cover image Sugar Fork

Sugar Fork

Walt Larimore. S&S/Howard, $14.99 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-4391-4190-8

Larimore%E2%80%99s unsuccessful sequel to this year%E2%80%99s Hazel Creek finds Nate Randolph struggling to raise his five daughters, assisted only by the eldest, Abbie. While life is challenging, they get by on faith, hard work, and the help of neighbors. The local lumber company manager has been putting pressure on Nate to sell his land, and when he refuses, he is murdered, along with Abbie%E2%80%99s fianc%C3%A9. Now Abbie must assume the responsibility of parenting her four younger sisters and tackle the lumber company intent on seizing her land. With the help of friends and neighbors, Abbie, still a young woman, takes on the lumber company in order to save her sisters. Larimore, an MD, portrays the community and landscape adequately but falls back upon the all-too-familiar story of traditional mountain folk pitted against ruthless, early-20th-century industrialization.. (Oct. 2)