"This powerful narrative of belonging and the unexpected gifts and challenges of finding one’s place in the world is a mesmerizing read that will leave you pondering the interplay of fate and free will. It's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring quest for home." —Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author

“An immersive piece of Southern Gothic fiction. I had a hard time pulling myself from the pages and from Genevieve as she works to find her place in the world. Characters as layered as the heat and humidity on a hot summer day and a riveting plot make this novel a must-read.” – Mary O’Malley, Bookseller, Skylark Bookshop (Columbia, MO)

“Abuse in the guise of love, sin in the guise of salvation, and revenge in the guise of rattlesnakes and tough women…A powerful story of the ghosts of our past, love, and redemption, where strong women try to break the chain of abuse by rising up and dispensing their own justice. Fans of Chris Whittaker and books like Where the Crawdads Sing will find much here to love.” – Kimberly McGee, Librarian, Lake Travis Community Library (Austin, TX)

“How far would you go to protect your family…even if that protection means murder? Genevieve finds herself trying to save a family on the brink of destruction. She’s in for the fight of her life. She needs to win the battle in time to save them all.” – Marianne Colton, Librarian, Lockport Public Library (Lockport, NY)

“An atmospheric Southern novel set in 1967, featuring a young woman with the unusual ability to talk to ghosts…While there are very dark elements to the story, it is ultimately a story of love, family, and the search for one’s place in the world.” – Vicki Nesting, Librarian, St. Charles Parish Library (Destrehan, LA)

“Beautifully written, equally disturbing, Southern Gothic at its best! Scattered through these pages, all the eccentricities of the South are revealed slowly, as they should be, until they explode across the pages in a coup de grace that left me weak-kneed and gasping for air. The snakes, the ghosts, the familial relationships, the magic, and the atmosphere. It's all there; everything that makes a Southern tale worth telling. Taking place in Arkansas, my home state, I felt like I was back home every time I opened these covers and I predict The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree will be the Number One pick among book clubs next year. This is India Hayford's debut novel, and she is destined to become one of America's greatest writers.” – Julie Earhart-Cracchiolo, Librarian, St. Louis Public Library (St. Louis, MO)

“It's her name, Genevieve Charbonneau, that draws you in, and her story that keeps you enthralled. Told like a ghost story around a campfire from one of the best storytellers, this is the best of tall tales from the South with magic, murder, and mystery surrounding a heroine wrestling with her own ghosts along the way.” – Sarah Blanton, Bookseller, Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, NC)

“India Hayford’s riveting debut is an exploration of tangled familial bonds, loss, love and the redemption of fierce womanhood. Captivating storytelling that is utterly unforgettable.”—Kim Michele Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series

“The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree is a spellbinding journey through the heart of the South, where magic whispers in the rustling leaves and redemption hangs heavy in the air. The story’s richly drawn characters linger long after the last page is turned. A haunting, vivid tale of resilience and self-discovery that proves home is not just a place but a state of being we carry within us.”—Amanda Skenandore, author of The Medicine Woman of Galveston

“India Hayford is an intrepid writer whose appealing prose immediately engages as she sets her characters on worthy, but treacherous paths toward their individual redemption. Bursting with offbeat, colorful personalities, beguiling pastimes and unsung heroes, The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree is a rousing story of good over evil, brought to life with skill and heart.” —Donna Everhart, author of The Saints of Swallow Hill