A Promising Plot: A Review of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

A promising plot that’s overshadowed by poor pacing, over explanation and a rushed ending

I heard about Kim Michele Richardson’s novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek a few years ago when it came out, but I’ll admit I didn’t pay that much attention to it. Historical fiction is my favorite, though, so it was a sure thing that our paths would cross.

I added the novel to my reading list for 2023 after several reader friends had talked and posted on social media about how much they liked it. To be honest, I was worried that it would be too similar to another book I’d read about the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Service, JoJo Moye’s excellent Giver of Stars.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek tells the story of Cussy Mary Carter, a young woman living in Appalachia during the mid-1930s. Mary is a traveling librarian with the Kentucky Pack Horse Library project, funded by the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal policy created to help get people back to work after the Great Depression. So Mary spends her days riding her stubborn old mule, Junia, all over the hills and hollers of Kentucky, delivering literacy, conversation and a wider view of the world to her patrons.

But Mary has a few problems of her own. First, Mary is one of the blue-skinned people of Kentucky, based on the true story of the Fugate family of eastern Kentucky. Her abnormal skin color calls a lot of attention to her and her family—and racism and rumors about the Kentucky Blues run rampant through the hills. Because of this, Mary is constantly on guard and watchful, knowing that Blues like her have died for less than delivering books. Clan jealousy and feuds define almost every part of life, so Mary’s ill-fated marriage early in the novel creates more anxiety on that front. Mary’s father is a miner who is trying to help organize the miners he works alongside and slowly ebbing away, destroyed by the hard work and the very coal he brings to the surface.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is part Appalachian adventure, part love story, part medical mystery, as a local doctor seeks to diagnose Mary’s condition. But it’s also a story about the ways we categorize and treat other people, our fear of someone who is different and the power of literacy to break those chains.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is an interesting read with a plot you’ll find yourself thinking about again and again. But at times, the dialogue can be a bit stilted and the long descriptions of flora and fauna, herbs and “remedies” can get a bit overwhelming and distracting. The novel plods along for awhile with the reader on bated breath as you wait to see if Mary will be attacked by the mountain preacher tracking her on her book routes or if her father will pay the price for helping to organize miners, and many of those plot points designed to create intrigue simply fade away, either without resolution at all or without sufficient resolution.

After the plodding lead-up, the conclusion of the novel feels a bit rushed and forced, with a high level of melodrama. While parts of it will warm the reader’s heart, other elements of the conclusion just make the reader’s head spin.

As a reader, I enjoyed the story. I wanted to keep reading because I wanted to know what happened next. But I’m also well read enough to say that while the story is engaging and it’s important to read about this time period, the finished novel is a bit lackluster. I don’t regret reading it, but if you’re looking for a novel about the Pack Horse Library Service, JoJo Moyes’ Giver of Stars is superior.

NOTE: Kim Michele Richardson has recently released a sequel to this novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter. Sequels should build off of the original work, but move the story along without having to rely too heavily on the first novel or spend too much time explaining in exacting detail events or conversations from the first book. Richardson’s sequel fails at both of these. Once again, the story is good, but the delivery doesn’t quite do it justice.

The Bookery Rating: 📙📙

Engaging plot with a lot of promise that’s overshadowed by poor pacing, over explanation and a rushed ending.

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