In the Hour of Crows: A Novel BY Dana Elmendorf

In the Hour of Crows by Dana Elmendorf is a spellbinding murder mystery steeped in Appalachian magic, making it a perfect summer read. Set in a small, enigmatic town where superstitions and mystical traditions shape daily life, the story revolves around Weatherly Opal Wilder, a Death Talker with a unique and burdensome gift. Weatherly can speak the death out of the dying and save their lives, but this miraculous ability comes with the heavy price of isolation—she is only valued when her powers are needed, and shunned otherwise.

Weatherly’s cousin Adaire, a Scryer with the ability to see the future in dark surfaces, has her own supernatural talent. Just before Adaire’s fatal accident, she glimpsed something disturbing through her scrying, leading Weatherly to believe her death was not an accident but a murder. The town’s suspicions are further fueled when Weatherly fails to save the mayor’s son, leading them to accuse her of seeking revenge rather than acting out of benevolence.

Determined to uncover the truth behind Adaire’s death, Weatherly uses the cryptic clues left by her cousin and her family’s Granny Witch recipe box. Her investigation leads her deep into the heart of her town’s secrets and the tangled web of magic and betrayal that surrounds her.

In the Hour of Crows combines elements of witchery, suspense, and personal discovery, creating a mesmerizing tale of friendship, identity, and the price of extraordinary gifts.