First published 1995
The courtroom buzzes with tension as Glenn Summerford faces charges of attempted murder. The leader of a Pentecostal snake-handling congregation stands accused of using rattlesnakes to try to kill his wife. In the rural mountains of Alabama, where serpent handling remains a sacred practice rooted in biblical literalism, the case exposes the dangerous intersection of faith and violence. As testimony unfolds, the story reveals how religious fervor can twist into something deadly. Summerford's world operates by ancient rules where believers prove their devotion by grasping venomous snakes, trusting God to protect them from harm. But when that same faith becomes a weapon turned against family, the community must confront the dark possibilities lurking within their most sacred rituals. The trial becomes more than a legal proceeding. It forces a reckoning with the price of absolute belief.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, crime, thriller, religion
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: crime-investigation, religious-extremism
Setting: Alabama, Sand Mountain
Period: 20th Century
240 pages · Hardcover · Addison-Wesley Publishing
Content warnings: violence