I really wanted to love this book but i just couldn’t get into it. It seems to be overly detailed and i just really struggled with it. I found myself having to reread pages because it just wasn’t capturing my attention so i wasn’t taking it in.

In The Red Bird Sings, Aoife Fitzpatrick has given us characters and a setting that are interesting enough without the knowledge that there’s a death and a trial to come. A courtroom drama done well is always good fun and the trial of Trout Shue for the murder of his wife Zona has plenty to grab the attention. That this story is based on real events just adds to the frisson.
The tensions within Zona’s family and between her best friend Lucy and new man Trout ring true in any era. I identified strongly with Lucy – I am that contrarian, that judgmental but loyal friend. Zona’s mother Mary Jane is a corking character, interesting enough to carry a novel by herself. Although in some ways very conventional, she’s also a wildcard self-proclaimed clairvoyant at risk of being taken away to the asylum. She knows what she has seen and that’s what matters, no matter anyone else’s beliefs about the supernatural and the afterlife.
The story is really well paced, building to the revelations and spectacle of the trial near the end. I can definitely see it being adapted for the screen and now want to find out which parts are on record and which Aoife Fitzpatrick has imagined and weaved in so well. I love reading Virago books and can only lament I didn’t find out about them more than a couple of years ago. May I carry a little of the late, great Carmen Callil with me always.

I'm in complete awe at this book. The language and descriptive prose are phenomenal, and so deftly done, using descriptives and metaphors that suit the period and the restrictive world the characters inhabit. I love to be transported to another place when I read and The Red Bird Sings triumphs at this. The build of tension and the bringing together of the different threads of the story are done with consummate expertise. This book is a rare and special thing and it deserves to fly.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending an e-arc in exchange for review :)

This book surprised me. Going into it, I had no expectations whatsoever, I just thought it sounded super interesting and it absolutely was.

It was an easy read yet compelling and I enjoyed the high stakes of the courtroom drama that had me really rooting for justice.

I ended up reading this in one day, I found it really engaging and it was an interesting read discussing the treatment of women, domestic violence, and aspects of spirituality and the supernatural!

This is the story of a murder of a young woman in Virginia,1897. Her husband, Trout Shue, who is liked and trusted by the community is suspected by the murdered woman’s mother and close friend. Trout (what a wonderful name!) is a good looking, well set up young man, a blacksmith by trade and generally considered in the town to be a good man. His and Zona’s marriage looked good to everyone except Lucy, Zona’s close friend who may have been jealous or just maybe, Trout was driving a wedge between the friends.
It's an age-old story – was there abuse? Did Trout kill his wife? Was he a controlling man? Or was he the loving, grieving husband?
The story is told from 4 different perspectives; First that of Lucy, who was a homely young woman, somewhat outside of her society because she was more interested in becoming a journalist and riding her bicycle than looking for a man to marry. Then Zona’s mother, Mary Jane who was also something of an odd bod with her ‘sight’ and her slovenly abandonment of corsets! Then there is the record of Trout’s trial, typed by the female clerk, who sets down only what is allowed at the trial. Finally, there are Zona’s letters to her daughter, taken for adoption, which speak of her love for Trout and her happiness but also a growing need to give advice on how to be true to herself. Each of these voices is distinct and brilliantly characterized.
These different perspectives reveal a great deal about the times and small-town issues and the normal treatment of women in those times – Lucy and Mary Jane are not taken seriously; they are neither beautiful nor rich. Neither has a strong voice in the community yet both are outspoken and brave. The men who deal with them and with the murder investigation and trial are reluctant to believe them and keen to protect the man who did such a good job with their horses. As the story progresses, it begins to seem as if Trout was trying to isolate his new young wife – or was that just a less fortunate young woman’s jealousy?
In the end, it’s not about who did it but about whether the jury (and by extension, the town) would come down for or against these people. Will they listen? Will they hear what is truly being said? The result is powerful and moving and has a build up of suspense which is no less because it’s not exactly a thriller.
I wasn’t sure at first if I’d like the different voices and the different font for the official record but it worked well as the story moved on. And I wasn’t sure about the paranormal element of Mary Jane’s ‘sight’ but this too worked in the end.

