"Superb New England cozy"

In 1985 on a mountain ledge near Upper Darby, New Hampshire, Freddie Elman reaches his beloved Lilith Salmon only to find her dying from blood loss caused by giving birth all alone at this isolated wilderness spot. She dies, but leaves behind a son Birch. Bitter and filled with self loathing and guilt for failing and doubting his Lilith, Freddie ignores his infant son turning to drink to dull his pains while his mother cares for her grandson.

Freddie becomes concerned when his parents and Lilith's family decide he is unfit and begin making separate cases for custody of Birch as he realizes the child is his only connection to his deceased beloved. He takes Birch with him and flees into the woods and beyond starting a nomadic existence for father and son on the run while those left behind pursue them.

It has been about ten years since Ernest Hebert wrote his last Darby novel LIVE FREE OR DIE that included Freddie the trash man's son and Lilith the late Squire's daughter seeing one another. Their relationship as a subplot of that novel devastated the social hierarchy of this New England town. The direct sequel, SPOONWOOD takes the audience further by following the escapades of Freddie, their son Birch and those chasing them. The cozy story line digs deep into New England life from two social strata those with and those without as Mr. Hebert once again entertains yet tells the relevance of the most seemingly minor aspect of the tale including that of a small stone.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 16, 2005