Vengeance and hidden secrets are the central points of SHIVAREE. Ruby Lowell, daughter of the man known as "The Judge" in Conroy, MS, was beautiful and cruel. After a big misunderstanding between her and Elijah Dunne, Ruby takes off for California with another man. Her father sends two goons to bring her back, but she's changed. She has vowed revenge on those who have wronged her, which could include the entire town. Four men are viciously attacked while preying on a black family; after his daughter's death, the Judge's health has declined; and Corinne Ford, an army nurse, has come to town after the Korean War to marry Elijah Dunne, who she met during the Korean war.

There are quite a few more characters, and all of them have secrets, but it's too complicated to try to explain here. During the story, Horn's writing is poetic and at times, it's pedestrian. The prologue is an excellent example of captivating writing and strong scene setting with an enticingly high degree of "creep" factor. The tale is interesting albeit convoluted at times.

SHIVAREE is an interesting title for this novel, and it becomes clear why fairly early on. But, if you're curious, a shivaree is when a guy's pals drag him from his marital bed before he can complete the act, drive him out of town and dump him, so he has to walk back to complete the deed.

My biggest quibble with the story is the time period of the Korean War that isn't explained nor illustrated. Corinne Ford could as easily have served in a more contemporary war without changing the story too much. The prejudice and cultural beliefs of a small town in the South may not have changed as much as we'd like to believe.

Horn introduces an element of the paranormal into this tale of gothic mystery, but to tell you what it is now would give too much away. SHIVAREE's one that sort of sneaks up on you. While I didn't love this book, I've heard great things about his Witching Savannah trilogy so will definitely look for more of his books.

Book Summary

As the Korean War ends, practical and well-mannered army nurse Corinne Ford returns stateside to live in the Mississippi town of Conroy with her new fiancé, Private First Class Elijah Dunne. She wonders if their love is strong enough to overshadow their differences, but upon her arrival to Elijah's backwoods stomping grounds, she understands that culture shock is the least of her worries.

After four good ol’ boys are attacked in the night while seeking to terrorize a local black family, decades of buried secrets begin to rise. From Conroy’s most powerful citizen—known as “the Judge”—to the man Corinne intends to marry, no one is innocent. Yet the deepest secret of all involves the beautiful, cruel, and dead Miss Ruby. The former belle of Conroy, and Elijah’s lost love, is neither forgotten nor truly gone. But her death is only the beginning of a slow vengeance that won’t stop until its hunger is satisfied.