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Smothermoss

by Alisa Alering

Narrator Susan Bennett

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Length 8 hours 21 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“There are few places in America where you'll find more superstitions, symbolism, unique sayings, unusual customs, and strange habits than deep within the mountain-folk culture of Appalachia. If you can't book your vacation to the Appalachian Trail today, than take a deep dive into the pages of Smothermoss instead. While reading...you'll smell petrichor, give rabbits a suspicious side eye, not trust your senses, (or the narrators), but you'll ENJOY THE RIDE. The gruesome murder of two hikers sparks suspicion within the small mountain community. Two sisters on the outskirts, find themselves smack in the middle, when one discovers a bloody shirt, and the other's hidden money goes missing.”
— Kathy • The Well-Read Moose

Bookseller recommendation

“An eerie tale set in the Appalachian mountains, of two very different sisters. You will find symbolism, mystery, occult, and magical realism. I listened on Libro.fm and it was very well produced. ”
— Melanie • The Well-Read Moose

Bookseller recommendation

“I loved this fantastic debut murder mystery with a little magic and small-town horror. It was scary and will definitely haunt me. Two sisters Sheila and Angie are living on a mountain in rural Appalachia where they are basically farm-steading and must come together to solve the murder of two young hikers that were viciously killed near their property. The story and characters are unforgettable and I read it in one day. It’s one of my top books of the year and I look forward to reading what this author writes next. 5 stars! ”
— Sandra • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“A hauntingly eerie tale about two sisters, Shelia and Angie, set in the 1980s Appalachia. When two hikers turn up brutally murdered, Shelia and Angie get roped into hunting the killer. The imagery in this novel was so raw and creepy. I haven't looked at rabbits the same since finishing this book. Angie draws creepy tarot cards with images you would see in your worst nightmare. This is a weird novel but a fun one, trust me! ”
— Anna • Underground Books

Summary

In 1980s Appalachia, sisters Sheila and Angie couldn’t be more different. While their mother works long shifts at the nearby asylum, Sheila cares for their home and keeps to herself, even when enduring relentless bullying. Her fearless younger sister, Angie, is more focused on fighting imaginary zombies and creating tarot-like cards that seem to have minds of their own.When the brutal murder of two female hikers on the nearby Appalachian Trail stuns their small community, the sisters find themselves tangled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Angie discovers a ripped, blood-soaked shirt; money Sheila’s been stashing away disappears; and a strange man tries to barter with a woman’s watch at a local store. As the threat of violence looms larger, the mysterious, ancient mountain they live on—and their willingness to trust each other—might be the only things that can save these sisters from the darkness consuming their home.In turns both terrifying and otherworldly, author Alisa Alering opens the door to the hidden world of Smothermoss—a mountain that sighs, monsters made of ink, rabbits dead and alive, and ropes that won’t come undone. Unsettling, propulsive, and wonderfully atmospheric, Alering’s stunning debut novel renegotiates what is seen and unseen, what is real and what is haunted.“Tense and absorbing … an original story from a truly gifted storyteller.”—Karen Joy Fowler

Mystery & Thriller