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    Death of a Rainmaker: A Dust Bowl Mystery
    Unavailable
    Death of a Rainmaker: A Dust Bowl Mystery
    Unavailable
    Death of a Rainmaker: A Dust Bowl Mystery
    Ebook420 pages6 hours

    Death of a Rainmaker: A Dust Bowl Mystery

    By Laurie Loewenstein

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

  • Loewenstein's debut novel, Unmentionables, was the first release on our Kaylie Jones Books imprint and did very well for us.
  • Imprint curator Kaylie Jones, a successful writer, will help in the promotion. So the book essentially has two authors working full-time to promote alongside Akashic.
  • Similar to Unmentionables and Barbara J. Taylor's debut Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, the book has great regional potential; the novel is set in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl era (mid-1930s).
  • Loewenstein proved highly effective in promoting her debut and we will rely on her again to do events in bookstores, libraries, historical societies, etc.
  • Unmentionables was a MIBA Midwest Connections pick and received a starred Library Journal review.
  • We are also making this title available in a simultaneous hardcover edition.
    • LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKaylie Jones Books
    Release dateOct 2, 2018
    ISBN9781617756801
    Unavailable
    Death of a Rainmaker: A Dust Bowl Mystery
    Author

    Laurie Loewenstein

    Laurie Loewenstein is the author of the novel, Unmentionables. An Ohio native, she currently lives in Columbia, Maryland.

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    Reviews for Death of a Rainmaker

