‘The Felons’ Ball is full of secrets—ones that refuse to reveal themselves and ones that refuse to stay buried. It's also full of wit and empathy and characters as real as your own family members. This novel is assured, propulsive, and thrilling, and I tore through it.’—Rebecca Makkai, New York Times bestselling author of I Have Some Questions for You
The critically acclaimed author of The Good Ones returns with an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a powerful Southern family whose dark secrets set in motion a chain of events with deadly consequences.
In their younger years, Trey Macready and his best friend Ben Marsh were distributors and enforcers for the local distillers who made their small hamlet of Ewald, Virginia, the moonshine capital of the world. But that was years ago, and now the only tie to their criminal past is the Felons’ Ball—Trey’s annual birthday party where they regale the crowed with tales of their youthful exploits. But when Ben is found dead after Trey’s fiftieth celebration, it’s clear those connections may not be past at all.
Finding Ben’s body propels his much-younger secret lover, Natalie—Trey’s daughter—to search for Ben’s estranged son, Lanny, and to find the truth about his killing. Her quest will lead to a battle with a police department that refuses to ignore her family’s history, and to form unexpected connections with Hardy, the sheriff investigating the case, and her brother-in-law Jay, who had a very public fight with Ben on the night of his murder.
When Jay goes missing on the morning he planned to meet Natalie, she begins to wonder if her mother was right . . . and if the past should be left in the past.
Genre: Mystery
The critically acclaimed author of The Good Ones returns with an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a powerful Southern family whose dark secrets set in motion a chain of events with deadly consequences.
In their younger years, Trey Macready and his best friend Ben Marsh were distributors and enforcers for the local distillers who made their small hamlet of Ewald, Virginia, the moonshine capital of the world. But that was years ago, and now the only tie to their criminal past is the Felons’ Ball—Trey’s annual birthday party where they regale the crowed with tales of their youthful exploits. But when Ben is found dead after Trey’s fiftieth celebration, it’s clear those connections may not be past at all.
Finding Ben’s body propels his much-younger secret lover, Natalie—Trey’s daughter—to search for Ben’s estranged son, Lanny, and to find the truth about his killing. Her quest will lead to a battle with a police department that refuses to ignore her family’s history, and to form unexpected connections with Hardy, the sheriff investigating the case, and her brother-in-law Jay, who had a very public fight with Ben on the night of his murder.
When Jay goes missing on the morning he planned to meet Natalie, she begins to wonder if her mother was right . . . and if the past should be left in the past.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"In a hamlet famous for its moonshine, secrets are deadly and grudges run deep. Polly Stewart's The Felons' Ball is a searing, tensile Southern thriller about crime, consequences, and twisty backroads of love." - Margot Douaihy
"The Felons' Ball is literary crime fiction at its best. It's a tribute to small town Virginia that only someone with deep roots could have conjured; a gripping story of family secrets - and crimes - that only a literary master could have penned. A must-read for connoisseurs of only the finest kind of novels - the ones that stay with you long after you've mourned turning the last page." - Alex Finlay
"Polly Stewart's The Felons' Ball takes the best parts of small town mysteries and family dramas chock full of secrets. Featuring both moonshine and murder, the story is a throwback to some of my favorite books growing up while still feeling wonderfully modern. You'll be thinking about its shocking ending long after you've gotten to the last page." - Kellye Garrett
"The Felons' Ball is full of secrets - ones that refuse to reveal themselves and ones that refuse to stay buried. It's also full of wit and empathy and characters as real as your own family members. This novel is assured, propulsive, and thrilling, and I tore through it." - Rebecca Makkai
"The Felons' Ball is a striking, absorbing novel about family, secrets, and the implications of loyalty. With her beautiful, immersive prose, Polly Stewart brings a fresh twist to a classic southern mystery tale." - Clémence Michallon
"The Felons' Ball is literary crime fiction at its best. It's a tribute to small town Virginia that only someone with deep roots could have conjured; a gripping story of family secrets - and crimes - that only a literary master could have penned. A must-read for connoisseurs of only the finest kind of novels - the ones that stay with you long after you've mourned turning the last page." - Alex Finlay
"Polly Stewart's The Felons' Ball takes the best parts of small town mysteries and family dramas chock full of secrets. Featuring both moonshine and murder, the story is a throwback to some of my favorite books growing up while still feeling wonderfully modern. You'll be thinking about its shocking ending long after you've gotten to the last page." - Kellye Garrett
"The Felons' Ball is full of secrets - ones that refuse to reveal themselves and ones that refuse to stay buried. It's also full of wit and empathy and characters as real as your own family members. This novel is assured, propulsive, and thrilling, and I tore through it." - Rebecca Makkai
"The Felons' Ball is a striking, absorbing novel about family, secrets, and the implications of loyalty. With her beautiful, immersive prose, Polly Stewart brings a fresh twist to a classic southern mystery tale." - Clémence Michallon
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