I was lucky enough to receive a proof of this title too, and absolutely loved it. A combination of true-crime and historical
fiction - the writing is superb and the story utterly compellingly. It’s hard to believe it’s a debut.

This was a compelling historic court-room drama based on true events. The plot had interesting twists and turns and there was thought-provoking discussion about domestic violence and how women were treated at the time.
However, I struggled with the writing style a little which let the book down for me. The prose felt a little muddy and scattered and the alternate narratives between two characters, which is normally a style I enjoy, in this case felt confused.
But, overall an enjoyable gripping read.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

I enjoyed this book and found this that it kept me hooked right up to the end. The theme of domestic violence was well handled but the idea that the evidence from a ghost was the definitive evidence was a little far fetched.

This was an enjoyable interesting read that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen all the way through.
Based on a true story, and told from several points of view, it mixes courtroom scenes, family drama and the supernatural well.
I did find the mixed media format a little distracting at times, and one or two of the characters, notably the victim's mother, hard to either believe in or sympathise with. But on the whole, it was a good read.

With thanks to NetGalley and Virago for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I initially found the story very difficult to get into and considered giving up. The writing style just didn’t engage me; I agree with some other reviewers who thought it a bit disjointed. Certainly for about the first third it felt a lot like doing a jigsaw puzzle where you’re at the stage where you can’t see how these pieces fit together. And throughout the book the author seems to have a bit of a preoccupation with corsets!
I persevered with the story, and as it progressed I did find myself becoming more intrigued and involved with the story. I still sometimes found myself having to check which character was speaking, and what they had to do with the overall story, but the overall sense of anticipation builds up nicely, with moments of real tension. She nicely drops hints as to the outcome of the trial which seem contradictory and leave you guessing. If it wasn’t for the first third, I would give this a 4, and those who like a slow lead in to a story would probably not share my initial frustration.

This is a fine piece of historical fiction, based on fact and a highly credible debut. I also love the artwork on the cover.

It’s set in a time and place that I know very little about and judging by the detail, the authors research has been both meticulous and extensive. She creates a real sense of time, place and culture. The story centres on the death of a newly married young woman, Zona. The suspect is her new husband, Trout. Some are convinced he killed her, others won’t hear if him capable of such an act.

There’s a really good courtroom drama which takes the reader into the heart of the case and the way in which trials were conducted. It’s a genuine mystery as I had no idea how all the strands would eventually come together. Kept me reading and interested and I really enjoyed it.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

This is a deep and shocking novel inspired by a true story. Set in West Virginia in 1897 the book is centred around the unexpected death of Zona Heaster Shue just three short months after her marriage to ‘Trout’ Shue. Initially called a suicide her mother Mary Jane and best friend Lucy have their doubt, believing Trout was responsible for her death. It’s a slow burning read, beautifully written in the forms of standard narrative, letters and court reporting.

Briefly, after Zona’s death Mary Jane swears she has communicated with her daughter through spiritual means and she told her how she died. Exhumation of the body shows death was not through natural causes as the doctor had previously stated and Trout is arrested.

This was clearly well researched and the detail was very interesting. Not just the court case but the highlighting of how women were treated less than 130 years ago. This is a haunting read, in more ways than one, and I couldn’t even guess what the outcome of the trial would be until the reveal. Exciting, expressive and heartbreaking this was an enjoyable read.

