Hellbender is the second book in the Murder Ballads and Whiskey series. It begins with the burial of Henry Collins' sister and moves on into a story of star crossed lovers and a man who is forced to face the reality that the weight of his heritage is firmly resting upon his shoulders. It is up to Henry to solve the puzzle of his sister's death and to ensure that those who caused it pay for their acts.
Set in Appalachia, the story shows us aspects of the culture that belongs to the mountain folk of Celtic descent that are quite foreign to those of us who were not raised in the area. The culture is rich in lore and myth that is shared here and perhaps expanded upon. I am not familiar enough to say for sure which it is, but either way, it is enriches and supports the story itself. Also woven into the story are the musical traditions which carry their own lure.
When I began reading Hellbender, I was immediately drawn into the story and the lives of those in it. The characters are well-developed and the story and background are deep and intricate, the information necessary to see them as they are, trickling naturally from the words of the story.
Miller's writing is evocative and as close to lyric poetry as prose can get. It carries its own measure of enchantment in each phrase, creating vivid pictures of the surroundings and the actions of those who are part of the tale.
A Quote from the book:
The green of these mountains in my lungs smelled like an old friend, one who wouldn't tell lies to you. One who understood. One who knew pain didn't go away just because you wanted it to. And when I exhaled, only the sweet scent of smoke and s dry mouth remained. But the scent was enough to rekindle the memory.
Green in the hills above.
Green in the water below
Green in my lungs.
A little green in Alex's eyes when she smiles.
Reflected in each was something different. In the water I saw faces and bones, my past written in fossiliferous hieroglyphs scattered among the rocks and hellbenders--the giant salamanders that have watched these mountains change for over three-hundred million years. They saw dinosaurs and mammoths come and go. I didn't see myself outliving them either. In the green hills all around me I saw my present. I'd never leave. So I looked at Alex. In her I saw a green glimmer of hope.
Her green gave me a chance to move away from the black of revenge.
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