The Postmaster's Daughter

by Sharon Mabry

The Postmaster's Daughter by Sharon Mabry is a 1930s murder mystery set in Appalachia. When a marriage proposal brings together two families in East Tennessee, the wealthy and powerful Cantrells and the hardworking and respected Putnams, everyone is shocked by a sudden murder that halts the union. Sharon Mabry's first novel, The Postmaster's Daughter, is a literary fiction performance that shows Mabry's ear for character details and her ability to weave a murder plot that keeps the reader's interest on the stage of the novel. The Postmaster's Daughter not only leads you into the working kitchen and tastes of cinnamon buns made by Viege Putnam, but it also takes you for a ride in Jack Cantrell's '29 Model J Duesenberg Phaeton. Mabry arranges each scene and action with precision.

"The Putnams and the Cantrells: two very different families whose lives are torn apart over the murder of a young woman. This southern mystery becomes more complicated with each chapter as elements of region, family, and sordid intrigue slowly heat to a boil. Sharon Mabry's The Postmaster's Daughter is beautifully written in a clearly Southern gothic tradition. Mabry is a natural storyteller and has a distinctive, southern style that may remind readers of Flannery O'Connor or Susan Glaspell. Her rolling descriptions and emphasis on interwoven storytelling has the reader hearing characters' southern accents and leaning in to hear the many stories they tell. Readers will want to pour some sweet tea and sit down for a spell with Mabry's The Postmaster's Daughter."-Khristeena Lute, author of Finding Grace and Grit

242 pages, Paperback

Published October 20, 2022

About the author

Prior to novel-writing, Sharon Mabry, who is an award-winning mezzo-soprano soloist and recording artist, premiered works by more than forty composers and made nine critically acclaimed recordings.

She is the author of two books about music, Exploring Twentieth-Century Vocal Music (Oxford Univ. Press, 2002, 2009) and The Performing Life: A Singer’s Guide to Survival (Scarecrow Press, Rowman & Littlefield, 2012). In addition, Mabry established a long tenure as professor of music at Austin Peay State University, where she received the university’s highest award for creativity (the Richard M. Hawkins Award) and for teaching (the Distinguished Professor Award). Sharon Mabry is an East Tennessee native from Newport, TN. She currently lives in Clarksville, TN.

The Postmaster’s Daughter was her first novel and was a Finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards for 2023 in the Mystery category and a Finalist in the 2023 American Writing Awards for Best Debut Fiction.

Reviews

[Stephen Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored Dr. Mabry's first novel, "The Postmaster's Daughter"! Sharon is not only a gifted wordsmith, but she is also a natural-born storyteller, as well. With boundless imagination and meticulous attention to detail, Dr. Mabry enthralls the reader with incredibly astonishing insight into the inner feelings and motivations of the panoply of interesting characters she creates in this fascinating opus.

In every page of her writing, Sharon impressively reveals her innate genius for observing human behavior! (Dr. Sigmund Freud would be very proud!!!) A true daughter of the rural South, being reared in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, Dr. Mabry effortlessly draws from the nostalgic reminiscences of her youth, creating some very complicated and interesting characters, placed into some very challenging and uncomfortable situations.

In this splendid publication, Sharon has mastered an Alfred Hitchcockian style of mystery and suspense, almost forcing the reader to eagerly proceed to the next paragraph, page, and chapter, to finally arrive at the much-anticipated conclusion! The plot twists are astonishing -- they really sneak up on you! This is a MUST READ! Bravissima, Sharon Mabry!

Stephen Clark

[Cindy (BKind2Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable debut novel set in the late 30s in East Tennessee. This book centers on Lila Mae and her family, the Putnams. Lila Mae is 12 and the middle child in this large family. She loves to write and her older sister, Janine, gave her a notebook for her stories. Janine and her mother Viege are busy with wedding preparations. Janine is engaged to Jason Cantrell, the son of a wealthy family. Lila is writing her stories under a tree and overhears her sister making plans to meet someone the next morning. Intrigued, she gets up early the next morning, but falls asleep before the meeting. When she awakens, she makes a gruesome discovery - her sister floating, dead, in the pond. Lila is traumatized and unable to speak. The tragedy is compounded when her fiancé commits suicide. The local sheriff, Jed, tries to put the puzzle together - who killed Janine? There are a host of suspects.

