!
I loved the dual plotlines of this book and how it is a mix of contemporary romance and historical romance. The missing person case kept me guessing all the way to the end.
My favorite part was actually learning all about Jacksonville and its musical history. I live in Florida and had no idea the city had such a rich musical past. I also enjoyed Zeke Jr.'s part where he tells about the challenges the Black community faced when the highway was built.
This is an all-around great book with something for everyone.
I loved the dual plotlines of this book and how it is a mix of contemporary romance and historical romance. The missing person case kept me guessing all the way to the end.
My favorite part was actually learning all about Jacksonville and its musical history. I live in Florida and had no idea the city had such a rich musical past. I also enjoyed Zeke Jr.'s part where he tells about the challenges the Black community faced when the highway was built.
This is an all-around great book with something for everyone.
September 1, 2022
Cold Case Podcasters Discover More Than They Imagined
According to Melody the narrator of Song of the Chimney Sweep, “The thing about devoting yourself to investigating a person is that you find yourself coming out the other side feeling as if you know them.” Wise words for any investigative reporter. Who do the secrets of a relationship belong to and how does a journalist acquire the rights to the contents of a private journal? These are just two of the questions that Tamatha Cain explores in Song of the Chimney Sweep.
Melody Hinterson and Dorian Santos are a pair of cold case podcasters with a show getting more downloads than they ever imagined. A blog post suggests they investigate the story of Betty Langdon, a woman who fell in love with an amazing Black musician in 1969, returned home to care for her sick mother, married a chimney sweep, had an unhappy marriage, and disappeared right before 9-11. Her case also disappeared because of crucial breaking news about the loss of the twin towers until Melody and Dorian unearthed it.
Their interviews give us firsthand views into the life of Betty, her husband, and those who remember her. They also make us wonder whether life is random, or events happen in a specific order for a reason. That question is enhanced by the quirky relationship between Melody and Dorian who insist on remaining good friends for the sake of the podcast despite their deepening attraction for one another.
The author shares Betty’s story in alternating points of view, so that we see the story from the interviews on Melody’s podcast as well as Betty’s diary and experiences. This is a cleverly plotted story about falling in love and hiding behind denial. I found myself more and more intrigued as these podcasters delved into Betty’s story while deliberately avoiding their own.
Before her career as a novelist, Cain’s “most compelling writing was probably found in the pages-long love notes she wrote to bewildered boys back in middle school” according to her website, http://www.tamathacain.com. Her writing has appeared in “The Experience Art and Literary Magazine,” “The Florida Writer,” “American Cake Decorating,” and other publications. She won the 2020 Royal Palm Literary Award for Unpublished Literary Mystery and The Experience Poetry Competition. She writes reviews for Southern Literary Review and serves as a judge in the RPLA Awards. She is a member of WFWA and FWA.
She’s a writer worth watching, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
According to Melody the narrator of Song of the Chimney Sweep, “The thing about devoting yourself to investigating a person is that you find yourself coming out the other side feeling as if you know them.” Wise words for any investigative reporter. Who do the secrets of a relationship belong to and how does a journalist acquire the rights to the contents of a private journal? These are just two of the questions that Tamatha Cain explores in Song of the Chimney Sweep.
Melody Hinterson and Dorian Santos are a pair of cold case podcasters with a show getting more downloads than they ever imagined. A blog post suggests they investigate the story of Betty Langdon, a woman who fell in love with an amazing Black musician in 1969, returned home to care for her sick mother, married a chimney sweep, had an unhappy marriage, and disappeared right before 9-11. Her case also disappeared because of crucial breaking news about the loss of the twin towers until Melody and Dorian unearthed it.
Their interviews give us firsthand views into the life of Betty, her husband, and those who remember her. They also make us wonder whether life is random, or events happen in a specific order for a reason. That question is enhanced by the quirky relationship between Melody and Dorian who insist on remaining good friends for the sake of the podcast despite their deepening attraction for one another.
The author shares Betty’s story in alternating points of view, so that we see the story from the interviews on Melody’s podcast as well as Betty’s diary and experiences. This is a cleverly plotted story about falling in love and hiding behind denial. I found myself more and more intrigued as these podcasters delved into Betty’s story while deliberately avoiding their own.
