In a Dark Season

Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mystery #4

by Vicki Lane

In a North Carolina winter, new vistas appear through the bare trees. For Elizabeth Goodweather of Full Circle Farm, still a newcomer after more than twenty years, one terrible glimpse ignites a mystery that reaches back years into these hills, drawing together dozens of seemingly unconnected lives. Elizabeth sees a frail old woman on a high porch where dolls hang by twine. When the woman jumps, and Elizabeth reacts, there is no turning back.

Nola Barrett’s ancient, sprawling house is spewing a dark past: of depravity, scandal and murder. Her land is at the center of multiple mysteries, ranging from a suspicious death to the brutal rape of a young woman to the legend of a handsome youth hanged for murder. But with Nola recovering from her self-inflicted wounds, Elizabeth has inherited her mad, violent drama—while a killer has a perfect view of it all.…


From the Paperback edition.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller

464 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Vicki Lane is the author of AND THE CROWS TOOK THEIR EYES as well as THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS and of the Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mysteries from Bantam Dell:IN A DARK SEASON, OLD WOUNDS, ART'S BLOOD,SIGNS IN THE BLOOD. Vicki and her family have lived in western North Carolina on a mountain farm since 1975.

For lots more info, go to http://vickilanemysteries.com which has a section on the writing of CROWS (and recipes and FAQ about writing and who knows what all.

or check Vicki's blog http://vickilanemysteries.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a Dark Season is the fourth of Vicki Lane's Elizabeth Goodweather series. The books juxtapose stories from the past with present-day mysteries, all set in the mountains of North Carolina. The books also follow the lives of Elizabeth, her two daughters, and other people in their community. This book is set at Christmastime, contrasting the "light in a dark season" with the tragic and complicated interwoven plots, today's crimes having their genesis in troubles of the 19th century. You will only need to read the first page or two to be drawn inexorably into the book. Ms. Lane's use of multiple points of view includes stories from the past, told in first person or as excerpts from written work, as well as contemporary sections in third person from the viewpoints of Elizabeth and her ever-more-significant other, Phillip Hawkins -- and also the powerful inner thoughts of a woman who is unable to communicate. The Southern Gothic elements in Ms. Lane's books, to my mind, keep them out of the "cozy" category, but by the same token they would not be for people who dislike delving into the personal lives of the detectives. Highly recommended for plot, setting, and most of all, character.

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vicki Lane's Elizabeth Goodweather series, set in the North Carolina Appalachians, is truly fascinating, so outstanding in its writing and storytelling that it's hard to do it justice. But I'll do my best. This, the fourth book, takes place in December, leading up to the winter solstice and Christmas. The author does a masterful job of interweaving mysteries in the past and present, with the characters and their interrelationships so vividly portrayed that they come to life.

This intricate tale involves the attempted suicide of a friend of Elizabeth's at a spooky old house with a dubious and sinister history; the apparent suicide of a local pastor; dark crimes, including rape and murder, in the recent past; and the plight of a young man, in 1860, who has been framed for murder. There's much, much more, including lots of subplots, in this wonderfully wrought novel. There's a tantalizing teaser at the end, which makes me especially impatient to read the forthcoming next book in the series, The Day of Small Things.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inticate plot goes from past to future, and back to past . Nola Barrett,s ancient sprawling house is spewing a dark past: of scandal depravity and murder. Her land is at the center of multiple mysteries, ranging from a suspicious death to a brutal rape of a young women, to the legend of a handsome young man hanged for a murder he didn,t commit. But with Nola recovering from her attempted suicide . its up to Elizabeth to sort through the past of this mad violent drama- while a killer has a perfect view of it all......

[Iris Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seen this book recommended by an employee in a second hand bookstore. I read the back and it sounded good. So I took it home and then two days later came back in search of any more books by Vicki Lane. It was not my usual book, but I was enthralled by her story. I recommend this book so often to people.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t like this one as much the first three. Too many stories going on.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas has come around again in Ransom, NC. This year Elizabeth Fairweather is having a hard time... her friend Nola tried to commit suicide, she and Phillip are grouchy with each other, Ben's new girlfriend is too perfect to be true. And the fact that her late husband died right around Christmas six years previously does not help.

The historical mystery is the story of Lydy Goforth and how he was hung for murders he said he did not commit.

