Wormwood

June 13, 2010 - Wormwood (Susan Wittig Albert). This entry in the China Bayles series has China leaving her home in Pecan Springs, TX and hitting the road to, on the face of it, help a friend teach an herb seminar at a Shaker village in Kentucky. But, the friend worries that something sinister is going on in the village, and she wants China's help to find out what it is.

In addition to telling this story, the author also tells a parallel story of some of the people who lived in the village in the early 20th Century, a time when the place was a functioning village as opposed to the tourist attraction it is now. Back then, as it is in modern times, the village was having financial problems. A relative of China's friend seemed to be involved in it all.

Overall, it was nice to get China out of her comfort zone, and it wasn't too difficult keeping track of the new characters. It was also interesting to learn a little about the Shakers. But, the ending seemed kind of rushed. I'll be glad when China gets back to Pecan Springs.