This book was fantastic. I will read anything else written by the author, Andrea Bobotis. This book is not one you can rush through it needs to be soaked into your bones. Racially charged times of the 1920's in the South are the setting for the book and the Miss Judith in the title is the narrator of the story. She tells us about how her brother came to be shot over 50 years earlier. The other characters of Olva and Rosemarie and Quincy and the father, are not as fleshed out as Judith's but you still feel like you know them. And in the case of Quincy and the father I would not want to know them. I highly recommend to any intelligent reader who enjoys historical non fiction set in the gothic South.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

This was a discomforting book to read, but an important exploration of family secrets, racism, and insensitive feelings and opinions. The characters, for the most part are unlikeable, and the father downright mean and hateful. That being said, there are some interesting, kind and thoughtful characters as well. The author evokes a time and place that is part of our history. She also portrays how material things have history, stories and meaning---but perhaps not so important after all.