There was some woo-woo stuff going on in this book. Not a huge fan of that, but the modern mystery was good.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have loved Vicki Lane’s Elizabeth Goodweather series from the beginning. I usually love the way she weaves the past with the present and shows how actions resonate from generation to generation and down through the centuries. She has never shied away from the darkest and depravest of crimes though she tends to skirt over the more painfully descript details. In a Dark Season had all of those elements yet somehow it all seemed too much, overwhelming and the tapestry seemed heavy rather than airy, artistic and the perfectly blended story that I’ve come to expect. The book took at least 100 pages to take off and it was a grueling 100 pages, at times I even considered putting the book to the side and trying again later in the fall or winter. The book had too many characters and towards the end they all seemed to jumble together into one giant creature and I found that distinguishing the familial relationships and ties to the past was not only overwhelming me but unimportant to me. There were so many mysteries so many coincidences so many connections that my incredulity was stretched and my logic began questioning not only the motives but the crimes themselves shortly after I closed the book. The plots were so numerous it seemed the book couldn’t possibly end with one installment but somehow it ended and in the end all of the murders, rapes, diseases, false imprisonments, sick children, alcoholism, hate crimes, disappearances, affairs, hidden identities, inheritance questions, relationship questions, blackmail, big business development, police corruption, arsons, paranormal activity and I’m sure more were tied up, solved and completed in a little over 300 pages. The writing was still evocative, beautiful and somewhere within the pages of this book was a great story, actually two or even three great stories. One about past lies and choices that tied into the present and led to bitterness and death and another about losing your family, losing yourself, finding friends and making choices that lead to heartbreak, destruction and death, finally, a story about the loss of small and beautiful open land to developers and the monied class and while all of them were good and well told, heaping and blending one into the other didn’t make for the best read and made this book the one faltering step in an otherwise masterful series.

[Suzanne Manners · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read in the Elizabeth Goodweather Full Circle series. Liz is a middle-aged woman in a relationship with Philip Hawkins, criminal justice professor/detective. They live in the Appalachian mountains, near Asheville. One of the neighbors, Nola Barrett, tries to kill herself by jumping off a cliff, and they are luckily nearby to get help. Liz discovers a mystery surrounding Nola's suicide attempt and uncovers a string of crimes by some local "Bad Boyz." This takes place during the holiday season and includes heartwarming scenes of holiday traditions. I like the idea of when exchanging gifts, clues are attached to the gift cards making "guess what it is" into a game. In the end of the book Liz agrees to marry Philip in a truly magical setting. Seems he has wanted to make a commitment for some time, but she has been reluctant. Her first husband died several years earlier in a car accident and the memories of their life together are still strong. When she finally accepts the idea of being an independent widow, Philip comes into her life and she finds herself in love again.

Vicki Lane incorporates historical scenes and runs a storyline in the past as well as the present. The past story involves a murder and the hanging of an innocent man. The history of this crime helps solve the present crime scene mystery and makes it so interesting to see how the past affects each character's present life. I like the author's technique of bringing everything "full circle."

The end of the story is a cliff-hanger, where Liz's Aunt Dodie leaves a voice mail about something mysterious in Philip's past and planting a seed of doubt in Liz's mind about her engagement. I grew attached to the characters in this book, so of course I'm reading the next book, Under the Skin to see what happens. Will Liz marry Philip or not ... wonder what sort of mystery will be revealed next?

[Carolyn Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure why I had not read Vicki Lane until now, for I love the mountains around Asheville, North Carolina, where she sets her Elizabeth Goodweather series. I was probably under the mistaken notion that her mysteries were dark and gruesome. Yes, there's dark aplenty, but the gruesomeness is kept within limits tolerable to my squeamishness. The emphasis here is on character, and Vicki Lane does a wonderful job of creating sympathetic and believable characters in a rural Appalachian setting. She has a great ear for the local dialect, while not looking down on the mountain folk. I think she must have taken a hidden voice recorder to a post funeral gathering where she captured the ladies' comments about the food spread as they jockeyed in line to be sure to get a helping of the macaroni and cheese. It was dead on (no pun intended). The story is convoluted, with suicides and murder, missing persons, rape, mysterious fires, and rapacious developers (which almost goes without saying when you're dealing with beautiful mountain land). Vicki Lane manages to keep a lot of balls in the air, and doesn't drop a one, though I felt the final flourish was a bit too fast and neat. The reader knows that somehow all the various threads will tie together. The story reaches into the past to a young man framed for a murder in 1860 and the evil woman who bewitched him. Lane delves into the history of the drovers' road and stands, and it is an old stand, a creepy derelict old house on the river, whose blood-soaked floors and tobacco stained walls exude an evil that has persisted through generations, that is the center of this book. But all Lane's ghosts are not evil, and she has saved one of the best for the climactic scenes at the end. Vicki Lane is a new favorite, and I look forward to reading the next in the series, as well as catching up on the earlier Elizabeth Goodweather books. As they might say in the hills, she tells a right good yarn.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this fourth outing of the Elizabeth Goodweather series. I love her Appalachian settings and love Elizabeth's family & occupation as a herbal farmer. This time, the historic mystery struck me as less interesting, for whatever reason. It concerned the Drovers Road along which animals were driven to to the coast for slaughtering and an inn or "stand" along the way. One of the drovers is accused of murder. Eventually, I became more interested in his story, but it seemed a more stereotypical scenario than usual for Lane. I won't say more about that but I thought the female characters of Belle and Luellen were predictable and annoyingly dull. I was more excited about the present day storyline with Nola, Elizabeth & Philip. I loved the Christmas traditions of the Goodweather family, which echoed those of my own family.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a real fan of Vicki Lane after I discovered her first book on a trip to Hot Springs in the mountains of North Carolina. Her mysteries are set in that area and they always evoke for me that lovely place. In a Dark Season is her latest in the Elizabeth Goodweather series and I think it is her best. The setting is wintertime in the mountains and the bleak story of murder and betrayal parallels the season, as the title suggests. Vicki's portrayal of mountain people and their quaint speech is spot on and her depiction of life in the mountains is so true. Her love for this place and people is apparent and she makes the reader love them, too. Check out her website, too, vickilanemysteries.com for background information and photos of the area that has inspired her writing.

