The Saints of Swallow Hill

The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart

This is a riveting, complex story set in the true grit of the South during the Great Depression. The story brings out the courage and determination found in southern women who live in survival mode.

The “Tar Heel” state of North Carolina was once the home of a turpentine industry during some of the hardest times to exist in the South. In this story, Rae Lynn Cobbs and her husband, Warren, run a small turpentine farm. The work is hard, sometimes dangerous. Having grown up in an orphanage, Rae Lynn welcomes the “home” she finds with Warren.

After Warren’s sudden death, fearing the perception of what happened, Rae Lynn dresses as a man and leaves to find a safe have at a turpentine camp in Georgia, Swallow Hill.

The camp is no haven, it’s isolated, harsh and home to an evil man that targets Rae Lynn. She finds solace with Del and Cornelia, two friends that struggle to survive in the camp with her.

I really enjoyed learning about a piece o Southern history that I knew nothing about. I also really appreciate the way Donna Everhart presents her female heroines and brings out their greatest strengths in their struggles. 4.5/5⭐