I enjoyed the Southern flavor and the novel was evocative not only of its East Tennessee setting, but also of a simpler time when life revolved around home and neighbors helped each other through the hard times. The sheriff is a Southern Columbo, always remembering that final question on his way out. He was my favorite character and I enjoyed his interactions with his aunt Ethel, who's a bit quirky. I suspected some of the ending, but it was well concealed. Either I missed it or the author left it open but there is no resolution on the biggest mystery and I felt a little cheated after going so far on this journey. I shouldn't have to determine who did it for a mystery novel. Heavy sigh. . Overall a good novel and I look forward to more from this local author.

[James L]

If you want to combine a beautiful experience with a crime drama, this is the book to read. In any truly moving work of art--and this in one--there are "magical" elements. In The Postmaster's Daughter, Sharon Mabry creates a leisurely, comfortable atmosphere, which works to help create the Eastern Tennessee world of the novel. And yet, the plot has no languers; a lot is happening as the pace is everything you would want in a dramatic crime novel. Another "magical" aspect of the novel is the way the reader is gradually drawn to love certain characters: they are developed with such beauty and tenderness. Ah, the word tenderness. How does one manage to evoke tenderness (rather than condemnation) within a crime novel that mixes murder with tragic lives? If you want to know, study this novel. This is a rich reading experience, one that does not clobber the reader over the head but rather, seductively draws the reader into a web of questions, investigation, and even darkness. Often, we talk about "the voice" when we discuss writing. This novel has that quality of writerly voice, and we readers become gently wrapped within it. I loved the experience of this novel and cannot say that I have ever read one quite like it! 1.14.23

[Debbie Reyland]

This is my first review - so to offer a little cred, I studied English Lit and have been in 2 book clubs for decades. I read a lot and am therefore jaded, especially when it comes to novels. Sad to say, I expect to be disappointed. Why? Because, I'm looking to enter a different world, to see and hear the primary characters clearly, and especially in a Mystery, be surprised. The latter very seldom happens.
To my delight, The Postmaster's Daughter delivers on all counts. In addition, it creates a strong sense of place through wonderful details. Food, cars, collectibles, houses and a favorite dog, all the things that flesh out people's lives, are there. The author clearly has an affinity for this region and these folks without over-sentimentalizing them. Consequently, I feel for them too. Lila is a protagonist that I hope to read more about in future books.
So whether you're on a plane as I was, curled up at home, or on vacation, grab this great book and travel to a bygone time, beautiful place and meet some really intriguing folks. Bottom line, I'm not done with these people and their stories yet and that's telling. I hope that Sharon Mabry feels the same way!!

[Luannette Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite genre for reading is mystery. I really enjoy a good mystery that keeps me wanting to read just one more chapter before going to sleep or doing work around the house. The Postmaster's Daughter kept me reading "just one more chapter" more than once! Sharon Mabry's first novel is amazing, not just for a first novel, but for any mystery. I'm now reading one by an author whose books are preordered long before publication and it isn't drawing me in like The Postmaster's Daughter. The plot is well developed, flows well, and made me laugh and then tense as I wondered what would happen next. The setting in East Tennessee gave me an idea of life in that area beyond I had known before. This author made the characters so real that I felt that I was right there with them and was friends with some and didn't want to know some of the others. The warmth and caring as well as the tough parts of life that many have were wonderfully depicted.
I hope Sharon Mabry writes many more books and I will be one of the first to buy the next one she writes.

