Friday, February 24, 2023





Among the Fallen

by Henry Mitchell

 

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GENRE:   Magical Realism

 

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BLURB:

 

Not everything is what it seems.

Drovers Gap, population 703, appears to the tourists passing through as one more sleepy Appalachian village, just off the interstate, on the way to someplace spectacular and important. But there are simmering tensions and unspoken malice behind the seemingly placid facades, and a spark from afar will ignite an explosive and insatiable evil that hungers to devour the town and everyone in it.

 

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EXCERPT: 

On an August afternoon that rendered the whole world a sauna, Abigail Trammell labored in her front garden, pruning back her roses now reduced by the unrelenting heat to a failure of withered blossoms and limp yellow leaves, though not even the Japanese beetles had been able to dull the thorns. Those remained sharp as ever.

 

She possessed shears some place that eluded her memory, so wielded the sharp butcher knife she liberated from her kitchen, a sin she’d only forgive herself. Startled, she nearly slipped and sliced her fingers when she heard the unfamiliar voice behind her.

 

“Miss Trammell?” A man’s voice only maybe, with a peculiar lilt, obviously not from around here.

 

“You’re a quiet one,” she said, turning to face the tall, gangly figure who’d snuck up on her. Abigail was proud that she had kept her acute hearing into her elder years while she had to shout at most of her friends, couldn’t fathom why she didn’t hear a car come up her drive or footsteps on the gravel. “Can I help you?” As much accusation as question. She assumed this was one more lost tourist, reduced to asking directions of a local because his GPS app was off-line.

 

The spinyspindly maybe-man - a closer look left her still not quite certain of the gender - said, “VonTrier. I reserved your room.”

 

Abigail remembered the name because it was odd. “Yes,” she agreed, “Wendl. You’re set for the week.” She subjected him to a frank inspection. How did he get here? I didn’t hear a car because there isn’t any. “Luggage?” She wouldn’t rent a room for a week to a man without luggage, and started to tell Wendl VonTrier precisely that.

 

“Here,” he said, lofting his suitcase as if it were empty.

 

Abigail wondered how she’d missed it. It was almost as if it didn’t exist before she named it.

 

She dropped her trimmings into the basket at her feet, waved her knife in the air, “I’ll show you,” she said, remembering to smile.

 

 

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                                                                           REVIEW

Well, what can I say, Drovers Gap really drew me in! It is such a magical world with some much going on. The characters are phenomenal and really pack a punch. When I was reading, I felt in enthralled and only wanting to quickly turn the page to read more. I think the author has an amazing knack for creativity and imagination. This was one of the intense and incredible stories that I have read in a while. I highly recommend this one! I usually don't re-read anything, but I will be reading this one again!

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Henry Mitchell reads and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

He has written five novels and two collections of short stories.

 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Mitchell/e/B00GZC7YWE/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

 

Website: http://henrymitchellbooks.com

Blog: https://droversgap.blogspot.com/

 

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 Henry Mitchell will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.


enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC - a Rafflecopter giveaway

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