    4/5

    34 ratings9 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Vermillion, Oklahoma in the 1930's, people still trying to recover from the great depression when they are hit by huge dust storms. These storms taking all the top soil from Farmer's fields, smothering crops, devastating lives. Farms are being repossessed, auctions of all their possessions, and many are left with little or nothing."In Oklahoma, the palette was nothing but brown. Brown bridal trains of dust billowed behind tractors. Curtains turned from white to strong coffee. Folks spit river mud after a duster. Washes of beige, cinnamon, and umber bled into the blue sky, depending on which direction the wind blew. The people, the land, the buildings absorbed the dust. All other colors, lesched away, while brown and its innate variations remained."Even the townspeople are not spared. A blind theater owner trying to keep his business afloat during dwindling attendance. The people are desperate, and in their desperation offer money to a man who promises he can make it rain. Unfortunately before any results are felt, his body is found in the piles of dirt, after a fierce dust storm.Such a terrific blending of mystery and history, a novel reflecting a look at a disastrous time and place. A time where a CCC camp, filled with men out of work, and young men whose family could no longer afford to feed them, is stationed in Vermillion. A time where a beautiful patterened tea cup could bring hardy farm women to tears, while another man depends on baseball and his books. Where a sherrif who is doing his best, Temple and his wife, both main characters are faced with losing the next election to a braggert who is trying to snow the people. It is his idea to hold a horrible event, one I skinned concerning the bashing of jackrabbits.Some wonderful characters, a sold story and a look back into history make this a story that draws n the reader. Inspired by the non fiction book, The worst hard time, this is a homage to those who stubbornly stayed on their land. ARC by Edelweiss.
    • 5/5
      Ol' timey mysteries are usually something that I find should stay in the past (like polio and dial up), but Death of a Rainmaker was an excellent story for any decade.Loewenstein is an incredible storyteller whose words are so vivid they practically blew off the pages like dust in the Midwestern wind. Every scene was perfectly captured so that you could hear the TNT bursting, feel the heat and dust, smell the fried chicken.It followed the outline of your typical mystery. Nothing was surprising or original as far as the plot, (it was pretty easy to guess the killer) but it was still one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a while.Temple Jennings, Vermillion's sheriff, was the perfect 1930's lawman. Steady, unwavering, stubborn. I imagined him as Sam Elliott-esque with the long, deep drawl. His determination for justice and support of the down-and-outers was heartwarming, even when he didn't make the most perfect decisions.Even the conflict between Temple and his wife, Etha, was remarkable. In a day and age where healthy relationships and arguing are rare, the Jennings are a breath of fresh air. Regardless of their disagreement, they still managed to love each other and remain respectful.The relationship between Etha and Carmine was what I enjoyed most about the story. Back in a time when women were to be the dutiful housewife, Etha takes it upon herself to prove Carmine's innocence. She proves that women are just as insightful and capable as she finds evidence that was skipped over by her husband and his deputy.There is so much minutia in this story that really brings everything together. It is a genuinely well-crafted novel. I enjoyed it from the first chapter through the last and look forward to more from Loewenstein.
    • 5/5
      One of the best books I have ever read is Timothy Egan's The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl. Reading that book fostered an interest in this period of history, so when I heard about Laurie Loewenstein's first Dust Bowl mystery, Death of a Rainmaker, I had to read it. I am thrilled to say that it's an excellent fictional companion piece to Egan's history.Loewenstein peoples her story with one believable character after another. From thirteen-year-old Maxine trying desperately to impress the young deputy, to Temple Jennings forced to keep the peace at foreclosed farms that are being auctioned off, to his wife Etha who still mourns the death of their son, to Lovell the lonely schoolteacher, these people are real and step right off the page. So does the setting. The local movie theater is reduced to having "Dish Nights" in order to stay open. (Plunk down your nickel to see a movie and receive a free piece of china-- a different piece every week.) There are teenage boys thrown out of their homes because there are too many mouths to feed, and they're now working for the Civilian Conservation Corps. The down-and-out living in Hoovervilles out in the woods. A young woman ashamed of the fact that her family still lives in a soddy. And the ever-present dust and dirt: "Dunes rippled across the highway as if the denuded land were trying to draw a blanket over its naked limbs."Loewenstein's characters live-- and try to breathe-- in Death of a Rainmaker, and while the reader is being drawn into this wonderfully drawn setting, there is the mystery of the murder to solve. Etha Jennings is a good-hearted woman who is determined to prove a young boy's innocence. She makes plenty of mistakes and she certainly upsets her husband, but the unfolding of her character is a fine sight to behold. With Loewenstein's excellent misdirection, the solution to the murder is very satisfying, and now I'm left waiting impatiently for a second Dust Bowl mystery. Historical mystery lovers really need to get their hands on this book.
