An astonishing re-imagining of Harriet Tubman's life, this work by award-winning novelist and biographer Beverly Lowry delves into the experiences that shaped Tubman, known as the "Moses of Her People." The narrative explores her bravery, resilience, and pivotal role in the Underground Railroad, offering a vivid portrayal of her journey and the historical context surrounding her efforts to lead others to freedom. Lowry's unique perspective brings depth and insight to Tubman's extraordinary legacy.
In 1948, in the most stubbornly Dixiefied corner of the Jim Crow south, society matron Idella Thompson was viciously murdered in her own home: stabbed at least 150 times and left face down in one of the bathrooms. Her daughter, Ruth Dickins, was the only other person in the house. She told authorities a Black man she didn't recognize had fled the scene, but no evidence of the man's presence was uncovered. When Dickins herself was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, the community exploded. Petitions pleading for her release were drafted, signed, and circulated, and after only six years, the governor of Mississippi granted Ruth Dickins an indefinite suspension of her sentence and she was set free.
The biography delves into the remarkable journey of an African American woman who rose from humble beginnings as the daughter of former slaves to become the first female self-made millionaire in the U.S. It highlights her transformation into a successful entrepreneur, while also addressing the challenges of race relations during her time. Beverly Lowry's extensive research uncovers the lesser-known aspects of her life, providing a rich and nuanced portrait of Madam C. J. Walker's legacy and impact.
Mourning her son's tragic death, Beverly Lowry discovers a newspaper article about Karla Faye Tucker, a murderer on death row whose story intertwines innocence and brutality. Captivated by Tucker's beauty and the shocking nature of her crimes, Lowry explores the complexities of Tucker's spiritual awakening during her incarceration. This compelling narrative delves into the contradictions of human nature and the profound impact of Tucker's case, culminating in her becoming the first woman executed in Texas in over a century.
Gripping, moving, and as good as any depiction of a murder case since In Cold
Blood . . . . This transcends the genre. Brilliant. --Ann Patchett A true-
crime page-turner. . . . Lowry exhausts every possible scenario behind the
shocking, unsolved quadruple murder . . . and offers a theory on what really
happened. - New York Post Deeply compassionate . . . An agonizing portrait. .
. . We're fortunate to have [Lowry] as our investigator, our cultural
historian, our mourner. - Austin Chronicle Heartfelt. . . . Chillingly
concise. . . . Lowry works the case from a human rather than a forensic
angle.- The New York Times Book Review A page turner. . . . A very real
reminder that horror isn't just a fictional genre. . . . Lowry lets no detail
escape her literary light. . . .These murders shook a city and are sure to
haunt you long after you set the book aside. - Bust A story of pain and loss,
and how one heinous act that takes four lives ... destroys so many others. . .
. In its swift pacing, intimate peeks into the characters' lives, and deep
research and reportage, Who Killed These Girls? features everything we wish
for in a book about an event we wish had never happened. - Los Angeles Review
of Books Gripping . . . well-researched and thought provoking. . . . A terror-
filled thrill ride which is captivating from start to finish. - New York
Journal of Books Beverly Lowry is rapidly becoming the Zola of Central Texas.
Her character studies only get better. -Larry McMurtry
"In 1948, in the most stubbornly Dixiefied corner of the Jim Crow south, society matron Idella Thompson was viciously murdered in her own home: stabbed some hundred and fifty times with pruning shears, she was left face-down in one of the bathrooms. Her daughter, Ruth Dickins, was the only other person in the house. She told authorities a Black man she didn't recognize fled the scene, but no evidence was uncovered. When Dickins was convicted and sentenced to a life in prison, the community exploded. Petitions were drafted, signed, and circulated, pleading for her release, and after only five years, she was indeed set free. The governor granted Ruth Dickens an indefinite suspension. Beverly Lowry--who was ten at the time of the murder--continued to investigate what happened decades ago on the most prestigious street in Leland, Mississippi, and she reflects on what her working class childhood in the south means today. With brilliant reporting and irresistible prose, Deer Creek Drive tells the story of that unspeakable murder within the wider context of race and class, and sheds light on what it was like to grow up white in the Mississippi Delta during the last years of school segregation"-- Provided by publisher
