Limestone Legacy of a Curse by Tess Kincaid

 

Published 2024, this is a prequel to the author's first novel Pechewah which I read and reviewed here in May.    purchased this  on Amazon in July and read it shortly after first of August over days.  .  It is almost a horror mystery at times,  yet the intrigue kept me reading, wondering what next, how will it end.  The author weaves a magnificent tapestry uniting the years and the family sagas and tragedies. 

We learn toward the end  187-195) the identity of the woman whose car plunges into the riverbed in Pechewa while she is returning home to Ohio from visiting her grandfather in Indiana.  It is Tree Kingston who lived at Limestone with her husband Ramsey.  It is Tree who will continue haunting we learn in the closing pages. 

In  200 pages this novel twista the mystery of this home through it's history beginning in 1810 with the Wyandot Indians who come for their chief known as Leatherlips to the settlers.  They abduct him, accuse him of witchcraft, kill him beginning the Limestone curse.  (Pgs  3-5)  There is a long list of inhabitants of the  home that will be built  along the limestone on   the riverbanks of the Scioto .  At times I set this aside and read something else, because it was agonizing to read of  the constant tragedies.  Yet I kept coming back to it in a day or so because I wanted to know what would happen next.  A good read,  better than not being able to  put it down.  Taking longer allowed me to savor the writing.  Definitely well written, poetic at times.  a 5 *****

Limestone  Back cover

Below are two photos the author shared on Facebook of her former home in Dublin Ohio that was the inspiration for Limestone..  One of the house and one of the living room.  

Pechewa An American Odyssey by Tess Kincaid

I read this novel in April.  Very good writing and a true glimpse of the author's family roots.  

I left this review on Amazon:  " Absolutely enjoyed this novel. Good solid writing throughout. I had long forgotten some of the things from midwest childhood days back ago such as minnows in the creeks , tadpoles, words that were common to me as a child and so long forgotten about. I chuckled reading about those lawn jockeys! Memories surfaced immediately . A good book can do that. I learned somethings too, such as the origin of the term "Hoosier." There were some descriptives I found amusing and original such as "Walmart Picasso" and "brunetteitude. " Nostalgic to read about someone visiting her elderly grandfather as I had similar experiences with my elderlies relatives in PA. Reading along I was rooting for Peachy and was convinced all would be right. As a good read, it has a double twist at the end which I did not expect. I do not want to give away any of the intrigue with spoilers.  

One thing I found odd was no page numbers in the book, fortunately it is not massive but I like to make notes and usually just reference the page numbers. So with this I tore pink postits and staggered them in the book.

 And what was her name?"   I realized at the end  of the novel that I did not know the name of the woman  visiting her grandfather in Indiana and through whom the story unfolded. I was reading along enjoying the memories from so long ago in my life and didn't think about her name.  

Published 2024 by the  author who now lives in England.  I became acquainted with Tess years ago through online blogs.  We are still connected often through Facebook posts.  Besides the things I mentioned on my  Amazon review there is  a wondrous description of a feral hog in Chapter 5.  

Peachy has acquired a copy of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" that will accompany him through his war journey.  This book has several references to" Leaves ...."and opens with a quote from it.  Tess, the author is a poet too so it is not unusual that she would find a way to include poetic.  

Pechewa finds a friend in Ras who is killed in battle.  

The novel has history and an ending I could not have predicted.  Truly a 5 *****.  Well done, Tess Kincaid!