Susan

[Janna Zonder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all of Vicki Lane's beautifully written novels, and it would be hard for me to pick a favorite. In a Dark Season is part of her Elizabeth Goodweather series. I love Elizabeth and this series! Like all of Lane's characters, Elizabeth is richly drawn, multi-dimensional, flawed and fascinating. Set in the Appalachian mountains, this is a masterfully woven mystery that takes readers back and forth in time, keeps them in suspense, but never loses them. In a less-gifted writer, dialect can be annoying. But, Lane's ear for mountain dialect is pitch-perfect! She uses it judiciously, and it adds to the authenticity and flavor of this novel. If you love a great mystery with a rich setting and fascinating characters, you will love In a Dark Season!

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with other reviewers that while I love these mysteries, this one was a bit tired to me. I skimmed the flashbacks to the past--they seemed too much like her previous books and bored me. I am also starting to get annoyed with Elizabeth. She is coming across as righteous and holier-than-thou.

I still plan to keep reading, though. In most series I have read, there are a few books here and there that I just don't care as much for... But you keep going and then you remember why you fell in love in the first place!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating book! Intertwining stories merge to create a thrilling mystery that kept me up too late last night.

What I love about Vicki Lane's series is the complex characters, the sense of place, the completeness of the story in which the mystery is an organic part.

Now, can I wait until 2009 for the next installment?

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am beginning to consider Elizabeth Goodweather a friend. I like her. And she has at long last agreed ot marry Philip Hawkins. I loved the back and forth between today and history. She appears to have a perfect pitch for dialect.

This one, set in a very cold December seemed to move slower for me than the others and I am not sure why. I will probably read it again.

[Chris Babcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lane draws you into the story nicely - quickly, but not obviously setting up the people and places. She manages to include details of daily life that make you understand the characters better than many other mystery writers do. This mystery involves a historical, deserted building that has a dark past that becomes unraveled when the owner dies.

[Julia Spencer-Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was asked to quote this book, was totally bowled over, and have consumed the series. Vicki Lane has a uniquely lyrical voice that literally cries down from the Appalachian Hill country, like a shriek in the night. The only writer in her league is Sharyn McCrumb, and if you like McCrumb you'll LOVE Vicki's storytelling.

[Becki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a wonderful dual story line that dovetails perfectly at the end. As a native North Carolinian who spent many summers visiting cousins in Asheville during the 1950/1960's and camping throughout the mountains in other seasons, the memories during this Christmas holiday have been priceless.

[Courtney Lake · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good small town/amateur sleuth novel. Not earth shattering or page turning, but a well developed mystery spanning a story hundreds of years old. I found the story engaging, even having not ready any of the other books in the series.

Not a bad book for a plane ride or beach bag. You won't mind putting it down if something comes up, but its not so dull as to give you a headache.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one wasn't quite as good as her other mysteries in the series, but I still really enjoyed it. I love that the books take place in the Asheville area, making them great summer reads to keep your mind off the hot.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the writing style (as always) but I supposed I'm tired of Ms. Goodweather and her ability to always have unsolved mysteries in her life. Maybe I'm just not a series book reader...

Now onto another Vicki Lane novel. (new book)

[Lisa Bork · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intricate plot with complex character relationships. Has present day and past storylines--past is told in italics but then so is present day protagonist's thoughts. Very satisfying resolution of both storylines.

[Nancy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like everything about this series: late middle aged main characters, with outside the box occupations, uniquely american setting, plot complexity, interesting and well-developed secondary characters. I like the details of appalachian culture & history too.

[Kitsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply mesmerizing. Once again Vicki combines a modern day mystery with an old one and the two stories intertwine so seamlessly you can't put it down. And yet again we are left with a cliff hanger ending that has you eagerly anticipating Elizabeth Goodweather's next adventure!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Vicki Lane and her protagonist, Elizabeth Goodweather, but her books are hard to find sometimes, esp. in libraries or used book stores. I ordered two or three on Amazon, and this one had some nice plot twists. I like the Appalachian setting most of all.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes place near Asheville, NC. Wonderful descriptions of the area. A cliff hanger! Would read other work by this author. It was recommend to me as I am interested in living in this area. Great characters.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I found the ending distressful, I enjoyed another string of adventures from Elizabeth Goodweather and company.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fourth in series, good read.

[Lindig · Rating 3 out of 5]

set near Asheville & Marshall NC

[Kona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took a long time for me to read. There is a lot going on in the story and it is definitely not a quick read. In the end, it was a good story.