The Appalachian
Mountains and its people are the focus in this compelling story by award winning writer Sharyn McCrumb. “The Rosewood
Casket” tells the story of Randall Stargill, who lies on his deathbed in a coma. His children, Robert Lee and wife Lilah, Charles Martin and girlfriend Kelley and her daughter Kayla, Garret with his wife Debba, and single brother Clayt, gather at the family
farm in the mountains to await Randall’s death and to follow his last instructions. The boys are to build him a coffin out of some rosewood Randall has kept for just this purpose. The women scour the attic for material to make the casket lining. They believe that by using material that may have meant something to Randall, such as swatches from Randall’s wife Clarisse’s wedding suit, would be a proper tribute.
The work is interrupted by a visit from mysterious Nora Bonesteel. Carrying a plate of cookies and a wooden
box, Nora makes an unexpected request. Nora tells the family that Randall would want this box buried with him, placed right inside the casket with him. She refuses to state what is in the box, and suggests it be buried unopened. After Nora leaves, her suggestion is ignored and the box is opened, revealing the bones of a child. Unsure now of what to do, the brothers decide to turn the bones over to the Sheriff.
Also living on the mountains are the Stargill’s neighbors: J. Z. Stallard and daughter Dovey. The Stallards have had a run of bad luck. Lightning struck their barn the previous October and destroyed the roof. His truck needs a new carburetor. The Stallards have no money to repair either. J. Z.’s son, Tate didn’t make it back from Vietnam, and with just J.Z. and his daughter left, they can no longer make the farm profitable. J.Z. keeps news of a foreclosure action on the farm from Dovey until it is too late. When Frank Whitescarver, operating a local realty and construction company, offers to buy the Stallard farm, his offer is rejected. Whitescarver then goes to the county tax office and presses the issue of the outstanding unpaid land tax payments. The farm is put up for auction. Whitescarver buys the farm to make room for his new housing development which he will sell for big bucks to people from Nashville for summer homes. Frank tells Sheriff Arrowood to do his duty and serve his eviction notice on the Stallards. When they go to the Stallard farm to serve the notice, Dovey pulls out a gun. Her intent is to shoot Whitescarver, but Sheriff Underwood throws Whitescarver out of the way and takes the bullet himself. He is hurt bad and rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Dovey runs away toward the Stargill place, encounters Kayla at the edge of the woods, and scoops her up as a hostage. The manhunt is on as darkness descends on the mountains.
As the hunt for Dovey and Kayla, missing on the mountain as the weather is turning colder; the Stargill family at home begins to unravel. By the time the search ends, we learn the outcome to the Stargill children, and by the start of Randal Stargill’s funeral, we learn the solution to the mystery. The mystery of Randall.
The Rosewood Casket requires close reading as the clues are easy to miss, but the story is a fascinating study of what people are capable of doing in the name of love. Don’t miss this one.
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