The Sorrowful Girl
A Liam Barrett Gilded Age Novel
by Keenan Powell
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Pub Date Sep 23 2023 | Archive Date Aug 17 2023
Three Hooligans Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
Liam Barrett embodied the hopes and dreams of his family, bound for Harvard Law School. When his father unexpectedly dies, he gives up his plans and goes to work providing for his family in Adams, Massachusetts. As a policeman who abhors violence and who possesses an ability to calm agitated people, he strives to mediate disputes and keep peace in his community.
When a young Adams woman is found murdered near the estate of mill owner Alistair Cunningham, Cunningham pressures Liam to make a quick arrest. But Liam wants justice. As he fights to ensure that an innocent man is not railroaded, Liam uncovers a sinister plot forcing him to choose between his pacifist conviction and his duty to protect his town.
A Note From the Publisher
eBook: 9798987149546
Advance Praise
Part social history, part adventure, part murder mystery, part family saga, THE SORROWFUL GIRL is a pacy and absorbing tale of rough men and flinty women carving out their lives despite sectarianism, injustice and corruption. The hurtle towards the final showdown is irresistible. CATRIONA McPHERSON, multi-award-winning author of In Place of Fear
Keenan Powell’s The Sorrowful Girl takes us on a compelling visit to western Massachusetts in the last decade of the nineteenth century. Liam Barrett, honor-bound and decent lawman, battles anti-Irish prejudice, corrupt police, and scheming robber barons as he searches for answers in the murder of a young Catholic girl. Desperate to escape her humble origins and bleak future, Deirdre Monaghan dares to dream of a better life, but meets her tragic end in a dark wood instead. Echoes of Celtic myths whisper through the Berkshires in this powerful historical mystery. The Sorrowful Girl packs an emotional wallop. Damn good! —JAMES ZISKIN, author of the Anthony, Barry, and Macavity award-winning Ellie Stone mysteries
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9798987149553 |
| PRICE | $9.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 263 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Jackie T, Reviewer
An amazing mystery story that will have you trying to guess what could happen next. A woman goes missing and as a policeman justice comes first. Will he be able to solve the truth in time.
Kait C, Reviewer
This novel is a departure from Keenan Powell’s psychological legal thrillers. It’s a historical mystery set in the Berkshire area of Massachusetts in the 1890s. It’s clear from the start that this book is a labor of love for Powell. Indeed, it is a fictionalized version of her personal history with characters and setting drawn from her family tree.
Western Massachusetts in the 1890s was a territory divided by nationality and religion. Powell plays on these differences and prejudices to craft a compelling novel that tells the story of strength and integrity in the face of corruption. It begins with a woman found murdered in the woods. Liam Barrett, a young Irish policeman for Adams, MA is called to identify the Irish lass. The ruling gentry and the Pittsfield police want no part of finding the real killer. For them, this is a case where Irish need only apply. Liam takes it upon himself to find the murderer, no matter where the trail leads. Along the way he uncovers a thread of corruption and cunning running through Protestant Pittsfield from the police to the gentry. The explosive ending uncovers the killer, and a motive that spans generations.
This is a book you will want to read more than once. First for the story, then for the beauty of the language. Highly recommend. Five Stars
Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.
Jan T, Reviewer
1890s, murder, murder-investigation, immigrants, rural, historical-novel, historical-research, history-and-culture, mystery, corruption, family-dynamics, family-drama, family-history, local-politics, local-law-enforcement, angst, Irish*****
Irregularly paced but engaging and with interesting characters one can relate to. The main character is an Irish immigrant, member of a fractured family, and a policeman subject to all of the prejudices and political demands that can be expected. An introspective mystery with a goal of justice rather than expediency. A solid read.
I requested and received an EARC from Three Hooligans Press/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)/Members' Titles via NetGalley.
Angie G, Reviewer
Another wonderful book by Keenan Powell! This one follows Liam Barrett, a police officer in Adams, Massachusetts in the late 1800s. When a young Irish Immigrant woman is found murdered near the large mill owners estate, the mystery begins. With pressure to make an arrest, Liam is fast on the case. The writing pulls the reader into the story through the flawless description of the terrain, the accents, and the unfolding of greed and corruption. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you Netgalley, Keenan Powell, and Three Hooligan Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
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