The Stones Cry Out: A Novel [Paperback]

Sibella Giorello (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2007

Moments after FBI agent Raleigh Harmon arrives at a large rally on Richmond, Virginia's Southside neighborhood, two men plummet from a factory rooftop and lie dead on the sidewalk below. Though over 500 people are at the rally, no one saw what happened. Or are they just not talking? Between pressure from her boss to close the case quickly to avoid racial unrest and her own sense of duty to discover the truth, Raleigh finds herself digging deep into clues that are right underneath her feet. With possible witnesses reluctant to talk and the discovery of chummy connections between supposed enemies, Raleigh knows that this isn't just an ordinary case. Will she find the truth in time? Or will her choices ultimately bring down everyone involved--including Raleigh herself? This first novel from an accomplished journalist and forensic geologist is sure to leave readers guessing until the very end.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In an exceptionally skillful debut, Sibella Giorello brings to life forensic geologist Raleigh Harmon, a heroine who is surefooted in grisly crime scenes but feeling her way along the intertwining paths of life, love, and faith. Readers will follow her eagerly through this adventure and hope for more to come."--Ann McMillan, author of Civil Blood -- Ann McMillan, author of Civil Blood

"Sibella Giorello writes from the heart without leaving her head behind--which is what makes her writing so strong, so memorable. She's gutsy, funny, and meticulous, with an eye for the real story, the profound connections."--Phyllis Theroux, author of The Book of Eulogies -- Phyllis Theroux, author of The Book of Eulogies

"This novel was such a great pleasure to read. It's riveting, intelligent, and peopled beautifully with characters I will never forget. Giorello presents a quiet, steady (perhaps even iron-clad!) depiction of people of faith. Beautifully written and a pleasure to read."--Augusta Troubaugh, author of The Tea-Olive Bird-Watching Society -- Augusta Troubaugh, author of The Tea-Olive Bird-Watching Society

"With a riveting story line, fascinating forensic science, and a pungent portrayal of the grimy side of Richmond, Virginia, The Stones Cry Out holds the reader in its powerful grip until the very last word. Sibella Giorello writes like a seasoned pro. No mystery lover should pass up this novel."--Fred Chappell, author of I Am One of You Forever -- Fred Chappell, author of I Am One of You Forever

From the Back Cover

When nobody talks... the stones cry out. During a rally in the searing heat of a Virginia summer, two men plummet from a building into the crowd below. The victims are a white police officer and a young black man with a troubled past. And though hundreds of people stood at the scene, nobody saw what happened. Or are they just not talking? FBI agent Raleigh Harmon, one of Richmond's own, has to solve the case--fast. The Bureau wants a quick verdict, with or without the truth. But with tight-lipped witnesses, Raleigh must rely on her instincts and her training in forensic geology to uncover the facts. Working her connections with the city's powerful families and its seedy underbelly, Raleigh is determined to see justice prevail. Will she solve the case before the growing racial unrest rages out of control? Or will her choices ultimately bring down everyone involved--including Raleigh herself? "In an exceptionally skillful debut, Sibella Giorello brings to life forensic geologist Raleigh Harmon, a heroine who is surefooted in grisly crime scenes but feeling her way along the intertwining paths of life, love, and faith. Readers will follow her eagerly through this adventure and hope for more to come."--Ann McMillan , author of Civil Blood "Riveting, intelligent, and peopled beautifully with characters I will never forget. Giorello presents a quiet, steady (perhaps even iron-clad!) depiction of people of faith. Beautifully written and a pleasure to read."--Augusta Trobaugh , author of The Tea-Olive Bird-Watching Society "Sibella Giorello writes from the heart without leaving her head behind--which is what makes her writing so strong, so memorable. She's gutsy, funny, and meticulous, with an eye for the real story, the profound connections."--Phyllis Theroux , author of The Book of Eulogies Sibella Giorello was a features reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch for more than ten years. Her stories won many state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons. This is her first novel.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 270 pages
• Publisher: Revell (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800731603
• ISBN-13: 978-0800731601
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #428,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sibella Giorello writes an award-winning mystery series that follows the adventures of Raleigh Harmon, forensic geologist and FBI Special Agent. A former journalist, Sibella sowed nearly every wild oat before settling down with her husband Joe, a blues musician from Queens N.Y. They homeschool their children in the mountains of Washington state. For more information about Sibella and her books, please visit her website at www.sibellagiorello.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Forensic Mystery, August 4, 2008

By 

Gayla M. Collins (Sheridan, WY) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Stones Cry Out: A Novel (Paperback)

Prefacing this review, I usually don't read CSI type mysteries. I didn't enjoy geology in all of my schooling, so I come at this book with prejudices. I desire to be fair and allow those who do enjoy these sciences to know this is a very nice debut for author, Sibella Giorello.



The novel, set in Virginia, is well conceived. The writing was quite nicely composed. The protagonist, FBI agent Raleigh Harmon, is an engaging, slightly cynical, somewhat dissolusioned female FBI agent asked to investigate the plunge of two men off a warehouse. One, an African American advocate, and the other a white police officer. Accident? Tied to a civil rights rally taking place below them? Conspiracy? Soil samples, training, and geological finds help Raleigh determine this case even when the FBI commands, "Drop the investigation."