The Red Bird Sings by Aoife Fitzpatrick
Publication date: 6 April 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.75 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
~~~~~
West Virginia, 1897. After the sudden death of young Zona Shue only a few months after her impromptu wedding, her mother Mary Jane has a vision – she was killed. And by none other than her new husband, Trout, the handsome blacksmith beloved in their small Southern town.
~~~~~
That was a very solid debut. I loved the alternating POVs between Mary Jane and Lucy, Zona's best friend, as well as the insertion of Lucy's articles about the trial and Zona's letters.
This was a compelling murder mystery and courtroom drama with a good dash of supernatural for good measure.
I appreciated the author's approach to women's fate under the yoke of a patriarchal society, from the tight corsets they are expected to wear, that they are not their own person but their husbands' property, that one word from a man can destroy their reputation to the sad irony of the jury in Zona's murder trial being composed of 12 men, and men only, when a man is accused of murdering her.
I thought the writing was very good and well-paced. There were some very tense moments and other heartbreaking ones; this is a story of grief, of parents losing their daughter in traumatic circumstances so please be aware of this if you pick this book.
I would love to read more from this author and, even though one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, this one is very, very beautiful.
~~~~~

Really emotional and thrilling . Thank you so much to the publisher for the chance to read and review.

When Zona is found dead in her home, her husband Trout is put on trial for her murder. It becomes the job of Zona's friend Lucy and her mother Mary Jane to prove that Trout is guilty and that his popularity shouldn't let him get away with it.

The analogy of suffocating with the town, the corsets, amongst others is done so well in this novel. Aoife Fitzpatrick does this with ease and with absolute grace.

Definitely for fans of gothic elements with a little bit of crime mystery. Although the book was well written, I just don't think it was for me. I've tried so many times to get into Gothic Fiction, however, this is the closest I've gotten to genuinely enjoying the genre.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #LittleBrownBookGroupUK #Virago and the author #AoifeFitzpatrick for my ARC of #TheRedBirdSings in exchange for an honest review.

When Zona, a newlywed is found dead in her home, her husband, Trout, is ultimately put on trial. However , it’s up to Zona’s friend Lucy and her mother Mary Jane’s to convince the town of Trout's guilt so that the charming and well-liked blacksmith doesn’t get away with murder.
A bit of a difficult one for me to review, whilst I enjoyed the book, there were times when I found myself skim reading too. That said, anyone who likes historical crime stories with a sprinkling of ghosts should definitely give it a try.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, Virago for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

All the atmosphere of a suffocating small-town Virginia at the end of the nineteenth century is recreated in all its beauty and horror here. Based on a real life trial we see the characters come to life and illustrate how restricted womens’ lives were, from the too-tight corsets to the stripping away of rights that came with marriage. Zona’s fate and the women around her is described with pain and the court scene’s as Zona’s friend and then her mother testify are truly horrible to read. Some very interesting commentary alongside an exploration of the circumstances around this murder trial make for an intriguing read.

Based on a true story this is the fascinating story of murdered wife Zona, communicating from the afterlife - but first we follow her story through life, punctuated with excerpts from the trial of her accused murderer. The court text is shown in a typewriter font which I thought was clever and added to the sense of going back in time.

This has elements of domestic violence and cruelty, but I felt they were necessary for the plot line and handled sensitively. The location in a small town in the US is depicted so clearly and atmosphericially, this is a story that would lend itself well to being adapted for screen.

Set in Virginia in 1897 this novel tells the story of newly married Zola who is found murdered in her home. Her husband Trout , the local blacksmith is arrested for the murder and taken to trial. Told through narrative, letters and court records this story explores what happened and how no-one seems to be quite who they seem to be. A story of patriarchy and how reputation can so easily be destroyed. A story of mother and daughter relationships and above all loyalty and friendship. I really enjoyed this novel and will be looking for more from this author. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

🪶 REVIEW 🪶

The Red Bird Sings by Aoife Fitzpatrick

Publishing date: 6th April

⭐️⭐️.5/5

Based on true events.
West Virginia, 1897. Zona Heaster Shue is a newlywed of just a few months when she is found dead in her home. Her death is initially attributed to natural causes. But her mother begins to have visions of her daughter’s spirit, telling her that something is not right. Zona’s husband, Trout, is eventually put on trial, accused of her murder, but unravelling the truth is not as simple as you may think…

I enjoyed the beginning of this book, I found the story interesting, the writing was done well, and was generally engaged. I also liked that different formats were used throughout, using court reporting and letters as well as normal narration. However, I struggled with the plot point surrounding Zona’s spirit, and I think this is more of a personal distaste for ghost/spirit involvement rather than the writer not conveying it well. I would’ve preferred a slightly different ending, though I also realise, as this is based on true events, the writer is constricted in her retelling of the story.

Overall, it wasn’t a book for me, but I would definitely recommend to someone who enjoys historical crime stories, and isn’t put off by the involvement of spirits.