Introduction

It's 1861 in New Mexico Territory and the Civil War is about to have a startling impact on Matty Summerhayes. Matty hopes her horse ranch will earn enough money so she may return to the East. Then a stranger dies on her land. This somewhat feminist, historical mystery/suspense novel takes place in 1861 in New Mexico Territory, where the Civil War is about to have a startling impace on a woman who calls herself Matty Summerhayes. Matty is struggling to develop a horse ranch to make enough money to return to the East. A stranger dies in her barn, a rumor of a lost gold mine on her land emerges, and soon someone is trying to run her off her ranch. When her closest friend, a one-time slave, is about to be stoned for practicing voodoo, Matty saves her by staging a dramatic public exorcism. But Matty herself is arrested for murder and with her land up for bail, she must find the real killer or lose everything. She unmasks a spy and murderer, but the celebration is cut short when an officer comes calling, intending to claim his rights to not only her land but Matty herself.

Editorial Review

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Excerpt

Maybe I was a mite too pleased with myself.
By that night in April 1861, I had spent three of my thirty-four
years answering to the name Matilda Summerhayes, or as most folks call me, Matty. I was getting used to it.
The last thing I ever wanted was to run a horse ranch, but I
reckoned I was finally getting a grasp on it. I was so full of myself
I was pondering how soon I could put that ranch so far behind
me it would seem no more than a puff of forgotten dust like you find under a bed.
All that day, the relentless spring wind had seemed intent
on sweeping the ranch—if not the whole of New Mexico
Territory—straight into the Rio Grande. But the blowing always
went still at sundown, which had a way of gladdening the heart.
So, I was sitting, chin in hand, at the plank table that served me
well enough for a desk, gazing at the wall, imagining an orchestra.
I could almost hear the trill of a piccolo.
A tremendous loud crack, like a felled tree before it hits the
ground, sent me bolt upright. A bloodied face, mouth like a
jagged hole in the dark beard, was staring blindly through the
window. He tilted toward me and sagged slowly, his head grazing
the pane, leaving a bloody smear. My heart near stopped dead inside me.
Leaping up, I snatched at the pistol on its hook on the wall
only to see it clatter to the floor. Another crack thundered, then another; and something thudded to the ground so hard it rattled the house.
I plucked up the gun and on feet barely touching the ground
fled down the hall to the parlor. Only once had the hands got
drunk and shot things up. That awful face had been strange to me,
but hands came and went. If Nacho had hired him in the past day
or two I might not meet him till payday. If he was still alive.
I swallowed hard and held my breath till my head cleared.
Few things terrify me more than a drunk with a gun.
Warily flattening myself against the wall, I eased open the
front door. The moon was still low, the stars like chips of ice in
a black lake. No sound broke the quiet. Near the barn, a huge shape sprawled in the rabbit grass like some chunk of rock flung down from the mountain. This was nothing human. Had some fool got himself mauled by a bear before he could bring it down with a bullet? Was the animal dead or only stunned? ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the Author:

If you’re in a book club or just looking for some things to ponder, I’ve put together a few questions about Listen to the Mockingbird to consider:

1. What attracted you to this book? The historical period? The mystery aspect? The portrayal of Matty as a strong woman? Did any or all of these aspects live up to your expectations? Why or why not?

2. How should this book be classified? As a Western, a Civil War novel, a mystery, a thriller, or as feminist literature? Why?

3. Is there any one scene that you remember particularly vividly? Why? How does it relate to the story as a whole? What does it reveal about the characters?

4. Given the historical setting, is there enough background information to understand the events in the story? Does including a few real people and events help?

5. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the following, and why?
Character development
Action
Dialog
Setting
Mystery
Suspense

6. Does the author use any narrative devices like flashbacks or multiple voices in telling the story? Do you generally like or dislike these methods?

7. Did the story compelling enough to keep you interested? Were you able to predict things before they happened or did the author keep you guessing?

8. Does the romantic subplot add or detracted from this tale? Why?

9. How much does “place” or locale or landscape contribute to this book?

10. Although this novel was written as a “stand alone,” would you like to see a sequel? Why or why not?

Weblinks

»	Author Penny Rudholph's web site
»	Author Bio
»	Reviews Betty Parker, Southwest Book Reviews Occasionally one of the thousands of books published each year just grabs the reader and won’t let go. This is one of those rare finds...this novel set in southern New Mexico during the Civil War is entertaining, informative, and beautifully written. It could be placed on the mystery shelves as well... Matty Summerhayes narrates, coaxes, amazes and thoroughly captures her audience... The author could easily have turned this book into propaganda for women’s rights, but she has carefully avoided that... Be prepared to forget meals and stay up all night when you start reading this book. Matty’s word-pictures and unorthodox civil disobedience will hold your attention until the last page.”

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