[John F. Sweets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading “The Postmaster’s Daughter” by Sharon Mabry, a novel about the murder of a beautiful young bride-to-be that takes place in a small mountain hamlet in East Tennessee during the Great Depression. The author’s scrupulous attention to period details, from Aunt Ethel’s colored glassware collection to the Cantrell family graveyard, really brings her characters in this rural setting to life in an intricately woven story of love and betrayal. One morning about a week before her wedding to Jason Cantrell, the heir to the Cantrell fortune, Janine Putnam mysteriously leaves her home for a secret meeting with her fiancé’s father only to be found hours later floating face down in the pond with a knife in her back. As the local sheriff Jed Taggert tries to investigate her murder, he finds both the Putnams and the Cantrells less than cooperative and suspects there’s more than one family member hiding secrets. Mabry’s story kept me guessing “whodunit” almost until the very end!

[Patsy Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a WOW! From characters, each with distinct personalities, woven into a plot that doesn't quit until the very last paragraph, from a mystery with multiple possibilities for solving, to a well written story that pulls you in to the action on each page, The Postmaster's Daughter is one book you won't put down until you finish reading the last word. You'll remember the great story and the characters long after you put it back on a shelf! It's one of the best mysteries I've ever read! Bravo Sharon Mabry!!! I loved reading your first novel!!!

[Sandy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is beautifully written, you can see the characters and the setting. I love being surprised and I was. What a pleasant surprise!!

[Maegan Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read!

[Ellen Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing a novel can be a long process; Sharon Mabry, a natural storyteller, has held this story of her homeland and its people, in her heart and mind for several years, and its publication is a victory for her readers. I enjoyed hearing several versions of this compelling tale in her writers group, and am so thrilled it is finally available for all to read. One can almost hear Lila Mae, a 12-year-old girl living in eastern Tennessee in the early 20th century, reading her stories aloud to her best friend, Maxi, her dog, and to her older sister, Janine, who was engaged to the county's most eligible young man. Janine was Lila Mae’s biggest fan and encouraged her by giving her a journal in which to write her stories. Janine’s tragic death, not long before her wedding day, catapults the reader into the mystery of why each family member and friend may have not wanted to see Janine marry her sweetheart. The county sheriff, Jed Taggert, uses his "good old boy" tactics to delve into the motivations behind various theories of Janine's death, following his Aunt Ethel's revelations at their weekly luncheon and his deputy's earnest attempts to keep track of the clues. The investigation is stymied when Jason Cantrell, Janine's betrothed, takes his life after her funeral, leaving both families grief-stricken and Lila Mae mute. Only after she has been able to record the events in order is she able to relate her experience to Sheriff Taggert, who trails each lead further until the killer is revealed.
Sharon's depiction of country life in the mountains evokes a strong sense of Southern culture that values church, family, home cooking, and honesty. Those who try to keep secrets or who are not born to that region become potential suspects, so the reader is kept guessing until the end as to who committed the county's infamous murder. The descriptions of Jack Cantrell's classic car collection adds to the narrative and makes the reader want to Google images of the expensive models. While searching, the reader may also want to research "sweet meats", a glass dish used to serve small portions of delicacies; Aunt Ethel's collection is pertinent to the story as well. Sharon adds such insightful details throughout the mystery that allow careful readers to postulate the identity and motive of the murderer. And then, there’s the kitchen knife…
The postlude wraps up the consequences of years of secrets, and the intriguing interludes sprinkled throughout the saga are explained in a way that even the most erudite reader may have been fooled as to their author or purpose. I am looking forward to Sharon’s next novel or essay collection from her young years in east Tennessee. Stay tuned!

[Susan DeGryse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this look into 1930s E. TN life. It was very suspenseful, so I read it quickly, as I couldn't put it down.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sharon Mabry began writing this book, quite a while ago, she sent me some pages to proof. When I got around to reading them, I was hooked! I stayed up late in the evening, reading it. I felt a strong connection to Lila Mae Putnam, so when the author put aside the book for her other work, I kept after her to get it published. Now it is in print for others to enjoy.

