The Saints of Swallow Hill

By: Donna Everhart

Narrated by: Amy Melissa Bentley

During the Great Depression, labor camps crop up in remote areas throughout the American South. Destitute workers live under terrible conditions. Trapped in these isolated locations, workers are entirely dependent on the often greedy, abusive camp owners who provide food and housing at grossly inflated prices. But for the most desperate among America's vast unemployed, these camps are often the last and only option.

This much is true for three individuals whose lives intersect in the deep woods of Georgia at the Swallow Hill turpentine camp in 1932. For Rae Lynn Cobb, a young woman disguised as a man, Swallow Hill offers distance and anonymity from those who would wrongly imprison her for killing her husband. For a charming bachelor named Del Reese, it's a place where backbreaking work might drown out memories of a recent trauma.

But Swallow Hill is no easy haven. The camp is ruled by a sadistic boss named Crow and the greedy commissary owner Otis Riddle, a man who takes out his frustrations on his wife, Cornelia. Del and "Ray Cobb" are tested as they struggle to survive harsh, brutal conditions. As Rae Lynn forges a deeper friendship with Del and Cornelia, she begins to envision a path out of the camp. But she will have to come to terms with her past before she can open herself to a new life and seize the chance to begin again....

©2022 Donna Everhart (P)2022 Tantor

Very interesting book

Very interesting book kept me engaged while listening to it definitely would recommend it it could read

Great story

Really enjoyed this book. Easy listening. Flows nicely. I think you would find the characters seem to come to life.

the strength and ability for a person to have to go through during horrendous times

LOVED this book! Loved the narrator and the author. I will be looking up more from both of them!

A real page-turner

Donna Everhart portrays what it must have been like to work in a southern labor camp during the Depression. One knows how the story will end, but can't be sure. This was a page-turner for me and a story I couldn't wait to return to when I had a moment to continue reading. The people are vividly filled out and come to life in short order. I almost hated for the story to end because I would have to say goodbye to the main characters. I am a definite fan of Donna Everhart and can't wait to pick up another one of her stories.

Great Read

Excellent story. Interesting history of turpentine. Good characters hard to put down. Amazing it was included in membership.

Enjoyable

Good story, good performance. I really enjoyed this book. Would definitely recommend this audio book!

Not as good as other Donna Everhart books.

Interesting story, but too long. “Bad guys” were all simplistically one-dimensional and all sounded the same (in writing & performance). They grated on my nerves! This is the first Donna Everhart book I’ve read that was subpar.

The information about turpentine.

The characters were honest and became true friends.I liked the history of making turpentine.

Great story.

I loved everything about it. Starting over.. Back to back. Makes you appreciate the lives we live. Unfortunately people haven't always had it so good.

Great story telling

It took a minute for the story to develop, but it was worth the wait