The Wiregrass - by Pam Webber (Paperback)

About the Book

1969. Nettie has spent every summer of her life in the Southern Wiregrass town of Crystal Springs, Alabama. This year, she hopes the small town's relaxed pace will give her a break from the unrelenting physical and emotional changes of puberty. But a chance encounter with Mitchell, a seductively handsome yet secretive young man, turns Nettie's summer plans and her heart upside down. As their relationship grows, Nettie realizes Mitchell is harboring a dark and dangerous secret -- one that, when revealed, rocks the core of the sleepy little town and has Nettie and those she loves running for their lives.

Book Synopsis

Reminiscent of the stories and styles of Harper Lee, Sue Monk Kidd, and Jan Karon, Pam Webber's The Wiregrass ​is ​an extraordinary tale about a magical time in an ordinary place full of lovable and unlovable characters. Infused with laughter, tears, love, loss, and hope, the story follows fourteen-year-old cousins Nettie, J.D. Eric, and Sam as they navigate the summer of their discontent, struggle with the physical and emotional turbulence of puberty and disappearing childhood, feel the excitement of first love, and run for their lives ​after they uncover an evil secret hidden in the shadows of the small town they love. Their story promises to stay with you a lifetime.

Review Quotes

"There are deep southern traditions at work here, of memory, courage, sweetness, and sadness. This is a brave book at the same time it's complex and gentle, and the way it honors a sense of time and place is truly remarkable."
--David L. Robbins, New York Times best-selling author of Scorched Earth and The Empty Quarter

"Webber has crafted a summer setting that is both magical and dangerous in this profound coming-of-age story. I laughed out loud. I held my breath. I anxiously pressed on for 'just one more page' (page after page, after page) and I cried. She has touched me on many levels in this, her first novel. Its ending has haunted me for days since finishing it. It is a book I'll not soon forget. For this reviewer, The Wiregrass was reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Sawyer, and Of Mice and Men, yet all the while it was its very own unique story written with a large measure of tenderness and grace. What a privilege to have the opportunity to read this book that is surely destined to become a best-seller!"
--Lee Ambrose, Story Circle Book Reviews

About the Author

Pam Webber is the best-selling author of three historical novels--The Wiregrass, Moon Water, and Life Dust. The Southern Literary Review, Historical Novel Society, and Ingram's Book Buzz "highly recommend" her work because of the memorable characters, engaging stories, and immersive settings.

As a second-career novelist, Pam is a popular speaker for book clubs, writing circles, and civic organizations. She has had the honor of being a featured panelist at Virginia Festival of the Book, the Library of Virginia, and James River Writers.

Pam is also an internal medicine nurse practitioner and former nursing educator. She and her husband, Jeff, are avid travelers and especially love visiting World Heritage Sites and US national parks. They live in the beautiful Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

For updates on Pam's next novel, visit her at www.pamwebber.com.