Before her career as a novelist, Cain’s “most compelling writing was probably found in the pages-long love notes she wrote to bewildered boys back in middle school” according to her website, http://www.tamathacain.com. Her writing has appeared in “The Experience Art and Literary Magazine,” “The Florida Writer,” “American Cake Decorating,” and other publications. She won the 2020 Royal Palm Literary Award for Unpublished Literary Mystery and The Experience Poetry Competition. She writes reviews for Southern Literary Review and serves as a judge in the RPLA Awards. She is a member of WFWA and FWA.
She’s a writer worth watching, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
August 30, 2022
As Song of the Chimney Sweep by Tamatha Cain weaves its dual storylines, the reader follows in awe. There’s the back story of one Betty Langdon, a 17-year-old in 1969 who disappears in 2001 and then there’s the popular 2019 cold case podcast digging into the mystery of her disappearance. With the addition of selected entries from Betty’s diary, the reader becomes temporarily more knowledgeable than the podcasting duo investigating the case.
Cain’s uncanny ability to fully draw characters with just a few choice words will quickly engage readers. Betty’s mama, Delores, has a flare for the dramatic and is perpetually “in a state.” Betty sees her own life as “stuck, like some sad old bobcat dragging her snap-trapped hind leg around.” Her interracial romance with Dominicus, a rising musical star, is disapproved by Dom’s mother, Ms. Martha, whose feathered hatband waves “…in doleful agreement with the shaking of her head.”
In the meantime, podcasters Melody and Dorian operate smoothly as a team while struggling to keep their unstated mutual attraction from ruining a successful business. As their ongoing series of interviews grow their podcast audience and add further speculation about Betty’s fate, readers continue to stay ahead of the curve a little while longer via Betty’s diary entries.
In addition to a riveting mystery, Song of the Chimney Sweep gifts readers with a deep dive into Jacksonville’s history, both culturally and musically. Tamatha Cain has written a fun, intriguing, and satisfying novel with Song of the Chimney Sweep.
Cain’s uncanny ability to fully draw characters with just a few choice words will quickly engage readers. Betty’s mama, Delores, has a flare for the dramatic and is perpetually “in a state.” Betty sees her own life as “stuck, like some sad old bobcat dragging her snap-trapped hind leg around.” Her interracial romance with Dominicus, a rising musical star, is disapproved by Dom’s mother, Ms. Martha, whose feathered hatband waves “…in doleful agreement with the shaking of her head.”
In the meantime, podcasters Melody and Dorian operate smoothly as a team while struggling to keep their unstated mutual attraction from ruining a successful business. As their ongoing series of interviews grow their podcast audience and add further speculation about Betty’s fate, readers continue to stay ahead of the curve a little while longer via Betty’s diary entries.
In addition to a riveting mystery, Song of the Chimney Sweep gifts readers with a deep dive into Jacksonville’s history, both culturally and musically. Tamatha Cain has written a fun, intriguing, and satisfying novel with Song of the Chimney Sweep.
October 10, 2022
First of all, I flew through this novel faster than I have any other in a long time! It has been called “a compulsively readable” story and yes, hi 👋🏻 compulsive reader here, it definitely was!
I loved the dual timelines and the format of the book including chapters of a true crime podcast team and the woman who went missing in the town several years earlier! I was a huge fan of the NPR podcast serial and this book felt like I was listening to another season of it. I absolutely loved the mystery and all of the musical and historical facts about Jacksonville!
My book club recently read the book “the warmth of other suns” a nonfiction book about the great migration of Black men and women from the south to the north and was so excited this novel referred to some of that same history!
This story had so many sweet and heartbreaking moments and such a slow burn romance that made you say “come on already!” But in a good way! And the ending was perfect and heartfelt and warm. It was such a great mixture of romance, mystery, and history that I quite literally couldn’t put it down. If you are a fan of music, history, and a very well thought out commentary on interracial relationships at the time, this story is perfect for you!
I loved the dual timelines and the format of the book including chapters of a true crime podcast team and the woman who went missing in the town several years earlier! I was a huge fan of the NPR podcast serial and this book felt like I was listening to another season of it. I absolutely loved the mystery and all of the musical and historical facts about Jacksonville!
My book club recently read the book “the warmth of other suns” a nonfiction book about the great migration of Black men and women from the south to the north and was so excited this novel referred to some of that same history!
