The Angels’ Share

Readers looking for something decidedly different from the usual Christian historical fiction will find it in Markert’s (A White Wind Blew) new novel, which spotlights post-Prohibition Kentucky. The folks of Twisted Tree would love for Barley McFee, who is reeling from the sudden death of his youngest son, Henry, to reopen the Old Sam McFee bourbon distillery, but he is lost in the pain of his tragedy. When a drifter is buried in the nearby potter’s field, strange events start happening: Barley’s daughter Annie’s legs are healed, and Henry’s shoes are found in the dead man’s belongings. William, Barley’s eldest son, records the goings-on that begin to reveal Barley’s past, a hidden history that threatens the family and the distillery. Miracles, mysteries, signs, and secrets ferment along with murder, threats, illegal activity, and lots of drinking to create a novel that will entertain as well as confound. Some traditional Christian readers will balk at the alcohol-induced drama, but others will find a unique tale that will leave them thinking long after the last bottle is stoppered. [em]Agent: Dan Lazer, Writers House. (Jan.) [/em]