The Sisters of Glass Ferry is a southern-themed historical novel. It’s filled with complex characters.


This dual timeline novel takes place in 1952 and 1972. It deals with the relationship between twins, Flannery and Patsy, their bootlegger family, and the entire small town of Glass Ferry.

The complex plot revolves around with the prom night disappearance of Patsy. The secrets Flannery and the sheriff’s son hide throughout the years plays an important role, though both have different reasons for their silence.

Though unsure of the exact happenings surrounding the last night she saw her twin, Flannery is haunted by the fact that Patsy begged her not to leave her alone.

But she did. And dealt with the guilt for the rest of her life.

This captivating novel is written with genuine southern life in mind. The backwoods of a small town, and the folks who reside there is well depicted. Everyone in town is connected, either by family, school chums and enemies, or plain dirty gossip. There’s a LOT of gossip and blame that surrounds the mystery of Patsy's whereabouts.

I enjoyed the writer’s voice…the smooth, descriptive and poetic word choices were haunting in a way. I could smell the air, feel the churn of the ferry boat along the river, hear the twang in southern phrases, the crack of a pistol shooting at cans, and the down-home comfort of family chatter around the table.

But this is not an easy read filled with southern comfort…there are some very difficult situations in the book. That being said, it is well worth the read.

Kim Michele Richardson penned a great story. She delved into each character and examined the very essence of why they react and say the things they do. She made them REAL.

I adored the strength of the father, nicknamed “Honey Bee”. He was a loving, yet tough, parent, full of guidance and wisdom. I grew very attached to this character. Not so much with the mother. The way she favored Patsy over Flannery was heartbreaking. It continued long after Patsy’s disappearance, despite the fact Flannery was there for her mother in every way.
Flannery was cheated of so much, and had to become the mother figure in the family—especially after her beloved father died.

Yeah, this story is filled with so much tragedy that it’s hard to read—while simultaneously just as difficult to put down. The story never lagged and kept me engrossed every single page. It never lagged.

Gosh, I haven’t read a book this good in quite a while. It certainly earned the elusive five star award.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me the privilege to read The Sisters of Glass Ferry by Kim Michele Richardson. The following review contains thoughts and opinions that are entirely my own.

Sisters of Glass Ferry by Kim Michele Richardson is impressive from its Kentucky-laced accent writing to the richly drawn characters that come to life in its pages. Richardson draws the reader in with a suspenseful way of revealing the story, as well as the reasons for what they do. This is one of those rare works of fiction that makes you care about a family and its heartbreak, wanting to return to savor each chapter to learn why.

Most striking is the lyrical way the prose reads in a slow and sweet Kentucky drawl, and as masterful is the story built within. It evokes the feeling of being there standing among the characters. The story fit beautifully with the time period, and is true to the behaviors of the time as well.

With so much written about the Kentucky Appalachia region, it’s a refreshing shift for the setting to be elsewhere, but yet embrace Kentucky’s rich bourbon-making history. This part of the story is told from an art-and-science perspective through the eyes of a generation-trained distiller for making the fine charred-oak, barrel-aged whiskey that is aged to perfect the precise flavor. You can almost taste it as you read, and the taxation aspect is along for ride too.

In reading this engrossing book, you find yourself becoming invested in the lives and the secrets of the folks of Glass Ferry. Can the truth be told, and who pays the price? One thing is for sure, in life most truths don’t come easy.

I got an advanced copy of this story to read. To me, there was a lot of movement in the book between present day, and flashbacks to teenage years (and even sometimes flashbacks within flashbacks). It was distracting to me until I got used to it. This story has a good mystery to it and some twists and turns that I didn't expect.

Glass Ferry, Kentucky is home to twins Flannery and Patsy and their family’s whiskey business. Because Patsy is older (only by seconds) she gets the best of everything, including the heirloom family pearls, setting up a fierce jealousy between the girls. When the night of the prom arrives, Patsy goes with her date, the son of the local sheriff, while Flannery takes over Patty’s job for the evening. But then Patsy and her beau never come home. Their disappearance is a mystery, rumors and speculation run rife. Every year the girls’ mother bakes a special cake for Patsy on her birthday, praying that her beloved child comes safely home. What really happened that night and what part did a bitter sibling rivalry play in the disappearance of two young people. This is a starkly beautiful story of prejudice, secrets, and lies. I want to read more from Richardson