As the summary says, this is a book set in the 1930's in East Tennessee. It is a mystery with a Southern Appalachian flair and features vintage automobiles as well as strongly defined characters. Lila Mae Putnam, the main character, is a storyteller herself. Those of us raised in that culture know that storytelling is very much a part of people's lives, whether it be simply recounting the day's events at the supper table or re-telling tales that have been passed down for generations.

This story changed lives. After the murder, nothing was ever the same in that small, close-knit community. One of the strengths of this book is that the characters seem drawn from life. They are familiar to those of us from that cultural background, but the clarity of their definition bring them to life for anyone.

If you like a good mystery, you'll like this book. You may even fall in love with Lila Mae, like I did!

[Barbara Wilbur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading "The Postmaster's Daughter" and what an awesome, super terrific read! I began the book yesterday afternoon, read into the night and then did nothing today until I'd read the last sentence. I was intrigued with the author's development of the plot and even though I suspected who did what I really didn't know for certain until the very conclusion. Characters were well developed, and you soon liked some very much, others not so much at all!
I encourage you to read "The Postmaster's Daughter" and take a little trip back in time to Appalachia and enjoy an interesting, well developed story.

[Amarillimiabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book and simply could not put it down- I hardly remember what I ate in between my reading - this happens every time I meet a real “ good read” literally.
The plot is a solid one, and it moves with a good striding pace with really interesting prism of variety and depth.
It was almost uncanny the way all the descriptions of persona, scenes, objects et.al conjured up most vivid images as if I was watching a movie-
I shall return to it many times and I am sure I will find new aspects every time I read this story- just as we do when we see a great artwork or architecture, or beautifully designed article-

[Joe Giles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of interesting people and devilish situations, Mabry's book takes you on a compelling trip into Southern towns and with Southern people, and with other characters who add multicolored contrasts to the intriguing story. This book is a "Don't Miss".

[Robert Mauzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Sharon Mabry’s new mystery novel.
I’ve probably read 100 mystery novels by authors
Such as John D MacDonald, Robert B Parker, and Lee
Child. In my opinion this novel’s story telling and
Character development is in the same league as
Their novels. Highly recommended !!

[Colleen Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book from start to finish, where the twist is great! Really loved the characters and her research into the times and place took the readers on a cant put this down journey!!! Would recommend to anyone !!!

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a marvelous read! The author brought the time and place of her novel’s setting to life and simply transported me to 1930’s Appalachian East Tennessee. Her plot twists were inventive and kept me guessing until the very last few pages of the book. Highly recommend!

[Barbara Mabry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author weaves a story with delicious plot twists that will leave you with questions long after you finish the book. It's an impressive first novel and I look forward to her next one.

[Julia Damore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book! It kept me guessing until the very end. Definitely a must read!

[Sylvia Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Postmaster’s Daughter is a top notch mystery novel. The storyline is very well conceived with exceptional attention to detail.
A 5 star rating for sure !!!!

[Joseph B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The finest compliment I can give author Sharon Mabry is that I began her novel, The Postmaster’s Daughter, while I was reading a classic murder mystery by the prolific and legendary Margery Allingham, and I had to put down the Allingham book because I could not get away from The Postmaster’s Daughter! It’s that good.

As I read The Postmaster’s Daughter I kept turning pages wanting to know more about the intriguing men and fascinating women entangled in this rich East Tennessee murder mystery. But, here is more than a murder mystery. There is tragic psychology, pain and suffering in this little town where two important (but unequal) families tensely deal with the past while enduring and managing the present. Mysteries penetrate almost every turn these people make-some new mysteries and some exploding old ones.

Mabry’s storytelling is not “tricky” or effortfully contrived; the book is easy to read, which does not mean it is unsophisticated; it easily flows. The characters alone bring a greatly varied level of sophistication to this gripping novel. And, just that-it is a complex murder mystery which reads like a gentle but stirring novel. One is involved in these colorful people regardless of who may have done what. There is tempo to the characters and their doings; speech as well as actions seem to have a natural (often frightening) rhythm.

