Rating: 
Summary: A Great Book
Review: The novel the Hangman's Beautyful Daughter is a great book by Sharyn McCrumb. The Book is about the life of Laura Bruce and her visits to the families of the eastern Tennessee mountains. While her husband is away as a minister for the army in the Gulf War, Laura counsels people of the town durring times of need. Many tragic things happen to the families and characters in this book, but they only bring you closer to them. My favorite characters are the Underhill children for thier strength and courage and Nora Bonesteel for her wisdom and kindness. I think this is a really good book and would recommend it because of the closeness you feel to the characters.
Rating: 
Summary: DEPRESSING
Review: There are several books that I call my "Seasonal Affective Disorder" books. I reread them every year during the dark nights of January, and they lift me up out of the winter doldrums. _The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter_ is the exact opposite. I read it in the middle of July, and it *gave* me a case of the winter doldrums. Sharyn McCrumb uses lovely prose to drag us into the depths of an Appalachian winter, where the tragedies are as pervasive as the cold.Laura Bruce, the wife of the local minister, is summoned to the home of a family she barely knows, where the oldest son has shot his parents, youngest brother, and himself, leaving the two middle kids (who were out at the time) alive but distraught. This isn't really a mystery--there is no question as to whodunit, or even why--I guess I've read too many books, but I knew exactly what the family secret was from the very beginning. The question is, whay will become of the two remaining teenagers now that they are alone in the world? The law demands a guardian until the older sibling, the boy, reaches 18 in a few months. Laura Bruce takes on the position, but not the responsibility; she sees it mainly as a formality and doesn't check on them much. As the winter progresses, Laura becomes preoccupied with her own problems, and completely ignores the teenagers until disaster (quite literally) strikes. Hello? Why did Laura marry a minister if she didn't want to assume the social role of a minister's wife? And why, why, WHY did she agree to become these poor kids' guardian if she wasn't going to even give them a call once in a blue moon? Yes, I know she has her own problems, but she is almost forty, these kids are in high school, and she accepted the responsibility. She's an adult, and she doesn't act like one. I came away from the book not liking Laura much at all. There is also a subplot about a man dying of cancer who, along with his best friend, plots revenge on the company that is polluting the river. This book is well-written, but so depressing that I probably won't read it again. If you decide to read it, have a funny book standing by to read afterward.
Rating:
Summary: DEPRESSING
Review: There are several books that I call my "Seasonal Affective Disorder" books. I reread them every year during the dark nights of January, and they lift me up out of the winter doldrums. _The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter_ is the exact opposite. I read it in the middle of July, and it *gave* me a case of the winter doldrums. Sharyn McCrumb uses lovely prose to drag us into the depths of an Appalachian winter, where the tragedies are as pervasive as the cold. Laura Bruce, the wife of the local minister, is summoned to the home of a family she barely knows, where the oldest son has shot his parents, youngest brother, and himself, leaving the two middle kids (who were out at the time) alive but distraught. This isn't really a mystery--there is no question as to whodunit, or even why--I guess I've read too many books, but I knew exactly what the family secret was from the very beginning. The question is, whay will become of the two remaining teenagers now that they are alone in the world? The law demands a guardian until the older sibling, the boy, reaches 18 in a few months. Laura Bruce takes on the position, but not the responsibility; she sees it mainly as a formality and doesn't check on them much. As the winter progresses, Laura becomes preoccupied with her own problems, and completely ignores the teenagers until disaster (quite literally) strikes. Hello? Why did Laura marry a minister if she didn't want to assume the social role of a minister's wife? And why, why, WHY did she agree to become these poor kids' guardian if she wasn't going to even give them a call once in a blue moon? Yes, I know she has her own problems, but she is almost forty, these kids are in high school, and she accepted the responsibility. She's an adult, and she doesn't act like one. I came away from the book not liking Laura much at all. There is also a subplot about a man dying of cancer who, along with his best friend, plots revenge on the company that is polluting the river. This book is well-written, but so depressing that I probably won't read it again. If you decide to read it, have a funny book standing by to read afterward.
Rating: 
Summary: SHARYN McCRUMB, YOU'VE DONE IT AGAIN! THANK YOU!
