I had a bit of trouble with this book. I think it was the dialogue. I just had a really hard time following. And because of that, it made it hard to follow the story. I think the story was entertaining and it had the features to be great but just not easy to track from start to finish.

Thank you to Taylor Brown, NetGalley, and St Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced reading copy.

Taylor Brown has written a compelling historical novel about the Battle of Blair Mountain, West Virginia. Although the largest battle on US soil since the Civil War, it's probably fair to say that many outside the region are not familiar with it.

The pivotal character in the book is Dr. Domit (Dr. Moo) Muhanna, a Lebanese man who came to Kentucky to go to medical school and who stayed to care for mine workers and all who needed his care. He is based upon the author's great-grandfather, who also came from Lebanon to attend medical school in Kentucky.

The year was 1920, and joining the union warranted harsh treatment -- often at gunpoint--in the minds of the coal bosses. If a man joined the union, he and his family lost their company housing and, near Blair Mountain, were moved to a tent city at the top of the hill. Contrast that to the mansions enjoyed by the mine executives.

Much of the book deals with the battle between the bosses' hired enforcers and the miners who just wanted to feed their families and house them decently. Some had just returned from fighting in World War I, and employed strategies they had learned there. Still, the Battle of Blair Mountain sounds as if it was an excruciating fight, with victory never assured for one side over the other.

The action moves quickly. Not only was the book hard to put down, it was hard to stop thinking about when I wasn't reading. I recommend "Rednecks." Taylor Brown brings history to life. I was also impressed by the book's bibliography.

This talented author has written a page turner. This story is about a past that is not pleasant to read about. However, it happened. The title is not one I would have chosen, but it does fit the book. There are passages about events that I did not know about, or at least, I did not remember. There are characters who come alive on the pages. Thanks Netgalley.