Adding some levity to this offering are a cast of eccentric characters and the fact that Raleigh remains hopeful. She has a deep seeded Faith, which is gently sprinkled among the pages, but never in a "bible thumping" way.

Enjoyable. Mystery and forensic fans you will really click with this tale. It just wasn't my cuppa.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars God is in the details, February 1, 2007

By 

T. A. Pillifant (Alaska, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Stones Cry Out: A Novel (Paperback)

In the middle of a winter spent slogging through "Collapse" and Cormac McCarthy's "The Road," it was time for something, shall we say, easier on the psyche. "Elmore Leonard," I thought while wandering around Amazon. "The Stones Cry Out" caught my attention instead. Lucky me. And I was lucky for the same reasons you will be when you order this debut novel from Pulitzer-nominated journalist Sibella Giorello: A tight, tidy mystery supporting the travails of a smartly human heroine impelled by a burly but nuanced prose that simply won't let you go, even after the last sentence. - maybe because of the last sentence.

In TSCO We are introduced to Raleigh Harmon, an FBI agent in the Richmond, VA field office, brought in to investigate two deaths during a civil rights rally. Ms. Harmon is tasked to ask perfunctory questions and quickly wrap up her investigation. But luckily for all - especially readers - she is an individual whose faith and sense of duty won't simply let her walk away from the many tough questions left unanswered. The novel becomes, then, both the compelling mystery of its billing as well as the delicate examination of a woman affirming that while the world is in fact a hard place, it is also the only place in which one can attain their own redemption - and it is, finally, our own actions that allow one to attain it.

Ms. Giorello knows her stuff, and her storytelling demonstrates it. This novel is very well researched, coursing along over a bed of historical and scientific accuracy compelling in its fascinating detail and overall relevance, providing a savvy momentum to the plot. But these are only undercurrents. The novel's real heft is found in characters that you can look in the eye, secure in your belief in who they are. No one in this novel is a caricature - though you'll recognize people in it. Instead, through spare constructions of action and dialogue, Ms. Giorello allows the reader just those perfect little glimpses that ultimately result in the fully fleshed. I was startlingly aware of this late in the book in a scene in which a perpatrator has been chased into a high walled cemetary. Raleigh realizes she is standing at just the angle she needs to see him clearly, while he has no idea he is seen. And this is what the author has built throughout - a vantage from which you know you are seeing clearly the details you need to put it all together. But you have to work to get there - this is no simple yarn, and Ms. Giorello has authored a work that requires you to participate is using information, inference and instinct to deduce. Its a killer book.

Finally, I want to alert readers that you may find this novel marketed through mostly christian book lists, and there is a strong reference to Raleigh Harmon's faith throughout the book. But this is like saying Flannery O'Connor wrote for a Catholic audience. Raleigh's devout christianity is elemental to her character - she's not Raleigh without it. This novel though is deserving of a far wider audience and I hope the audience finds it.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understated and Confident, January 29, 2007

By 

Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Stones Cry Out: A Novel (Paperback)

A few months back, I heard that a Pulitzer-nominated author was putting out a debut novel, "The Stones Cry Out." Being a big fan of Rick Bragg (another nominee), I found my interest heightened by the shared Southern background of Sibella Giorello and Mr. Bragg. The title and cover of this new book added to the intrigue. What was the book about? Did it even matter? Good stuff coming down the pike. I was sure of it.

And then I got my copy. I started reading. I kept turning the pages. Within a few days, I'd devoured this richly drawn mystery. Not only does Giorello draw memorable characters, she creates evocative settings and rapid-paced dialogue. Her main character is Raleigh Harmon, an FBI agent caught up in a criminal investigation that's become a civil rights powderkeg in modern-day Richmond. A white police officer and a young black man are both deceased, after falling simultaneously from an abandoned building. Which one was the victim? Was this a racially motivated incident?

Like Sigmund Brouwer's Nick Barrett mysteries ("Out of the Shadows"), and my own Aramis Black novels ("The Best of Evil"), Giorello writes contemporary fiction with a spiritual edge and Southern ambiance. She gives us a great lead in Raleigh, a woman facing pressure from corrupt officials, hard-nosed superiors, and her own mother who is clinging by a thread to mental stability. Raleigh also deals with old romantic interests, while enduring some heart-stopping threats. Her emotional detachment after one particular scene is a case-study in understated, yet fully-developed, inner struggle. This is the work of a gifted and confident author.

I look forward to the continued intrigues of Raleigh and her Richmond setting. I hope this book finds the wide audience it deserves. It remains to be seen whether a modern mystery, told with great style and skill, belongs with a title and cover that indicate a more traditional literary novel, especially when coupled with Giorello's writing resume. Either way, "The Stones Cry Out" is a clear statement from Revell Books that great fiction will not be overlooked in this market.