{"product_id":"liars-bench-isbn-9781617737336","title":"Liar's Bench","description":"\u003cb\u003e“You'll hear echoes of \u003ci\u003eTo Kill a Mockingbird\u003c\/i\u003e in this haunting coming-of-age story...Beautifully written, atmospheric, and intricately plotted.”\u003cbr\u003e—Susan Wiggs, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1972, on Mudas Summers' seventeenth birthday, her beloved Mama, Ella,  is found hanging from the rafters of their home. Most people in  Peckinpaw, Kentucky, assume that Ella's no-good husband did the deed.  Others think Ella grew tired of his abuse and did it herself. Muddy is  determined to find out for sure either way, especially once she finds  strange papers hidden amongst her mama's possessions.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut  Peckinpaw keeps its secrets buried deep. Muddy's  almost-more-than-friend, Bobby Marshall, knows that better than most.  Though he passes for white, one of his ancestors was Frannie Crow, a  slave hanged a century ago on nearby Hark Hill Plantation. Adorning the  town square is a seat built from Frannie's gallows. A tribute, a  relic--and a caution--it's known as Liar's Bench. Now, the answers Muddy  seeks soon lead back to Hark Hill, to hatred and corruption that have  echoed through the years--and lies she must be brave enough to confront  at last. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKim Michele Richardson's lush, beautifully written  debut is set against a Southern backdrop passing uneasily from bigotry  and brutality to hope. With its compelling mystery and complex yet  relatable heroine, \u003ci\u003eLiar's Bench \u003c\/i\u003eis a story of first love, raw courage, and truths that won't be denied.\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for LIAR’S BENCH\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An intricately crafted plot with vivid characters make up Richardson’s debut novel set in a small Kentucky town in the 1970’s. Her beautifully descriptive storytelling gorgeously weaves a story centered around two hangings, which occur about a hundred years apart. Mudas and Bobby make strong protagonists as they find the courage to find answers within the volatile environment of the South. A wonderful story that will leave its mark on readers’ hearts.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eRT Book Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, 4.5 Stars Top Pick\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This glorious debut novel is one of an unexpectedly fine crop of recent and new Southern fiction… \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eLiar’s Bench\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e succeeds on many levels. As a coming-of-age story, it is splendidly realized and uplifting. As a portrait of a Southern community painfully stumbling into the age of racial and gender equality, it is penetrating and convincing. It is a high energy action tale. Ms. Richardson’s evocation of the sensory world is supremely effective: much of any reader’s delight will be rooted in savoring the sounds, smells, tastes, and fragrances that enhance her captivating vision of a typical Southern small town during two linked periods of its history.” \u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eSouthern Literary Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This has southern small-town charm… includes recipes and discussion questions and may appeal to those who like Rebecca Wells or Jennifer Chiaverini.” \u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A satisfying mystery with thought-provoking historical elements, written in a sassy Southern voice.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eHistorical Novels Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Richardson manages to put together a chilling view of race relations in the South.” \u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Readers of Southern fiction won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough…” \u003cbr\u003e—Ellen Wiseman, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhat She Left Behind\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A highly imaginative coming-of-age story with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. Very hard to put down!” \u003cbr\u003e—Noah Bly, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Third Hill North Of Town\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“With value for readers of all ages, \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eLiar’s Bench \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eis a story that will stay with you long after the reading’s done.” \u003cbr\u003e—Jamie Mason, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eThree Graves Full\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"In \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eLiar's Bench\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003c\/i\u003eher debut novel,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eKim Richardson brings you home to meet her people and to pull up a rocker on the porch with a Mason jar of sweet tea, to watch the fireflies in the dusk while she spins a sure-footed tale of wrongful death, first love and reconciliation. Like Muddy, you'll find you cannot walk away.\" \u003cbr\u003e—Amy Conner, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Right Thing\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eLiar’s Bench\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eis one of those rare books I wish I had written.\"\u003ci\u003e \u003cbr\u003e—\u003c\/i\u003eAnn Hite, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eGhost on Black Mountain \u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand Georgia Author Of The Year 2012\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eKim Michele Richardson\u003c\/b\u003e is the award-winning, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eUSA Today \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of Southern fiction, including \u003ci\u003eThe Sisters of Glass Ferry, Liar’s Bench\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eGodPretty in the Tobacco Field\u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, \u003c\/i\u003ewhich was a LibraryReads selection, an IndieNext Pick, a Books-A-Million Best Fiction selection, an Oprah’s Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. Born in Kentucky and a part-time resident of North Carolina, she is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and an advocate for the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence. Please visit her online at KimMicheleRichardson.com.","brand":"Kensington","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302001561829,"sku":"NP9781617737336","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781617737336_9f9e37fe-e84b-48cc-a804-4e9115e20032.jpg?v=1742925837","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/liars-bench-isbn-9781617737336","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}