Customer Reviews

River Whispers

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Mae Pope's grandma died, Mae promises to scatter her ashes on the St. Margaret River. The journey becomes more then she bargained for when she begins to have run-ins with the Gruman family. Memories of time with her grandma mingle with the present happenings. But will she make sense of it all?

Once again, Glynn Marsh Alam has proven what an outstanding writer she is. The swamp, river creatures, and characters come boldly to life. It's hard not to get lost in this world. I had no trouble switching from the past to modern day happenings as the story unfolded. The only reason I gave this book four stars is because of two scenes that detracted from my over all enjoyment of the story.

With that warning out of the way, I recommend all of Ms. Alam's books. Her use of language to draw the reader in and make him feel a part of the surroundings makes her books stand out from many of her peers. I hope to enjoy her writing for many years to come.

This compelling story unfolds as Mae makes her way down a north Florida river on a mission and family mysteries long kept secret are unraveled. Glynn Marsh Alam evokes such a strong sense of place that this reader felt that she was along for the journey. Unexpected turns along the river catch the reader, as tales that Mae has heard in childhood start to take on a very real significance. The characters and setting are very well developed, as is the narrative, which has a satisfying flow and resolution.
Alam has written before of the swampy waters of north Florida in her Luanne Fogarty mystery series and has successfully crossed into the realm of literary fiction, with the swamps again mesmerizing the reader and emerging as strong settings for secrets told and untold.

Glynn Marsh Alam's literary novel RIVER WHISPERS speaks to the past and the present as Maebelle Pope keeps a promise to scatter her grandmother's ashes on the St. Margaret's River in Northern Florida.
A long time fan of Ms. Alam's Luanne Forgarty mysteries this novel was both a surprise and a delight. The swamp country comes alive as Maebelle rediscovers her homeland and the life her grandmother actually lead. How many of us get the chance to discover our ancestors as people who lived real lives.
You will enjoy this book both for the insights into human perspectives and the marvelous descriptions of a land many of us only read about. One goal for 2009 is to visit Reel Foot Lake (KY/TN inland swamp formed during the 1812 earthquake) with a fishing license, a camera, and a gallon of Avon's Skin So Soft. Ms. Alam has created my desire with her excellent stories.
Nash Black, author whose books are available in Kindle editions. Writing as a Small BusinessHaints

Ms. Alam has once again made the swamps and mystery of N. Florida come to life. We have all heard stories from our grandparents, but they seldom come back to haunt our sophisticated minds. In River Whispers, those stories haunt Mae as she carries out a promise. Ms. Alam has woven a tale of past and present that drew me into the story and made me want to know more. I wish the book had been longer!

In River Whispers, Glynn Alam takes us down to the river once more for a sweet mixture of childhood tales and intrigue. The humid swamps and alligator-infested river come alive in this slice of family life and relationships in northern Florida.