    • 4/5
      August 2, 1935Jackson County, Oklahoma"As soon as [Chester] pulled open the outside door [of the theater] he heard a faint thrumming of wind that resembled the plucking of thick guitar strings… ‘A duster!, Maxine shouted… ‘Tall as a mountain! Oh my God! I’ve never seen one this big!’"Vermillion, Oklahoma in 1935. The Great Depression has strangled the economy of the area and now an unending dry season is destroying the greatest source – the land. The helpless residents face the perfect storm of poverty and an angry earth.The population of the area is a mishmash of down-on-their-luck souls. Alongside the farms and ranches is a squatters camp down near the train tracks. A Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) work camp is nearby; a collection of young men from all over the country gathered near Vermillion for a chance at a job by the government. As in any community, there are the more fortunate families who live a different anxiety – fearful of the unfortunate. It is a jittery and suspicious time for all.Everyone, rich or poor, has an individual life story that began somewhere else. Vermillion provided abundance and a good living for four generations. By 1935, no one finds Vermillon a haven. The Great Depression had knocked many to their knees. The eight months of drought that year, finished off those who depended on the earth for their livelihood.Rain, at this point, is their only solution. Rain would keep the farmers and ranchers on their homesteads and bring commerce to town. Believing that desperate times do call for desperate measures, a small group of merchants cobble together the last of their savings and hire a charlatan who convinces them he knows how to make it rain.Roland Coombs, their hired Rainmaker, struts into town like a conquering hero; a larger than life superhero to some and a distasteful miscreant to others who believe he is taking advantage of a desperate situation to line his pockets. Claiming he learned his technique in the military, he uses massive rounds of TNT blasted into the sky to make the atmosphere unstable. Only time will tell.The skeptical and the hopeful join the boisterous and arrogant Rainmaker at the blasting site setting up camp on the ground with their picnic baskets and blankets. The crowd watch in awe as the night sky explodes over and over, louder and more illuminating than the Fourth of July.Everyone leaves in the dark of night hopeful and wakes to find the next day like every other; dry and gritty. Disappointed farmers stared at their barren fields and discouraged merchants stare at their front doors hoping for business.In the dire circumstances, folks looked for whatever small pleasures could ease their pain. One popular source of relief came at the local movie theater run by the blind owner, Chester. The other is drinking away the misery at the local bar.The day after the Rainmaker blasted the sky, Chester readies things for that day’s movie, hoping to sell enough tickets to pay the rent. Maxine, Chester’s teenage ticket taker refills the candy shelves and opens the ticket booth for the matinee.Sheriff Temple Jennings’ day begins alongside his new deputy, a former CCC worker with a healthy dose of work ethic. Today, Mr. Hodges, visibly upset, complains nothing is being done about the continuing visits of a peeping Tom at his house. The Sheriff learns of a fight the previous night between the Rainmaker Coombs and one of the CCC boys at the local bar. These things will have to wait. He has to perform his least favorite job – keeping the peace at the auction of a foreclosed farm.Out of sight, an enormous dust storm has formed on the town’s outskirts and is barreling their way. The catastrophic storm catches everyone unprepared and people are forced to take shelter best they can. In the hours after the storm blows through, the clean-up begins. Chester, feeling his way through the storm’s aftermath, begins to remove the sand blocking the emergency exit of his theater. He discovers the body of a man and presumes he died of suffocation. Sheriff Jennings determines it is the Rainmaker, Roland Coombs, and he was bludgeoned to death during the storm. The town jumps to the immediate conclusion that the young CCC worker was the murderer.As the sheriff and his deputy conduct their investigation, personal secrets are exposed and a political campaign takes a malignant turn threatening the Sheriff’s job. The characters remind us that we often judge a person through the lens of preconceived notion. Some people overcome their worst instincts and find themselves better for it. Others dig in and reject the truth staring them in the face.As the investigation proceeds, Sheriff Jennings believes in the young man’s guilt and the CCC worker is arrested. His wife is not so sure that the murderer has been found. As she begins her own investigation, their marriage is tested. She befriends the prisoner and listens to his story with an open mind. Another part of her recognizes that she is transferring her feelings as she has mourned the death of her own son.Someone in town during the storm murdered the Rainmaker. The mystery, when solved, will surprise you. Along the way you will fall in love with some of the people and reject the false friendships of others. In the end, you will find a piece of happily ever after.An excellent story revealing that ordinary life continues amid a larger national tragedy.Enjoyed the read and look forward to more by this author.Review Copy provided by the publisher.
    • 5/5
