One of my favorite genre is southern fiction but I had a hard time getting through this book. Thanks to author Anthony Todd Carlisle, Hidden Shelf Publishing House, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

This is an engrossing tale of redemption that blends the past and present, slowly unraveling a crime and bringing a family together.
The author paints his characters with humanity and depth.

A very satisfying read. This is a deftly told story that covers a lot of social history through the lens of a particular family, giving a considered view of a black family split apart and ultimately brought back together through family secrets, loyalty and love.

I loved The Souls of Clayhatchee by Anthony Todd Carlisle. This was provided to me as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This is the story of a young black journalist taking his mother back to her home town in the South for her burial. What he encounters is a family who loves and welcomes him ‘home’ but he soon learns his family and the South hold many secrets. This is his journey to realization of family loyalty, love, how far does one go for those things. A lot of Southern and black culture issues are explored in the story. The writing is superb and descriptive. I am a Southerner and this evoked so much for me. I am different than the character but I can appreciate coming to terms with the past and present. I gave this 4 stars.

Mystery, intrigue, timely topics, and humor expertly woven together to create a captivating and important debut novel. This book has potential for great success, and to act as a catalyst for conversations around race.