I was offered The Red Bird Sings as an ARC via NetGalley and was delighted as I am always intrigued by authors who are inspired by true events. Fitzpatrick mixes journalistic style reportage, letters and prose to create a novel that sustains the reader's interest throughout. I found some of the lines to be wonderfully written and evocative such as "those determined but fruitless walks that she had taken, hoping to shake her grief off in a ditch, or snag some harrowing part of it in a hedge, leaving it behind like so much discarded wool." Oddly enough there was the occasional sentence that knocked me out of the story for their lack of sense such as "...the way that the pencil had pressed harder than she would have chosen, until the whole page was embroidered with ink." Here the pedant in me rose up again to say "But pencils don't contain ink?" This is a minor point, I know, but when even the word "embroidered" seems carefully considered I am unsure why the author did not just use the word lead? Later, Fitzpatrick seems back on form with the delightful detail of describing how "a scribble of black rose from a lamp that had been left burning too high". Overall a good read with memorable characters and an interesting mix of writing styles.

The story was inspired by a murder trial in West Virginia in 1897, investigating the death of a young woman, Zona Heaster Shue. It took me a while to get into the story and I found myself skipping some of the lengthy descriptions. However, I’m glad I persevered as the story became more interesting as it went along and I learned more about the main characters. What happened at the trial sounds surprising but when I read about the case afterwards, it seems that something similar did happen. If you enjoy historical fiction based on real events, you may enjoy this book. Thanks to Little, Brown (Virago) and NetGalley for an advance copy to review.

Another book I was lucky to get a copy of from @netgalley . The Red Bird Sings centres around a murder trial of a woman in 1897. The story largely follows events from the points of view of the alleged victim’s mother and best friend. I couldn’t put this down - it was engrossing, emotional and had a touch of the supernatural sprinkled in for good measure.

It took me a while to get into this book, but once in I couldn’t put it down. A story of lasting friendship, even through death. What will a friend go through to find the truth concerning her friends death. Who really did murder Zona? How can the murderer be caught and proven guilty, there’s no spoilers here!

This was such a beautiful book, I really enjoyed the story but also the writing which was very good. Descriptions were grogeous and I could have read more and more of this, I literally didn't want this book to end so I highly recommend it.

I devoured this haunting, suspenseful, beautiful and feminist novel. The writing is beautiful and it's hard to believe that Aoife Fitzpatrick comes from contemporary Ireland not 19th century West Virginia, the style, characters and settings all feel totally authentic. There were quite a few points in the plot (no spoilers) where I was almost holding my breath, hoping against hope that what might happen wouldn't. A great read on an important subject that I highly recommend.
Thanks to Virago for the proof.

This plot was really intriguing about the death / murder of Zona Heaster. However it had a really slow start and I struggled to stay interested. It started to pick up a little after 30% and I really liked the alternating chapters between Mary Jane (Zona's mother) and Lucy (her friend) as they try to get justice for her death. I liked the plot but found it too slow to really enjoy.

A good read with a great plot: brilliant.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the author for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

I found the Red Bird Sings to be a fascinating and macabre story, made even more interesting when I read that it's based on real events (which I've since read more about).

On 23 January 1897 Zona Shue was found dead at the bottom of her stairs. Her husband, known as Trout, refused to let anyone near her body, and the doctor who signed the death certificate was incompetent at best.

Only two people suspect foul play. Zona's best friend, Lucy, and her mother, Mary Jane. The determination of these two women in the face of contempt from all around them, was inspiring to behold.

The story takes on an eerie slant, when Mary Jane is visited by Zona's ghost, and in fact, Zona is speaking through her mother to speak the truth.

This book had a languid pace, with exquisite detail which for me, made it a slow burner, but I became fully invested and fascinated with this story by the time I was about a third in. I really liked the different mediums used to tell the story and overall found this to be a deeply nuanced and sympathetic telling of a true story.

I got the The Red Bird Sings by Aoife Fitzpatrick from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.


The Red Bird Sings could be considered an historical gothic crime novel set in 1890’s West Virginia, that tells the story of how a mother and a best friend react to the death of Zona shortly after marrying her husband Trout.