      I wanted to win this through Early Reviewers, but unfortunately I had to borrow it from the library. I loved "Worst hard time" by Timothy Egan and borrowed all the photography books about the Dust Bowl. This book had the flavor of the nonfiction books and would be a great companion to read for a book club.Loewenstein should be congratulated for writing a mystery set in that period, having it solved by good old conversation. No DNA, no Cell phones, no electron microscopes. How did they do it? I also loved the back stories in this book. Who would have thought that the main character would have also suffered the Johnstown flood some forty years earlier?And I should mention that the gumption evinced by Etha is remarkable and makes the story for me.If you like thrillers, this book isn't for you. But if you love cozies this one has the flavor of that style because there isn't blood and gore and there are snoopy neighbors who learn about everyone and help solve this.I plan on buying this book for my sister as a Christmas present.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the first Dust Bowl book. Laurie Loewenstein developed the characters in a refreshing manner. And the terrible dust storm that settled over the town after the rainmaker set off fireworks to poke the rain that does not arrive. So who has killed the rainmaker and why? Is one of the farmers or businessmen responsible for this odious crime? Loewenstein leads the reader to many theories of the who and why, but the final resolution provides a surprise. The journey shows the everyday life of the Oklahoma individuals during a bleak period for framers and businessmen, but also focuses on food and parties and love.
    • 5/5
      The rainmaker made big promises, but before he could fulfill his boasts, he is brutally murdered in the middle of a dust storm. Suspicion falls falls on Carmine, a young man who works for the Civilian Conservation Corps and who had had a fist fight earlier with the dead man. Sheriff Temple Jennings, relying on circumstantial evidence and an eye witness, arrests him, but Temple’s wife, Etha, believes him to be innocent. It’s a tough time for the residents in the midst of the Dust Bowl years, and even tougher for the sheriff, who is being challenged in the upcoming election. Etha sees something in Carmine that reminds her of her deceased son, and she determined to help free him. The setting and time period are quite interesting, the plot well written, and the characters are very well drawn and developed. I was pulled into the story from the very beginning and my interest only grew as I read on. A sequel, “Funeral Train,” will be available on October 4, 2022, and continues the story of Sheriff Temple Jennings and his wife, Etha. The author does a fantastic job of setting the scene, making readers feel the hopelessness of the people as they face devastating “dusters” time and again. Great historical fiction with the added suspense of murder. Highly recommended.
    • 2/5
      I read this because my wife was reading it for book club. Plus the idea intrigued me–a mystery story set in a piece of history rooted in Americana. I had never heard of it, the author, or the publishing company before. But I thought I could use a break from the robots and aliens.The thing is, it’s just tedious. The characters are dull as dishwater. There’s no intensity to the mystery. There’re no stakes. It’s as dry as the dust bowl it’s telling about.The thing about a mystery book is that bad mysteries contain large swaths of text that don’t matter to the plot. In a good mystery, the entire story is the mystery, not side characters or subplots. Knives Out, The Da Vinci Code, The Maltese Falcon, The Silence of the Lambs, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Even the false leads, the red herring, still matter to the plot.So for example, this book has a suspect. They spend time investigating them, thinking he’s the killer, but then it turns out to be wrong. And the audience knows this all the time. So you feel like you wasted time reading that part. It’s not dramatic irony, it’s page filler. This feels more like a regular book that got labeled “mystery” for marketing purpose. Maybe that’s why I don’t read them — I don’t like plot threads that end at a wall.In a mystery, all the parts are important. Finding evidence A leads to talking to suspect B who points a finger at witness C who we find out was with D who lied about artifact E which suspect B wants and so on. It should be “buts” and “therefores”, not “and thens”. I don’t mean it has to be a complex web, but “Garfield’s Babes and Bullets” was a more intriguing mystery than this.This book is for old ladies who just want a comfort read. They don’t want anything surprising or challenging. There’s no diversity in the book–no black people, no immigrants, no one ethnic, no Native Americans, no gays, no Jews. Just loud, white males and one white female (the wife of the investigating sheriff).Oh, there is one blind guy who runs the theater, so I guess you can check off “disability”. Thing is, he’s an asshole, so it’s not exactly glorious representation. Not to mention he doesn’t figure into the story whatsoever. He’s not even a B-plot, he’s a C-plot. I’m not sure what role he’s meant to play? The struggling entrepreneur during the time of economic hardship?I would rate it three stars, but my judgment criteria means I wouldn’t bring anything two stars or below to a desert island with me. And I wouldn’t bring this with me — I don’t want to read it again.
    • 4/5
      What a tough life in depression era western Oklahoma, with those who’ve decided to stay trying their best to hang on through the worst hard times. Throw a mystery into the dust bowl, and see how it plays out. With believable characters, believable circumstances, and a fine story, this is a good whodunit.