Broomstraw Ridge

In the 1870s, when Joseph Cook’s closest friend is murdered by a man who escapes justice, Joseph quits his thirty-year railroad career and returns to the New River landscape of his youth, hoping to buy a farm, reunite with what’s left of his family on Broomstraw Ridge, and find peace. An expert at bridge construction, Joseph finds the bridges he most wants to build surpass his skill, however. His goals are further thwarted by unexpected obstacles and dangers. In addition, a reunion with a childhood friend opens doors to shock, hurt, and possibility. Peace, home, and family have more to do with facing adversity and accepting what Joseph can’t attain than staying true to the path he planned. Joseph Cook also learns that justice and love denied can become justice and love won, but delayed–letting go of their pursuit may not equate with giving up. The story is set in the lush mountains of a newly formed county and its burgeoning county seat, Hinton, West Virginia. It stands alone but also serves as a sequel to Madam’s Creek, a novel of the Civil War era. Several of the Madam’s Creek Lilly-family characters play pivotal roles.