The Red Bird Sings is one of those novels that almost defies putting in a specific genre, as it could fit into so many from, Women’s fiction, because of the events of the story and how the novel is told though the eyes of Mary Jane, the mother of Zona and her best friend Lucy.

In addition to Women’s fiction with its a dark love story and gives the whole thing a Gothic vibe.

Along with this you have at the heart of the story the death of Zona with Mary Jane and Lucy’s attempt to find out what happened and bring any murder to justices the novel could be classed as a crime novel or even a court drama.

As for the style of writing The Red Bird Sings was told, through the eyes of Mary Jane a middle aged women with the ability to communicate with those that have died. In addition to Lucy a wannabe Journalist, who because of her gender and the historical setting of the story is having difficulty in doing this.

Each chapter of the novel tells part of the story through one of these individuals which allows you as reader to get a greater perspective, on the story as a whole and see parts of the story you would not have seen otherwise.

While for me as a reader the Red Bird Sings was an enjoyable read there was something that did not click for me to take the novel to the next level.

Although as a reader it is very difficult to find the reason why, may its because of the book is not written for me as a reader or Aoife Fitzpatrick writing was unable to take the novel to the next level.

Having said that, With this being Aoife Fitzpatrick debut novel there is definitely something there as a writer in my opinion, which means I will look forward to reading their work in future.

Having never heard of the Greenbrier Ghost, the story was new to me & i was intrigued to see how the story would pan out. . Well written, although I found the prose occasionally difficult to follow, particularly concerning the family. However, I was obviously emotionally invested in the characters, as I found myself profoundly moved at the conclusion of the story. An enjoyable read.

I loved this book! The Red Bird Sings follows an American court trial in 1897, and is loosely based on a real court hearing of the time. The trial is to determine whether Trout Shue is guilty of murdering his new bride, Zona, and the court proceedings are covered throughout by wannabe female reporter and best friend of the victim, Lucy Frye. This book has so much: feisty feminist characters ahead of their time, ghosts, historical drama, justice, beautiful writing. For fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and To Kill a Mockingbird, this novel is lyrical and charming. I liked the stubbornly persistent heroine of Lucy and also the idea of the fakely charming and persuasive Trout. The writing style was genuinely delightful. Zona is based on a real woman of the same name who really was murdered in 1897 in Greenbrier County, so this novel owes a lot to real historical accounts, but I think the questions the author raises in her fictional telling of this story are really interesting and relevant today.

My thanks to #NetGalley and Virago for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Slow start, somewhat ponderous prose style, but in keeping with the era in which it is set. That there was a murder seems clear. But was there a ghost? You decide. Either way, you are likely to enjoy this book as the tale gradually gathers a head of steam. An impressive debut.

Gripping debut from start to finish. The story was very well-paced, slow at the start but then building up nice and strong. Very buautifully-written with a lovely flow to it. The historical part worked well, very immersive and atmospheric, and a great cast of characters! Great debut all around.

This book took me.a while to get into as I found the beginning a bit confused and slow but once you are about a third in the story really get going and hooks you in. The writing is really beautiful, and really manages to invoke a sense of time and place. I could hear myself reading the book with a southern accent in my head as the dialogue was written so well. This is a great piece of historical fiction that deserves all its praise especially as it is inspired by a real life murder trial. This book really brings the past to life.

I was in another slump until I picked up this wonderfully amazing gothic true crime debut.

The Red Bird Sings recounts the story of Zona Heaster Shue, The Greenbriar Ghost, who only three months into her marriage to Trout Shue is found dead at the bottom of her stairs. Buried under the impression of "everlasting faint", Zona reappears to her mother Mary Jane and tells her that Trout murdered her. When Mary Jane tells the county prosecuter, he doesn't believe her, but discrepancies in death certificate by the local doctor give John Preston cause to exhume Zona's body and what they find is more than they bargained for.

