Sandra Parshall Confronts Race Discrimination
What happens when the bones of a Melungeon or mixed race
woman are found in a remote mountainous area in Virginia? What does it mean
when evidence of an ax blow to her skull points to an old murder case?
In Sandra Parshall's second thriller, Disturbing the Dead, detective and Melungeon Tom Bridger becomes embroiled in this cold case and in the process uncovers revelations about his father, a former Sheriff, and other family secrets. Romance stirs the pages as well when Tom gets involved with veterinarian Rachel Goddard (see contest after the jump). Readers will remember Goddard from Parshall's 2006 novel, Heat of the Moon.
"I love stories about old cases that come back to haunt people in the present. It's my favorite type of mystery," says Parshall.The author's interest in Melungeons dates back to growing up in the South. "I heard names such as "brass ankles" and "gypsies" attributed to this group of people," says Parshall. "Sadly, they endured years of discrimination especially in Virginia. Even today."
Shipwrecked Portuguese sailors? Intermarried Indians? Intermarried escaped slaves hiding in the mountains? Melungeons, a mixed-race people living in Appalachia for more than 400 years, are dark skinned people with light eyes and European features. In fact, no one is sure where they came from, says Parshall.
A Southerner who has lived in Virginia for more than 25 years, Parshall inherited a few sleuth genes from a not-so distant family member. "One of my grandfather's was a small town police chief in the mountains of North Carolina," she says.
You can test your own clue solving acumen and win a free copy of Disturbing the Dead by reading this excerpt and answering this question: What is the name of the prosecutor who telephones Rachel? Email Sandra with the correct answer. Be sure to include your full name in the e-mail message.
Sandra Parshall
was born and raised in South Carolina.
She began her writing career as a weekend obituary columnist, eventually
reporting for various newspapers in West Virginia and The Baltimore Evening
Sun. In the last few years, she has published two thrillers and is working on a
third. Check out her group blog called Poe's Deadly Daughters
where she blogs every Wednesday.
