“Country Stories of Ghosts and Bad Men” by Todd Curtis Narron is a compilation of ten stories that are gripping, haunting, sometimes disturbing, sometimes amusing—the whole gamut of emotions. This book ties in so well the theme of the vanishing family farm and rural way of life.
Todd grew up on a tobacco farm in Johnston County; he has a way of telling stories that make the reader feel in the midst of the action. This is the first book authored by Todd.
One by one Riley would easily dig at the shallow graves until the faces of the dead appeared in the light of the lantern, none of which were Wesley. The old man saw more than his share of death as he uncovered and covered the faces which were bloated and contorted with the pain they must have been feeling in the last throws of life. – The Ghost of Old Riley
He said that his mama laid the baby down on the floor real careful like and went over to where the fireplace was which had a small fire going, and started to stoke the fire, putting big chunks of coal and wood into it until he could feel the heat drying his eyes through the opening in the lock. He said the fire lighted the room up so that he could see smudges of dirt on the walls and that meat grease and oil that had clung to the bricks from all the years of cooking were beginning to melt and each time a drop would fall into the fire there would be a hissing sound as if snakes were in the room. – The Chimney