Aoife Fitzpatrick's writing of Lucy Frye and Mary Jane Heaster was just beautiful. The language was fleshed out to the point that I felt I wasn't reading a debut novel. It flowed beautifully and left me wanting more at each chapter. The mixture of third person account, letters and a fictional journalistic recounting of the trial made for a fresher feeling.

Any reader can tell how much Fitzpatrick researched the case of The Greenbriar Ghost, and other historical elements. The attitudes of men and women during the trial really reflect the setting of the novel. It just all works so well together, the language, the historical accuracy, the attitudes.

Women didn't have a voice in 1897, some women still don't. And the title, there is a scene in the novel of a lost cardinal singing. But it reflects more on the unheard voices of women suffering at the hands of men, the suppression of their souls whilst trying to live a life they are expected to. No one would suspect the upstanding blacksmith, Trout Shue of brutally choking Zona, but the way her ghost goes full "you're going to hear me sing" at the trial was so stark. Zona's case is a reflection of what still happens today.

The Red Bird Sings is a beautifully written tale that has been inspired by the tragic events which took place in Greenbrier Country, West Virginia, in 1897.
In her debut novel, Aoife Fitzpatrick has cleverly interweaved the events from 1897 with the imagined aspects for The Red Bird Sings.
Shortly after her wedding, Hester Zona Shue is found dead at home and both her mother and best friend are immediately suspicious of her husband, Trout Shue. However, the police determine that Trout is innocent and both Lucy and Mary Jane are left with their painful suspicions.
Unlike Lucy, who believes that the case against Trout is now over, Mary Jane insists that she has been visited by the spirit of her deceased daughter and Zona has named Trout has her killer. What follows is a painful struggle for the truth with the family and eventual community becoming divided over Zona's death.
The story is told through a combination of newspaper articles by Lucy, court proceedings, letters from Zona and, of course the narration from Mary Jane and Lucy.
Starting slowly, the tale gives the reader time to settle into the community setting and become familiar with the characters. We also have time to learn of the strained relationships between all three women and how they are treated within their local communities.
After Zona's death, the pace increases which matches the anxiety of the characters and the increased tension of the story - making it increasingly difficult to put down.

The Red Bird Sings is the debut novel by Dublin born author Aoife Fitzpatrick. Inspired by the real events that took place in Greenbrier Country, West Virginia, it is an emotional recount of a horrendous historical crime. In 1897, newly wed Zona Shue is found dead at the bottom of her stairs. Under pressure from her mother Mary Jane, county prosecutors arrest and try her new husband Trout Shue with murder.

When I started reading this book, I was a little unsure of the writing style. The prose is heavy from the start , but once I found my feet and leaned into it, I discovered the most beautiful and emotive writing I’ve read in a while. The language is confident and arousing and there are some breathtaking nuggets of descriptive prose….

“The smell of windfall apples came in a sudden drift, and her soul took its first gentle shift into fall. Patches of crimson flashed amongst the oaks and hemlocks and birches and maples, heralding the march of scarlet and yellow and bronze that would soon flame across the hills.”

I loved the exploration of female relationships in this book. The strained mother/daughter, the estrangement of female friends when they marry, and the camaraderie of elders when faced with tragedy and grief. The details of the courtroom drama felt well researched and the narrative built suspense right up to the end.

I look forward to reading whatever Aoife Fitzpatrick writes next. A really beautifully crafted debut, offering up drama, emotion and the shocking reality of those silenced by domestic violence.

This was such an atmospheric, original book and I found it a captivating read. I loved the fact it was based on real events in West Virginia from 1897.
Zona Heaster dies a few months after marrying Trout, the handsome blacksmith. Following her death Zona's mother Mary has a vision and as a result both Mary and her best friend Lucy believe that her death was not accidental. What follows is a court case where Trout is accused of murdering his new wife.
I enjoyed the different elements of the story which were told through court proceedings, letters as well as the narration from Zona's mother and her best friend.
Although the story starts quite slowly, the book really reaches a crescendo in the final chapters and I couldn't put it down. It was hard to predict the end result of the court case. I really enjoyed the ending!
I would recommend this to historical fiction fans who like a gothic twist with some hints of the supernatural. This is a fantastic debut.