The Devil Amongst the Lawyers
In 1934 all the national publications sent their star reporters to remote Virginia to cover the trial of Erma Morton: a beautiful 21-year-old year old mountain girl with a teaching degree, accused of murdering her father — a drunken tyrant of a man.
Eager for a new cause celebre to capture the public's imagination, they were counting on reports of horse-drawn buggies, run-down shacks, children in thread-bare clothes — all of the stereotypes of mountain life. But among them is Carl Jennings, an 18-year-old mountain boy on his first job. An eager, honest journalist, he reports accurately — describing telephones, electricity, gas stations, and coal company executives.
So when their reports conflict, Carl is condemned, while the seasoned journalists perpetuate the myths of country life — and Erma Morton's guilt or innocence is literally sold to the highest bidder — a wronged woman on trial sells papers. Soon, it is not the murder that is of interest: but the vultures attracted by the deaths. In the midst of all this, Carl continues to search for the truth, relying on his younger cousin, Nora — gifted with the "sight" — for help.
A stunning return to the lands, ballads and characters upon which she made her name, Devil Amongst the Lawyers is a testament to Sharyn McCrumb's lyrical and poetic writing.
- Author
- Sharyn McCrumb
- Format
- hardcover
- Pages
- 320
- Series
- Ballad
- Publisher
- Thomas Dunne Books
- Language
- english
- ISBN
- 978-0-312-55816-1
- EAN
- 9780312558161
- Genres
- mystery, fiction, southern, historical, audiobook, novels, adult
- Release date
- 2010
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