The Devil Walks in Mattingly
Read The Devil Walks in Mattingly Online
Authors: Billy Coffey
Acclaim for Billy Coffey
“Billy Coffey is one of the most lyrical writers of our time. His latest work,
The Devil Walks in Mattingly
, is not a page-turner to be devoured in a one-night frenzy. Instead, it should be valued as a literary delicacy, with each savory syllable sipped slowly. By allowing ourselves to steep in this story, readers are treated to a delightful sensory escape one delicious word at a time. Even then, we leave his imaginary world hungry for more, eager for another serving of Coffey’s tremendous talent.”
—J
ULIE
C
ANTRELL
,
N
EW
Y
ORK
T
IMES
AND
USA TODAY
B
EST
-
SELLING
A
UTHOR
OF
I
NTO
THE
F
REE
AND
W
HEN
M
OUNTAINS
M
OVE
“[A]n inspirational and atmospheric tale.”
—L
IBRARY
J
OURNAL
STARRED REVIEW OF
W
HEN
M
OCKINGBIRDS
S
ING
“This intriguing read challenges mainstream religious ideas of how God might be revealed to both the devout and the doubtful.”
—
P
UBLISHERS
W
EEKLY
REVIEW OF
W
HEN
M
OCKINGBIRDS
S
ING
“Readers will appreciate how slim the line is between belief and unbelief, faith and fiction, and love and hate as supplied through this telling story of the human heart always in need of rescue.”
—
CBA R
ETAILERS
+ R
ESOURCES
REVIEW OF
W
HEN
M
OCKINGBIRDS
S
ING
“Billy Coffey is a minstrel who writes with intense depth of feeling and vibrant rich description. The characters who live in this book face challenges that stretch the deepest fabric of their beings. You will remember
When Mockingbirds Sing
long after you finish it.”
—R
OBERT
W
HITLOW
,
BEST
-
SELLING AUTHOR OF
T
HE
C
HOICE
“Some stories invite you in, but Billy Coffey’s
When Mockingbirds Sing
grabs you by the collar and embraces you flat out. Beautifully written with characters made of flesh and bone, Coffey haunts you with truth, compelling you to turn the page. His best book yet.”
—M
ARY
D
E
M
UTH
,
AUTHOR OF
T
HE
M
UIR
H
OUSE
AND
D
AISY
C
HAIN
“[
When Mockingbirds Sing
is] an engrossing novel on so many levels. A story of mystery, hope, opening our ears in a way we can truly hear, and the choice of belief. Coffey has penned a captivating tale that will linger with you long after the final page is turned.”
—J
AMES
L. R
UBART
,
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF
R
OOMS
AND
S
OUL
’
S
G
ATE
“
When Mockingbirds Sing
is a lovely, dark, fervent tale that grips and won’t let go. At some point, I entered its pages so fully, the sky opened up and gale winds blew outside. It’s that good.”
—N
ICOLE
S
EITZ
,
AUTHOR
OF
S
AVING
C
ICADAS
AND
T
HE
I
NHERITANCE OF
B
EAUTY
“
When Mockingbirds Sing
by Billy Coffey made me realize how often we think we know how God works, when in reality we don’t have a clue. God’s ways are so much more mysterious than we can imagine. Billy Coffey is an author we’re going to be hearing more about. I’ll be looking for his next book!”
—C
OLLEEN
C
OBLE
,
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
OF
T
IDEWATER
I
NN
AND THE
R
OCK
H
ARBOR SERIES
“
When Mockingbirds Sing
is a mesmerizing tale about believing in the unseen. From the vividly etched small town to the compelling characters—torn between fear and faith—there is much to savor in Coffey’s story.”
—B
ETH
W
EBB
H
ART
,
AUTHOR OF
M
OON
O
VER
E
DISTO
“A modern-day parable featuring a cast of colorful characters, [
When Mockingbirds Sing
] begs us all to step into the Maybe and have the faith of a child.”
—M
ARYBETH
W
HALEN
,
AUTHOR OF
T
HE
M
AILBOX
, T
HE
G
UEST
B
OOK
, T
HE
W
ISHING
T
REE
,
AND FOUNDER OF
S
HE
R
EADS
.
ORG
“Billy Coffey’s
When Mockingbirds Sing
will touch your heart and stir your soul.”
—R
ICHARD
L. M
ABRY
, MD,
AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF
S
TRESS
T
EST
AND THE
P
RESCRIPTION FOR
T
ROUBLE SERIES
© 2014 by Billy Coffey
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.
Published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group, Ltd., 10152 S. Knoll Circle, Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80130.
THE ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION. © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].
Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
ISBN 978-1-4016-8824-0 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Coffey, Billy.
The Devil walks in Mattingly / Billy Coffey.
pages cm.
Summary: “For the three people tortured by their secret complicity in a young man’s untimely death, redemption is what they most long for and the last thing they expect to receive. It has been twenty years since Philip McBride’s body was found along the riverbank in the dark woods known as Happy Hollow. His death was ruled a suicide. But three people have carried the truth ever since; Philip didn’t kill himself that day. He was murdered. Each of the three have wilted in the shadow of their sins. Jake Barnett is Mattingly’s sheriff, where he spends his days polishing the fragile shell of the man he pretends to be. His wife, Kate, has convinced herself the good she does for; the poor will someday was; the blood from her hands. And high in the mountains, Taylor Hathcock lives in seclusion; and fear, fueled by madness and hatred. Yet what cannot be laid to rest is bound to rise. Taylor finds mysterious footprints leading from the Hollow, he believes his redemption has come. His actions will plunge the quiet town of Mattingly into darkness. These three will be drawn together for a final confrontation between life and death between truth and lies”—Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-1-4016-8822-6 (pbk.)
1. Secrets—Fiction. 2. Redemption—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3603.O3165D48 2014
813’.6—dc23
2013041041
Printed in the United States of America
14 15 16 17 18 19 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1
For all who stumble forward by looking back.
Contents
Part III: The Devil Walks in Mattingly
Part IV: No Home for the Weary
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
ACTS
26:8
The end of our exploring will be to arrive at where we started, and know the place for the first time.
T. S. ELIOT
No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.
SHIRLEY JACKSON
B
illy Coffey’s novels are all set in Mattingly, Virginia, and can be read in any order. If you’ve already read
When Mockingbirds Sing
, you may be interested in knowing that the events in
The Devil Walks in Mattingly
occur four years before that.
Enjoy!
N
one but my wife know of my trips beyond the rusty gate; none but my wife ever will. Kate understands why I must endure this long walk through the forest, miles of bearing up under a heavy feeling of being watched.