In a Dark Season

Elizabeth Goodweather runs a small herb and flower farm in the North Carolina mountains while occasionally helping to solve local mysteries. When a body is discovered in a crumbling mansion, she becomes drawn into investigating both the recent death and an unsolved disappearance from decades ago. The parallel narratives alternate between present-day events and the 1800s history of the mansion. Multiple plot threads connect through family secrets, lost journals, and the dark corners of local folklore. The story incorporates mountain traditions, herbal lore, and the complexities of preserving rural ways of life in a changing world. Elizabeth must navigate both modern police work and age-old superstitions to uncover the truth. The novel explores how the past echoes through generations and shapes the present, while examining the sometimes painful intersections between progress and tradition in Southern Appalachia.

Readers praise the rich Appalachian mountain setting and authentic portrayal of local culture. Many note the complex plotting and how multiple storylines from different time periods interweave. The character development of Elizabeth Goodweather receives specific mention in reviews, with readers connecting to her emotional depth. Common criticisms include the slow pacing in the first third of the book and some confusion keeping track of multiple timelines. A few readers mention difficulty adjusting to the dialect used in dialogue. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (270 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (41 ratings) Sample reader comments: "The historical elements blend seamlessly with the modern mystery" - Goodreads reviewer "Takes a while to get going but pays off in the end" - Amazon reviewer "Makes you feel like you're really in these mountains" - LibraryThing reviewer "Too many storylines competing for attention" - Goodreads reviewer

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🌟 Author Vicki Lane draws from her real-life experiences living on a mountain farm in North Carolina to create the authentic Appalachian setting in her Elizabeth Goodweather mystery series. 🏠 The crumbling Melungeon mansion featured in "In a Dark Season" was inspired by actual abandoned historic homes in the North Carolina mountains. 📚 The book interweaves two parallel storylines - one set in present-day North Carolina and another in the 1850s - connected by a mysterious house and its secrets. 🗺️ The story explores the history of the Melungeons, a mysterious ethnic group of mixed ancestry found primarily in the Appalachian Mountains. 🏆 "In a Dark Season" was nominated for a 2009 Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original, one of mystery fiction's most prestigious honors.