DuVall Storytelling
About the Author
Susan DuVall was born a Kentuckian and has remained one in her heart no matter where her life has led. Her magical childhood was spent in a small river town where the cultural richness, haunting tales, and very peculiar characters intrigued her and never faded from memory.
Susan became a mother, technology professional, world traveler, writer, and ardent admirer of dachshunds. She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her long-haired dachshund Henri Matisse DuVall.
msduvall03@yahoo.comBook Summary
A culture of celebrity worship wreaks havoc on the proud, old town of Bedford Landing, Kentucky, when a local couple achieves unexpected success with their popular rennovation series on HGTV. Prosperity is brought to the town along with sketchy investors and an influx of adoring fans, some delusional.
As the power of the couple grows, a cult-like environment of secrecy, greed, and blindness to evil emerges. This toxic cocktail leads to money laundering, forced labor, kidnapping, and murder that ignites ancient rivalries leading to an act of terror.
Only in the town's long-standing historic inn are there those who see this evil - and do whatever it takes to stop it.
Reviews
"Absorbing story with quirky characters and chilling sense of place."
-Judy Kidder
"Twisted and cozy at the same time!"
-Natalie Dolci
"Wonderful characters [and] well developed plot"
-Noel Strong
"Terrific widely diversified personalities and enticing story line make for a page turner."
-Teresa Booker
"Small Town Intrigue and Bourbon"
-MNMarie
"Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, amidst what appears to be a near-perfect, bucolic setting, something sinister burns underneath. This is one of the best throwbacks to old-fashioned storytelling I've read in which plot and unforgettable characters work seamlessly together in an old, historic town in which nothing--and no one--is ever as they first appear."
- K.J. Wetherholt
Excerpt
Bedford Landing was a proud, old Kentucky town with a rich history. Over time, the town grew a little worn and ragged around the edges. The population dwindled as young folk moved away for greater opportunities. All that changed five years ago when Amy and Clayton Butler began production of a new television series Restore My Old House. As the popularity of the show soared, Bedford Landing saw an influx of adoring fans and with them considerable revenue. Now the courthouse square was freshly landscaped and the surrounding storefronts brightly painted. Along with the fans and television crew came questionable strangers. Among some residents there was a vague sense of disquietude. Yet, as the town prospered, signs of impending darkness were simply ignored.
It was mid-June, and the town of Bedford Landing was energized and hopeful. Recent college graduate Audrey Wilcox was optimistic as well. She had arrived two weeks earlier to launch her career in television as the new intern on Restore My Old House. No one could have predicted how the events of the next two weeks would upend all the buoyant plans of Bedford Landing and change the course of Audrey’s life.
Illustrations
Maria Hackett, Artist