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Book Reviews of The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4)

The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4)
The Rosewood Casket - Ballad, Bk 4
Author: Sharyn McCrumb
ISBN-13: 9780525940111
ISBN-10: 0525940111
Publication Date: 5/1/1996
Pages: 320
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 24

3.9 stars, based on 24 ratings
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

29 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 32 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This was a great story, but due to my extreme sensitivity to frightening events, I can't read it again and am actually trying to forget the details that haunt me so. :>) Sharyn McCrumb is a favorite author of mine because she's a Southerner. Her people are in the Smokies, as are a lot of mine--"in them thar hills", as the expression goes. This book has a theme of a tragedy that occurred in the life of the man who has ordered, on his deathbed, his sons to build him a rosewood casket. The tragedy has been a secret all the old man's life up until now, when a lady with the Second Sight--also the man's first sweetheart--brings a rosewood box to the family home. And there the mystery begins unraveling, until the tragic, sad, and dramatic climax of the story. The thing that most haunts me is: it could have nigh well happened. Those of us who are Southerners know that "Southern Gothic" isn't just a moniker, it's our very lives (and skeleton-filled family closets!). Couldn't put it down, and I hope someone else will be touched by it--without accompanying nightmares such as I've had.
Dove avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 262 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The characters are ordinary people trying to get through their lives the best they know how; and that is what makes this book so interesting. I will definitely be looking for more books by Sharyn McCrumb.
quilty45 avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 100 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed this book immensely. The facts about Daniel Boone and mountain people in East TN were very interesting; it was also an excellent mystery.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 100 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Once again, this author does an excellent job of combining past lives with the present in this wonderful mystery/thriller.
cranbery avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 530 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I loved it..........the kind of book that stays with you weeks after you finish it!
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 91 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is a great book!
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 97 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great story!
Bonnie avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 422 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I love the whole Ballad Series, this being one of my favorites. If you like Southern Fiction, you should enjoy this book.
nana23 avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 243 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A wonderful book about truth that comes out when an old man lies dying on his Appalachian farm.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I love Sharyn McCrumb's books. This was is a part of her series about Sheriff Arrowood.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 20 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Insightful insights into Appalachian customs and hidden secrets.
stormy62 avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
On a 0-10 scale, I rate this book a 7 or 8. It was very good. Good plot, not boring, had a little paranormal twist that I liked, a good read overall.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 146 more book reviews
Beautifully written ballad novel
bookmanpc avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 53 more book reviews
Another in the wonderful 'Singer' series by this great author. Not a usual 'guy' kind of book but such a beautifully told story.
katknit avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 355 more book reviews
Intriguing mystery that was enjoyable but a bit too talky.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 164 more book reviews
Randall Stargill lies dying on his southern Appalachian farm, and his four sons have come home to build him a coffin from the cache of rosewood he has hoarded for the special purpose. Meanwhile, mountain wisewoman Nora Bonesteel, Randall's sweetheart of long ago, prepares another box for his burial - a small box containing human bones...
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on
A tale of family strife, dark secrets, and eerie legends among mountain people torn between tradition and change. A beautiful novel with unforgetable characters. I love this author.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 84 more book reviews
"McCrumb writes with quite fire and maybe a little mountain magic. Like every true storyteller, she has the Sight.' says the New York Times Book Review. " The Orlando Sentinal states simply, "Asorbing, Provocative." While the St. Louis Post-Dispatch describes, McCrumb as a a writer who "defly weaves all her characters into a plot brimming with mystery, sudden violence,and a suspense-filled climax." "What a rich and hearty Appalacian stew... satisfying to body & soul, especially for those of us who love these hallowed hills..." writes author Jerry Bledso.
angelatres avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 72 more book reviews
This book started out so good but about a third of the way through I started losing interest. I guess I was expecting something different than what the story was actually about. I found the parts about the mysterious child's bones and Nora Bonesteel (and her gift of "the sight") to be very interesting but they were only for maybe a page or two at the end of the chapters.
keyara avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on
I enjoy all the historical information that she includes in her books. I also am drawn to mysteries set in the area of Appalachia. Her books are well written and keep my interest throughout as they tend to follow the lives of the same group of people.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 300 more book reviews
Randall Stargill lies dying and his four sons come home to build him a coffin from his precious cache of rosewood. Nora Bonesteel, Randall's sweetheart of long ago, bring a box to his family. She wants it buried with Randall. Its contents? a box of human bones.

Another good one by Sharyn McCrumb - set in the Appalachian mountains.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 2 more book reviews
To be honest, this book did not look all that interesting. I needed something to read, though, so I opened it up and started reading. Boy! Was I surprised! I really got involved with the characters, and I just couldn't put it down. I'm very glad I started to read this book because it turned out to be pretty good.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 135 more book reviews
A old man is dying on his mountain farm and his four sons have come home to build his casket out of the rosewood he has hoarded for just this purpose. A real estate developer is just waiting for the old man to die and the old man's sweetheart from his youth brings a box to be buried with him. A great book of family with a little otherworldiness thrown in.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 162 more book reviews
this one is better so far
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 65 more book reviews
Randall Stargill lies dying on his southern Appalachian farm, and his four sons have come home to build him a coffin from the cache of rosewood he has haorded for the special purpose. Meanwhile, mountain wisewoman Nora Bonesteel, Randall's sweetheart of long ago, prepares another box for his burial--a small box containing human bones..
Luvbug avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 225 more book reviews
I could not get into this book.
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 14 more book reviews
The fourth from the authors wonderful Ballad series. From the cover:
Randall Stargill lies dying on his Applachian farm, and his four sons have come home to build him a coffin from his precious cache of rosewood. Like a hovering vulture, a local real estate developer is readying an offer for the farm.
And mountain wise-woman Nora Bonesteel, Randall's sweetheart of long ago, brings to light a small box to be buried with Randall-a box containing human bones."
reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 7 more book reviews
"Suspenseful...spellbinding"
- The Washington Post Book World
cedarwoman avatar reviewed The Rosewood Casket (Ballad, Bk 4) on + 89 more book reviews
This book was given to me by a friend, and I have not read it.