I don't know... There were things about this book that I thought were creative and interesting (Death Talking, specifically), but there were a lot of flaws too.
It DEFINITELY deserved a trigger warning for the first chapter. Maybe I'm just really sensitive to infanticide, but it was a really rough way to start out the book....
I wish the book had mentioned earlier than 3/4 of the way through that it was set in the 1980s, I think it would have cleared some assumed inconsistencies up (why no one just uses their cell phone, etc.).
It ended up wrapping up pretty well, but felt a little rushed.

Folklore, magic, and an Appalachian setting made this such a beautiful and intriguing read! The author’s writing is impeccable, you can easily visualize the surroundings, which really pulled me into the story. If you’re looking for a witchy mystery absolutely perfect for the fall season, grab this one!

Thanks so much for letting me read in advance!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This book has so many of the things I love, and it didn't disappoint! I found it to be rich and rooted in Appalachia lore and culture, with its own spin. I'm a sucker for things like that! This book was eerie and perfect for spooky season!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review!

I was very excited to get an advanced copy of this novel after reading the summary online. The magic system is something that I have not seen in any other book and it really intrigued me off the bat. It felt as if Weatherly's magic was a character of its own and was one of the reasons I could not put the book down.

I thought that this novel did a great job capturing life in a small, rural town where everyone is always in each other's business. It explored grief and how that tests the bonds of family and what it means to let go. The characters seemed to be fairly well developed for a debut novel. I am looking forward to reading more by Dana Elmendorf and hope to get a sequel in the future.

This was a book that I normally would not have read. I did end up enjoying it more than I thought I would. I would definitely recommend this book.

There is so much that works here it's really a shame more people haven't read it. It's atmospheric but genuine and the MC is a classic tough girl with a heart of gold, which I love.

The concept of a gift that lets Weatherly “talk the death” out of someone - just once - is an interesting one. Combined with her cousin’s mysterious accident or possible murder, it was intriguing. Throw in some family magic, a boy named Rook (who is sometimes a crow) and my attention was certainly held. Definite page turner for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy.

This was just beautiful. I loved the Appalachian folklore. It’s always been one of my favorite things to learn about, so imagine my excitement when I saw this book. It lived up to everything I hoped it would be.

I am a sucker for anything from Appalachia. Make it witchy, dark, and mysterious and now we’re talking. I really liked this novel. Weatherly was so relatable, and her power of talking the death out of the dying was very interesting. It reminded me of John Coffey from The Green Mile.

I think my favorite thing about the Appalachian setting is always the exceptionally rich mountain folklore, and In the Hour of Crows did not disappoint. The culture and superstition permeated every corner of this novel.

If you like witchy mysteries set in the mountain south, you’ll like this. I certainly did!

In The Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf, pub 6/4/24 from MIRA. Set in Appalachia, steeped in mysticism and folklore. This is a story of class division, how talents/gifts are exploited and purposely misrepresented to create fear. Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow’s latest book, Starling House. Pulled in by the southern gothic vibes, I devoured this atmospheric book. I highly recommend. I received an early copy from the publisher.

Weatherly Opal Wilder is a Death Talker. She can talk death away from a person and let them live. It's a gift passed down in her family and the people of the town are always willing to take advantage, but they also avoid her whenever they're not asking for her help. She's learned to live with that as long as she has her close friends and her cousin Adaire. But Adaire gets run over by the richest man in town and justice is very obviously not served, so Weatherly sets off on a quest to discover what really happened that will reveal truths about her and her family that she never imagined.

This book was fantastic and shows how to do magical realism right. It feels like there's tons of folklore and tradition behind the things Weatherly can do, but it never really delves into it, letting the mysticism and lore of it as something the reader accepts because it is how it is. I loved that detail.
There is also a lot to delve into within the story, not just the downright murder of her cousin Adaire. We also get to explore Weatherly's family relationships, the haves vs have-nots of the town, and what justice truly means, all while getting a nice little potential romance story behind it.
The writing hooked me in from the very first page and it just kept pulling me back. Elmendorf builds the story through building blocks that might feel disconnected but end up building a complex and perfectly logical plot once you get to the conclusion.

I very highly recommend this read and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for the most excellent read!

In the Hour of Crows is a Southern Gothic murder mystery with magical realism, set in the small Appalachian town of Black Fern, Georgia. The story is richly atmospheric and character-driven, delving into themes of family, small-town life, love, death, grief, secrets, deception, and prejudice.

Weatherly Wilder possesses a unique gift—or curse, depending on your perspective—as a Death Talker. She can create Sin Eater Oil to help those on the brink of death. Her cousin Adaire, a Scryer, can glimpse into the future, though her visions are often unclear.

Three days before Adaire suffers a fatal accident, she shares a cryptic vision with Weatherly that neither of them fully understands. After Adaire’s death, Weatherly is determined to uncover the truth behind what she believes was a crime and to interpret Adaire’s premonition. As she investigates, she puts herself at risk to discover why someone would want to kill her cousin.

