by Lisa Alther
First published 2012
The murder of Union soldier Harmon McCoy by a Confederate Hatfield in 1865 plants the seeds of America's most famous family feud. More than ten years pass before the real violence begins. When the McCoys accuse the Hatfields of stealing hogs, both clans reach for their guns. What follows spans decades of killings and revenge that tears apart two families and an entire region. The bloodshed escalates until it reaches the Supreme Court and ends with public executions. Even a love story between young people from opposite sides cannot stop the cycle of retribution. The final court case closes in 1898, but the hatred between the families lives on. Alther brings fresh perspective to this legendary conflict that still captivates Americans today.
Genres: american-civil-war, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, revenge
Setting: America, Supreme Court
Period: 1865, 1898
286 pages · Hardcover · Lyons Press
Content warnings: violence