This story had so many sweet and heartbreaking moments and such a slow burn romance that made you say “come on already!” But in a good way! And the ending was perfect and heartfelt and warm. It was such a great mixture of romance, mystery, and history that I quite literally couldn’t put it down. If you are a fan of music, history, and a very well thought out commentary on interracial relationships at the time, this story is perfect for you!
August 4, 2024
Dual timeline historical fiction tale about music loving Betty in 1970, and current day podcasters investigating Betty's mysterious disappearance in 2011.
A story of music, forbidden love, regret, Jacksonville and puzzles. Beautifully written with characters I grew to love, and gasp-aloud plot twists.
Highly recommend.
A story of music, forbidden love, regret, Jacksonville and puzzles. Beautifully written with characters I grew to love, and gasp-aloud plot twists.
Highly recommend.
October 24, 2022
What a fantastic read! Our book club read this in October and the discussion post-read was nonstop. Can't wait for Tamatha's next book!
Read
October 16, 2022It has been a while since I’ve read a fiction novel and this my friend did NOT disappoint! The first few pages pulled me in and i didn’t want to put it down! I wanted to speed read through, but paced myself allowing it all to soak in!
I finished the book last night with both a smile and tears trickling down my face!
Thank you Tamatha Cain for reminding me how much I enjoy the escape and thrill of turning each page!
I finished the book last night with both a smile and tears trickling down my face!
Thank you Tamatha Cain for reminding me how much I enjoy the escape and thrill of turning each page!
August 4, 2022
What an engaging book! I love historical fiction, and the way Tamatha Cain weaves the musical history of the region into this story was very compelling! I couldn't put it down!
November 21, 2022
Tam,
“Song of the Chimney Sweep” is amazing! Once I really got into it, I couldn’t put it down. Your words painted the pictures in my mind like a movie. I had tears running down my face but was smiling at the end. You are an awesome writer, and I can’t wait to read your next book, and the one after that . . .
Thank you for sharing such a beautifully poignant story.
“Song of the Chimney Sweep” is amazing! Once I really got into it, I couldn’t put it down. Your words painted the pictures in my mind like a movie. I had tears running down my face but was smiling at the end. You are an awesome writer, and I can’t wait to read your next book, and the one after that . . .
Thank you for sharing such a beautifully poignant story.
May 17, 2025
I thought I knew a lot about music until I picked up “Song of the Chimney Sweep.” Cain took me through an era I love and a part of our country I was unfamiliar with. It was a lovely ride. She deeply explores her characters and setting with rich, at times poetic writing.
Then I listened to the audio book and fell in love with this book all over again. Cain also sings snippets of the songs. Her voice is rich, full of emotion, with a clear, bell-like quality. A beautiful and fulfilling mystery told by characters I already miss. Highly recommend!
Then I listened to the audio book and fell in love with this book all over again. Cain also sings snippets of the songs. Her voice is rich, full of emotion, with a clear, bell-like quality. A beautiful and fulfilling mystery told by characters I already miss. Highly recommend!
May 11, 2025
The author skillfully weaves together two timelines, past and present, following perspectives of two present-day podcasters and of a woman who vanished in Jacksonville, Florida, 20 years earlier. As the young podcasters investigate her fate, the unfolding episodes reveal not only the truth about the woman's disappearance but also about themselves and their relationship.
The author demonstrates a clear familiarity with the subject matter, enriching the narrative with vibrant details about Jacksonville. As a musician, she shares compelling stories about the local music scene, including experiences of Black musicians in Florida and racial justice struggles within the industry.
The author’s narration is excellent, flowing naturally with subtle variations for each character, interspersed with several nicely rendered snippets of song. While I know the author personally and received a complimentary copy of the audiobook, I came to my favorable opinion of this novel entirely on its merits.
The author demonstrates a clear familiarity with the subject matter, enriching the narrative with vibrant details about Jacksonville. As a musician, she shares compelling stories about the local music scene, including experiences of Black musicians in Florida and racial justice struggles within the industry.
The author’s narration is excellent, flowing naturally with subtle variations for each character, interspersed with several nicely rendered snippets of song. While I know the author personally and received a complimentary copy of the audiobook, I came to my favorable opinion of this novel entirely on its merits.
March 14, 2025
This story took me completely by surprise. I expected a mellow historical fiction, perhaps a class struggle with racial undertones. It was so much more than that.
If you liked Sadequa Johnson's "House of Eve," you will appreciate this story too: it tackles some of the same themes and is set (at least partly) in the same time period.