Overall, I enjoyed the darker atmosphere of this book. The town of Black Fern nearly takes on a character of its own, shaping the narrative just as much as Weatherly does. It gave me Starling House vibes which I loved!! I highly recommend this book!

📖 Book Review 📖

📱🎧 "In the Hour of Crows" by Dana Elmendorf

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
published June 4, 2024

Magical realism mixed with a gothic mystery set in Black Fern, GA. Weatherly is a Death Talker- she can talk death out of someone who is dying but it can only be done once and it takes a toll on her body. She makes Sin Eater Oil when the death leaves her body. This oil is poisonous and can kill someone if the quantity is right. In the Appalachian mountains some people fear young Weatherly while others are in awe of her gift.

When Weatherly’s cousin Adaire is killed in an accident she is determined to prove it was on purpose as her family has always been ostracized in this small town. I enjoyed the mystery of this story and the ending was perfect!!!

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I… loved the concept but wasn’t a fan of the execution…

religion being used as a weapon & relating to trauma is something that I constantly struggle with, even if it’s in fantasy worlds. especially since that was something that was pushed upon me growing up, and I feel super icky reading about that experience too

THAT BEING SAID, the mystery and spooky vibes surrounding the main story were excellent!!! and that last chapter? had me screaming!!!

I went back and forth between my feelings on our MC weatherby, especially how brash and determined she was. sometimes it was applaudable and I’d be on my feet clapping, but most of the time, it was the idiotic moves that won out and left me rolling my eyes. even though the story takes place in a fantasy world, I want to feel related to by the MC…

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: burgundy red blend

A perfect witchy suspenseful mysterious book that had me guessing for days and at the edge of my seat. Perfect for spooky season coming up!

I really enjoyed the concept of this book but the execution left me wanting a bit more. There was mystery and intrigue but also a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions at the end.

ALL THE SPOILERS
SO MANY SPOILERS
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

I should have been hesitant when it was compared to Crawdads but I requested the ARC from Netgalley because it sounded interesting. It could have been.

There was so much potential with this book. Great premise, good mystery, suspense was good...but the characters...

Why was Weatherly living with a grandmama she hated at the age of 24? She didn't have a job besides being at her grandmama's beck and call? If it was a small town, how many deaths could there be? And she claimed she had a bad reputation with the townsfolk, but never really interacted with anyone besides family and the police. How did Violet give up alcoholic cold turkey and not die? Why didn't anyone else realize there wasn't a wreck where Adaire was found?

So many plotholes and the pacing was hard to keep up with. We never did meet Westherly's mother or get answers about the picture of her and Gabby, or the babies. There were lots of things that bothered me, obviously. And then the storyline of Rook was completely unnecessary and added another layer.

The setting in this story gave it a great atmosphere, a small town in Appalachia where a family with magical abilities lives. They're both praised for their help and reviled for 'being in league with demonic forces'. Weatherby especially has a difficult time, forced to save the people who treat her terribly and at a cost to her own health.

I had hoped we'd see a bit more magic from other people, but it mostly revolved around Weatherby. I went back and forth with my feelings toward her, sometimes I admired how she fought for justice for her cousin and was brash, other times she tipped into making stupid decisions that ended up hurting herself.

The pacing wasn't super consistent, so there was action crammed together and then slow parts that I wasn't as interested in. I did think it was an interesting read and the ending was intriguing.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the copy.

This book was set in a small town in Appalachia where there is poverty and a very distinct class system, so when Weatherly believes the son of the town's most important family was responsible for her cousin Adair's death, she was not able to get justice. Weatherly was considered a bit strange because she reportedly could talk death out of people, but she had been cursed because of her one failure to do so. If you are interested in small town Appalachia, and you are willing to suspend reality to accept mountain folklore, you may like this one. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc with no pressure for a positive review.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this book but it was so gritty and dark but inspiring all at the same time. Weatherly is torn between loyalty, love, resentment, and a personal drive for justice skating the precipice of self-destruction for her cousin, who was more like a sister. She struggles with her family, a town that can only stand her odd ways when they’re needed, and a small town justice system that’s about as straight as a warped board.

"Anger penetrates my chest. Stuffs itself under my bones. Pries beneath the very core of me."

The Appalachian folklore woven into this book was interesting – it got me researching and there’s a lot more than I thought. The blend of reality and magic woven with the mystery surrounding the death of Weatherly’s cousin, Adaire, kept my rapt attention. The relationships that Weatherly has with the supporting characters are all well done and each furthers the story in some fashion.

For being a rather short book In the Hour of Crows packs quite the story. If you’re looking for a dark and gritty tale of self-discovery, family, perseverance and let’s not forget a splash of magic – then I highly recommend this book. A big thank you to The Hive/Harlequin Trade Publishing for the gifted copy & canvas tote! Rounded from 4.5 stars.