The Unveiling of Polly Forrest: A Mystery
Description
Rural Michigan, 1934.
During the throes of the Great Depression Polly marries for money. After her husband Sam dies in a freak farm accident, new bride Polly assumes she is financially set to pursue her dream of opening a hat-making business. Instead, she becomes the prime suspect in Sam's murder. Secrets abound and even Polly's family can't figure out the truth.
Narrated by Polly, her self-righteous older sister, Sarah, and Sarah's well-meaning, but flawed husband, Wesley, a Methodist minister, the story follows several twists through the landscape of the rural Midwest. Each narrator has a strong compelling voice. Polly's early letters to her mother both reveal and hide her naivete, her fears, and her dreams. Sarah, the responsible but judgmental older sister is both caring and critical. Wesley, is dedicated to his calling and his parishioners, but his weaknesses are prominent.
The deep despair of the Depression in a rural community frames the backdrop of this compelling mystery with vivid descriptions of homemaking, farming, and church activities. Animals play an important role in the narrative including Polly's dog, horses, chickens, and cows. As Polly develops insight and courage to face her trials, sibling rivalry, family secrets, and idiosyncratic characters are all revealed. The unveiling of these long-held secrets and the compelling mystery make for a thrilling read.
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Reviews
"A skilled paean to secrets, sibling rivalry, and rural traditions."
--Laura Munson, New York Times bestselling author
"Accident, suicide, or murder? After the death of a local man, the police - and readers - must watch for clues in this intriguing mystery set during the desperate times of the Great Depression. The Unveiling of Polly Forrest will leave you guessing until the last pages."
--Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library
"Charlotte Whitney delivers another exceptional historical fiction novel set in the farm country of Middle America during the Great Depression. Thoroughly researched and brilliantly written, The Unveiling of Polly Forrest is a riveting mystery that will keep you guessing with each chapter until the end."
--Todd Holmes, PhD, Historian, Oral History Center, University of California, Berkeley
"This very well-researched, multi-narrator mystery provides a window into 1930s rural Michigan, complete with terrible violence, heartbreaking despair, a nefarious crime, and abiding hope."
--Karen Odden, USA Today bestselling author of Down a Dark River
"Full of unexpected twists, The Unveiling of Polly Forest is a mystery that keeps the reader guessing. Whitney brings history to life with authentic details of Depression era farm life, and characters who show their complicated humanity. A rich and satisfying read."
--Rae Meadows, author of Motherland and I Will Send Rain
"Charlotte Whitney's new novel, The Unveiling of Polly Forrest is an atmospheric mystery set in the rural Midwest during the Great Depression. Whitney does a masterful job immersing the reader inside the lives of family members dealing with a tragic death."
--Nicole Bokat, author of What Matters Most and The Happiness Thief
"This vividly-crafted, pastoral coming-of-age drew me in from the turn of the first page. I remained spellbound watching young Polly spiral into a dark and tangled web of lies as she courageously battles for the truth while her self-worth and freedom hang in the balance."
--Suzanne Simonetti, author of The Sound of Wings
