Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue

Gr 9 Up–This novel begins a few months after the events of Bittersweet in the Hollow and is told from the perspective of Rowan, the James sister who smell lies and in the previous book fought with Hadrian, their farm helper. As Caball Hollow deals a content creator searching for the Moth-Winged man, ginseng poachers, and townspeople who are losing items and memories, Rowan finds her temper flaring. Her grandmother banishes her to a Forest Service outlook station. At the station, Rowan finds creatures that don’t belong—an adder and magpies. A car accident resulting in an unclaimed body and an unconscious man found in the woods seem connected to strange events she witnesses in the forest and in town. When Juniper, the youngest sister, contacts the accident victim with disastrous consequences, Rowan finds herself seeking out Hadrian’s help. He is part of the link the James family has with the Bone Tree and Otherworld. Slowly, Rowan peels back layers of deception, learns more about family members, and navigates tricky deals with Hadrian to save her family. The simmering tension between Hadrian and Rowan leads to romance as they work together. The atmospheric writing captures the impact of the supernatural on real-world events. A surprise at the end hints at another book about the James family.