Overview

Release Date: February 22, 2022

About The Book:

It’s the summer of 1956, and a brood of cicadas descends upon Providence, Georgia. It’s a natural event with supernatural repercussions, and unhinges the life of Analeise Newell, an eleven-year-old piano prodigy. Amidst this emergence, dark obsessions are stirred, uncanny gifts provoked, and secrets unearthed.  

During a visit to Mistletoe, a plantation owned by the wealthy Mayfield family, Analeise encounters Cordelia Mayfield and her daughter Marlissa, both of whom possess an otherworldly beauty. A whisper and an act of violence perpetrated during this visit by Mrs. Mayfield all converge to kindle Analeise’s fascination with the Mayfields.

Analeise’s burgeoning obsession with the Mayfield family overshadows her own seemingly ordinary life, culminating in dangerous games and manipulation, and setting off a chain of cataclysmic events with life-altering consequences—all unfolding to the maddening whir of a cicada song.

Review

Analeise is a young girl growing up in Providence, Georgia. She loves bugs and is called the Bug Girl at school. She doesn’t mind. She knows she is different. But, when she visits the Mistletoe plantation, she realizes just how different her life is.

This is a rare, coming of age story. Analeise is prodigy on the piano and her good friend, Etta Mae, can sing like no other. Then, there is the family called Mayfield. They are wealthy and seem to have the perfect life. But something is just not right. Analiese is completely captivated and drawn to this family. And this fascination may just be her undoing!

Robert Gwaltney weaves and unique tale full of suspense, secrets and intrigue. This story leaves you wanting more!

Need a heart felt, dramatic, southern novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

About The Author:

Robert Gwaltney, a writer of southern fiction, is a graduate of Florida State University. He resides in Atlanta Georgia with his partner, where he is an active member of the Atlanta literary community. By day, he serves as Vice President of Easter Seals North Georgia, Inc., Children Services, a non-profit supporting children with disabilities and other special needs. Robert’s work has appeared in such publications as The Signal Mountain Review and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. Robert also serves as Prose Editor for The Blue Mountain Review. https://robertlgwaltney.com/

Social Media: 

Instagram : https://instagram.com/robertgwaltneyjr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.gwaltney.9

Book Blurbs: 

“Gwaltney’s Southern Gothic, THE CICADA TREE mesmerizes and seduces, the language redolent and deadly, the characters steeped in secrets and madness, and the whole of it an enthralling and perfect read. Easily my favorite book of the year.”

—Kim Taylor Blakemore, bestselling author of AFTER ALICE FELL

This is Southern Gothic with a vengeance—a dark blast of family secrets, strained loyalties, and bitter betrayals. We follow young Analeise Newell with fear and hope, dreading what may happen to her even as we turn the pages. Robert Gwaltney is a writer to watch.” –Christopher Swann, author of Never Turn Back (Crooked Lane Books)