The Postmaster’s Daughter is sprinkled with intense vignettes which Mabry calls “Interludes”. And, that is all I will tell you except that in one of these Interludes Mabry may have written one of the greatest lines I have ever read in my long life:

“Well, now, I didn’t expect that to happen, did you?”

Doesn’t sound that extraordinary here, does it? I tell you my chest clinched in horror and yet I almost burst out laughing. This is mastery of prose; Mabry can do it.

There is one character in the book, a young girl called Lila Mae, and she is drawn with such beauty and truth and humanity that often one suspects a tear in the eye. Lila Mae shines as a heroine. And, there is a puppy- a dog, that also brings tears and, well, you’ll just have to read about him. I make a promise that you will adore him.

Sharon Mabry’s The Postmaster’s Daughter is a “great read”, and it may become an important book. I just have one question...who IS the postmaster’s daughter...

Dr. Joseph Benjamin Collins

[Sylvia Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Postmaster’s Daughter, a debut novel by Sharon Mabry, is published by Thorncraft Publishing.
Set in Appalachia, Tennessee, during the 1930s, the story follows a marriage proposal that brings together two families: the wealthy and powerful Cantrells and the hardworking and respected Putnams. However, a sudden murder disrupts the union, sending shockwaves through the community.
The murder leaves everyone stunned and questioning the motives behind the crime. As the investigation unfolds, the author delves into the complexities of the families’ lives, revealing secrets and betrayals that challenge the reader’s perceptions.

[Belinda Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Postmasters Daughter was beautifully written and authentic of the south and some of the small towns. It was so nice to read a book based in East Tennessee since I live here. The mystery was great and well flushed out I was actually guessing the whole time it was really thought out, I actually loved that part of the book alot, and the talking of the Cinnamon Buns had my mouth water and made me want to taste Viege's. I really fell in love with this story and characters. It was a vivid read. And this book should be a movie.

[Mary Robideaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this a 4-star rating even though I still have many questions. I am fairly sure I know who did it and why, but do I really? I don't read enough mysteries to know if this is a good thing or not. There were quite a few secrets still camouflaged to me. I think this means we will have a good book club discussion on this one.
My family is from the part of east Tennessee where this was set, and I enjoyed the familiarity I had with some of the customs and names. I even have an Uncle Delbert.

[Marla TROUGHTON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nostalgic and clever, this novel took me back home to my roots in Tennessee. The precocious young female protagonist, Lila Mae stirs echos of Kya in Where the Crawdads sing. Vivid and accurate in tone and description, the culture of the era and the East Tennessee setting are well portrayed. Interesting characters, dramatic family secrets and a good old fashioned mystery make this a great quick and entertaining read that I couldn’t put down.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will remember these characters

Sharon Mabry captured the voices, hearts, and souls of her characters in The Postmaster’s Daughter. It’s a twisting, turning mystery that kept me wondering what she was going to do next! People who grew up in small towns will recognize many details about life and people.

I recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries, truly interesting characters, and stories about Appalachia.

It’s a winner!

[Addie Leigh Baird · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book! I pretty much devoured it in one day. 😂 The Southern atmosphere was very well done and familiar. The plot twists were exciting and the story throughout was well ordered. Even among the mystery and tragedy, there was an almost Andy Griffith Show feel to the book, with colorful characters, homey scenes, and heartwarming moments.
Highly recommend and thanks to my choir teacher for recommending it to me!

[Makayla Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly I ate this book UP I got in at a small bookstore in Nashville while I was on vacation. It was a signed copy and a mystery book and then the worker told me it was based in the south UGH I had to have it and I’m so glad I got it. I won’t lie I was not expecting that ending but I’m quite satisfied with how it all tied together

[Susan Prater · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of mysteries, and the subtle twists and turns in THE POSTMASTER’S DAUGHTER kept me up late into the night. Sharon Mabry’s first novel definitely hit the mark for those of us who thrive on turning pages with bated breath in order to finally have the last big “twist” revealed. I’m looking forward to her next book with great anticipation! Enjoy!