The story is told in dual timelines, alternating between Betty’s life from the 1970s onward and the present day, where two true crime podcasters investigate her disappearance. The timelines complement each other seamlessly. Betty's story is told with subtlety and nuance, at times heart-rending, at times making you smile through tears. Meanwhile, the investigation keeps you guessing and propels you through the story.
The prose is immersive and musical, infused with humor and warmth. The details about Florida’s landscape, history, and architecture made me feel as if I were physically part of the story across time and space.
I am not the biggest fan of cozy mysteries, but this one was so well-paced, layered, and intricately plotted that I was hooked. I binged the last 40% of the book because I had to know the ending. It is the kind of mystery where you think you have it figured out, but there is always another layer waiting to be uncovered.
I will definitely be on the lookout for more stories from this author.
If you liked Sadequa Johnson's "House of Eve," you will appreciate this story too: it tackles some of the same themes and is set (at least partly) in the same time period.
The story is told in dual timelines, alternating between Betty’s life from the 1970s onward and the present day, where two true crime podcasters investigate her disappearance. The timelines complement each other seamlessly. Betty's story is told with subtlety and nuance, at times heart-rending, at times making you smile through tears. Meanwhile, the investigation keeps you guessing and propels you through the story.
The prose is immersive and musical, infused with humor and warmth. The details about Florida’s landscape, history, and architecture made me feel as if I were physically part of the story across time and space.
I am not the biggest fan of cozy mysteries, but this one was so well-paced, layered, and intricately plotted that I was hooked. I binged the last 40% of the book because I had to know the ending. It is the kind of mystery where you think you have it figured out, but there is always another layer waiting to be uncovered.
I will definitely be on the lookout for more stories from this author.
April 4, 2025
Song of the Chimney Sweep by Tamatha Cain
I listened to this book on Audible, read by the author. It was great. Tamatha Cain weaves a bittersweet love story in this duel timeline historical fiction about a podcast that seeks to find the answers regarding the disappearance of a woman decades earlier. In doing so, they reignite the legend of a lost treasure supposedly hidden in the chimney of an unknown historical home. The intrigue keeps the reader invested in the answers. I enjoyed the background of the music industry that is also a central theme in the story. As the author connected all the dots in the mystery there were things I didn’t see coming; I admire that kind of skilled storytelling. Cain’s lovely singing voice adds so much to the telling. I encourage you to give it a listen.
D.W. Hogan author of Unbroken Bonds and contributing author in Feisty Deeds anthology
I listened to this book on Audible, read by the author. It was great. Tamatha Cain weaves a bittersweet love story in this duel timeline historical fiction about a podcast that seeks to find the answers regarding the disappearance of a woman decades earlier. In doing so, they reignite the legend of a lost treasure supposedly hidden in the chimney of an unknown historical home. The intrigue keeps the reader invested in the answers. I enjoyed the background of the music industry that is also a central theme in the story. As the author connected all the dots in the mystery there were things I didn’t see coming; I admire that kind of skilled storytelling. Cain’s lovely singing voice adds so much to the telling. I encourage you to give it a listen.
D.W. Hogan author of Unbroken Bonds and contributing author in Feisty Deeds anthology
March 24, 2025
Listening to the audiobook of SONG OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP is like savoring a fine wine while enjoying a great musical piece. The prose is smooth and lyrical, and the storyline makes it difficult to take a break from listening. The author does a great job of voicing her own book. A great audiobook experience!
April 5, 2025
I listened to this engrossing and delightful story on audio. Tamatha Cain’s beautiful voice, whether acting out the story or singing the songs, is a pleasure to listen to. Her narration enhanced her novel, with all its twists and turns.
Currently reading
October 13, 2022Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed Song of the Chimney Sweep! And if it's still on your TBR, I'm looking forward to hearing what you think. :)
February 23, 2024
Cain combines the mystery of a missing woman, regrets of paths not taken, and romance into one beautifully-written novel.
November 26, 2024
My book club chose this book because of a member’s connection to the author. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The multiple timelines worked very well together, and I was kept guessing on various aspects until the author decided to reveal them. I also discovered aspects of music, Jacksonville history, and building development that I’d never even considered before.
November 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Its story navigated between a podcast in 2019 and the story the podcast was investigating in the past. Both stories kept my interest and kept me guessing. I also learned more about the music and the history of Jacksonville Florida.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews