Black River: A Novel

S. M. Hulse

Jan 2015 · Sold by HMH

About this ebook

This novel of sorrow and suspense, set in rural Montana, is “a complex and powerful story—put Black River on the must-read list” (The Seattle Times).
 
Wes Carver returns to his hometown—Black River, Montana—with two things: his wife’s ashes and a letter from the parole board. The convict who once held him hostage during a prison riot is up for release.
 
For years, Wes earned his living as a correction officer and found his joy playing the fiddle. But the uprising shook Wes’s faith and robbed him of his music; now he must decide if his attacker should walk free.
 
With “lovely rhythms, spare language, tenderness, and flashes of rage,” S. M. Hulse shows us the heart and darkness of an American town, and one man’s struggle to find forgiveness in the wake of evil (Los Angeles Review of Books).   

Ratings and reviews

Was a decent story. But was hard to read. Missing punctuation marks. A lot of quotes, commas and periods missing. Not sure if intentional or not.

Excellent book. Author sets up each character so they tell their story in the first person. Gives much depth and color to each person as the plot unfolds. Liked the story, the writing style and the conclusion. Good book.

Beautiful story and lovely vivid descriptions of the western landscape. Painfully raw emotion from unexpected characters.

About the author

S. M. Hulse received her MFA from the University of Oregon and was a fiction fellow at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her stories have appeared in Willow Springs, Witness, and Salamander. A horsewoman and fiddler, she has spent time in Washington, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon.