"The Hired Man", by Sandra Dallas

Set in 1937 in Colorado, during The Dust Bowl era, this story captured the harsh realities of the time. Folks barely remember a time when the clouds were filled with rain instead of dirt and when the fields were green instead of brown. People were starving and no work was found…. women had to bear the brunt of their husbands’ frustration and the hunger of their children.

Young Martha Helen Kessler and her family were luckier than most, they had plenty on their farm and never hesitated to help others. So when Otis Hobbs, a drifter, showed up at the Kessler’s door during a vicious storm, Martha’s mother insisted they take him in…
…
When Frankie, Martha’s best friend was found murdered…. suspicion, jealousy and prejudice grip the neighbourhood……

Enjoy.

My thoughts:

The story moves very slowly to capture the harsh realities of life. The emotional impact is strong with themes of domestic violence, prejudice and the search for justice and to let Martha Helen face numerous challenges and learn valuable lessons about life. Mid-way, the tempo picks up and you find yourself in the middle of a murder mystery.

So many complex social issues are faced within the plot in ways that are not only historical accurate but said with care. I like the mix of the everyday life with mystery elements making this plot engaging and is easy to lose yourself in the story.

It is a good story I enjoyed quite a bit.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press for this Arc which I received via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it