Review: There is no doubt about it. Sharyn McCrumb is a highly gifted author and this book proves that yet again. She has an incredible sense of voice and feeling. In relating the issues of poverty and environmental concerns, her lyrical (for lack of a better word) descriptions of the settings ring strong and clear. In reading this work, as with her other "Ballad" books, one feels almost transported to the places she describes. Sharyn McCrumb does an exceptional job of intwining the social horrors of poverty and pollution with the gentle beauty of the mountains. It is her voice, as clear as a bell, as soothing as a bird song that makes this book so darn good. Her characters are all richly drawn and given fresh, literary life. Her sense of dialog is outstanding and there is nothing extraneous in her work. Sharyn McCrumb is here to stay.
Rating:
Summary: Once Upon A Time-----
Review: there was a tiny town named Hamelin in the Tennessee hills. Gather round while Sharyn McCrumb weaves another of her Ballads. "Hangman" has it all: Fire, Flood, Murder and Pestilence race through this plainspoken tale. Ms. McCrumb deftly guides alternating voices through the high-speed story. The tale is a page-turner, not as reflective as the other ballad stories. Nora Bonesteel, who has the Sight, is almost swept aside in the swift-moving events, both God and man-made. Ms. McCrumb's near poetical characterizations are a delight, particularly the Ophelia-like, fifteen year-old Maggie Underhill. Maggie etches herself in your mind, though she is elusive as a fairy child. Stalwart Sheriff Spencer Underwood's not-so-secret devotion to country singer, Naomi Judd, weaves lightly in and out of the story. I was troubled by the medical course of action advised for Laura Bruce, pregnant minister's wife. I can't see where it furthered the plot, and it seemed grossly erroneous. It is difficult to fathom how a closely-knit community can leave two teenagers whose family had been massacred so completely on their own. Surely, the church and neighbors would visit and attempt to assist them. All the characters intend "to stop by," but never get around to it. These were my only two reservations about the story line. "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" should be started early in the day, because it's bad for your health and disposition to stay up all night reading a book. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Once Upon A Time-----
Review: there was a tiny town named Hamelin in the Tennessee hills. Gather round while Sharyn McCrumb weaves another of her Ballads. "Hangman" has it all: Fire, Flood, Murder and Pestilence race through this plainspoken tale. Ms. McCrumb deftly guides alternating voices through the high-speed story. The tale is a page-turner, not as reflective as the other ballad stories. Nora Bonesteel, who has the Sight, is almost swept aside in the swift-moving events, both God and man-made. Ms. McCrumb's near poetical characterizations are a delight, particularly the Ophelia-like, fifteen year-old Maggie Underhill. Maggie etches herself in your mind, though she is elusive as a fairy child. Stalwart Sheriff Spencer Underwood's not-so-secret devotion to country singer, Naomi Judd, weaves lightly in and out of the story. I was troubled by the medical course of action advised for Laura Bruce, pregnant minister's wife. I can't see where it furthered the plot, and it seemed grossly erroneous. It is difficult to fathom how a closely-knit community can leave two teenagers whose family had been massacred so completely on their own. Surely, the church and neighbors would visit and attempt to assist them. All the characters intend "to stop by," but never get around to it. These were my only two reservations about the story line. "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" should be started early in the day, because it's bad for your health and disposition to stay up all night reading a book. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Characters!
Review: This book is a terrific character study of a small town in East Tennessee. The mystery element in the book is actually fairly slight, but the strong and believable characters within this book make up for it. I certainly felt as if I knew these people, and wondered what happened to them after the book was over.
Rating:
Summary: A truly exceptional book
Review: This book is exceptional. Unlike the majority of mysteries, the charactes in this book are not stereotypical, nor is the plot a product of a formula. It was a delight to read, and I eagerly look forward to reading the remainder of the books in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: This book kept me in awe through-out. When I realized what happened, I was just hit in the face. I had no idea it was coming! Wow! I hope everyone will enjoy this book!
Rating:
Summary: a moving story by a genuine storyteller
Review: This book provides a wonderful escape into the lush, magical, and often tragic world of Appalachian culture. The plot is subtle and reaches beyond the events of the mysterious death that occurs; there is a sense of mourning in this novel for the poverty that exists in Appalachia, for the exploited people and the exploited earth. More than a mere mystery, this novel is a multi textured examination of the destructive forces that exist in North American society, and of a people slowly being destroyed by those forces, whether in a literal sense or metaphorically. However,the book ends with a promise of hope and provides real satisfaction in the reader
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