Malone Ridge is a poignant and quirky coming-of-age story with an obstacle at every turn and pacing to match the protagonists speed on the road. Set in the drug Addled Allegheny mountains of West Virginia and posh Alexandria. Virginia, the novel explores themes of love, chaos and order, resistance and resilience, and the power of place. Malone Ridge and the unique young woman who calls it home will stay with the reader for a very long time.

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In this lovely coming-of-age novel, Dill evokes Malone Ridge as a place to leave. Then, slowly,

as life will, it becomes central to the heart. This is Malone Ridge, the place and the book together, a story as indelible and welcoming as home.

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-David L. Robbins, New York Times bestselling author of War of the Rats and Isaac's Beacon

 

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A wonderful recent review by Southern Literary Review:

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https://southernlitreview.com/reviews/malone-ridge-by-james-k-dill.htm

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Beyond the negative stereotypes so often found these days in contemporary Appalachia novels (think Winter’s Bone and Hillbilly Legacy), Malone Ridge also finds much goodness in the region and the people. The author describes the physical beauty of the area in lush details which convey its appeal. He finds people in the small community to be more often good than not, and time after time, the people in the novel rise above their own limits to do the right thing. 

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