Liar’s Bench
Liar’s Bench by Kim Michele Richardson is a large print edition published by Thorndike Press in 2022. This novel unfolds in 1972, centering on Mudas Summers, who is determined to uncover the truth behind her mother Ella’s tragic death on her seventeenth birthday. As the townspeople of Peckinpaw, Kentucky, speculate about the circumstances surrounding Ella’s demise, Muddy discovers hidden papers that lead her on a quest for answers, revealing the deep-seated secrets of her community.
Readers will find a richly woven narrative that explores themes of psychological complexity and coming of age against a historical Southern backdrop. The story delves into issues of race and legacy, particularly through the character of Bobby Marshall, who grapples with his own family’s troubled past. As Muddy confronts the haunting truths tied to Hark Hill Plantation and the ominous Liar’s Bench, she navigates a landscape filled with both personal and communal challenges. This edition, comprising 437 pages, invites readers to engage with a tale of courage, love, and the pursuit of truth.
Official synopsis Publisher
“In 1972, on Mudas Summers’ seventeenth birthday, her beloved Mama, Ella, is found hanging from the rafters of their home. Most people in Peckinpaw, Kentucky, assume that Ella’s no-good husband did the deed. Others think Ella grew tired of his abuse and did it herself. Muddy is determined to find out for sure either way, especially once she finds strange papers hidden amongst her mama’s possessions. But Peckinpaw keeps its secrets buried deep. Muddy’s almost-more-than-friend, Bobby Marshall, knows that better than most. Though he passes for white, one of his ancestors was Frannie Crow, a slave hanged a century ago on nearby Hark Hill Plantation. Adorning the town square is a seat built from Frannie’s gallows. A tribute, a relic–and a caution–it” known as Liar’s Bench. Now, the answers Muddy seeks soon lead back to Hark Hill, to hatred and corruption that have echoed through the years–and lies she must be brave enough to confront at last. Kim Michele Richardson’s lush, beautifully written debut is set against a Southern backdrop passing uneasily from bigotry and brutality to hope. With its compelling mystery and complex yet relatable heroine, Liar’s Bench is a story of first love, raw courage, and truths that won’t be denied”–
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