Strange Folk
Strange Folk from Alli Dyer was a fun, witchy read though it definitely had some dark moments.
It starts with Opaline - now Lee - leaving her broken marriage and cheating husband, driving with her children across the country from California back to her hometown in the Appalachians.
As Lee reunites with her estranged mother, old friends, and classmates, mysterious events start happening around her, beginning with finding the body of her old high school teacher on her Grandma Mama’s property. It soon becomes apparent that someone’s witchcraft has released some sinister forces - but who would do this, and why?
Lee wrestles with personal demons - her mother’s drug addiction, how she treated her friends and classmates, and recognizing her own dependence on alcohol - the latter which made for one of the most poignant passages in the book as we see that through her children’s eyes - in order to reestablish her connection to the land so she can harness the power she needs to save herself and those loves from the physical demons that someone has unleashed.
On the surface, Strange Folk is a witchy small town murder mystery (almost cozy if not for all the bodies piling up) with some light romance, some coming of age elements, and family reunion, but it also touches on some deeper issues and darker elements that I am familiar with, having grown up in a rural Appalachian mountain town - opioid addiction, hypocrisy, distrust of outsiders, and mix of disdain, distrust, and maybe a little jealousy of anyone who wants to live anywhere else (ha ha maybe I have some unresolved feelings of my own about small mountain townsfolk).
Even with some darker moments, I do recommend Strange Folk for anyone who likes a cozy witchy mystery with heart.
I listened to the audiobook for this alongside reading the ebook. The production quality was good, and having a mix of narrators for the different primary characters was a nice touch.
Support your favorite indie bookstore (and me) by using my link to order the audiobook from https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm60355 OR if you prefer using your eyes to read, support your favorite indie (and give us both 20% off if it’s your first purchase) by using my link at https://refer.bookshop.org/candidanorwood.
