Latest Books The Big Thrill Recommends: NONE LEFT TO TELL by Noelle W. Ihli

The Big Thrill Recommends: NONE LEFT TO TELL by Noelle W. Ihli

Recommended by Bonnie Traymore

Amazon #1 bestselling author Noelle W. Ihli’s NONE LEFT TO TELL is a powerful and unsettling retrospective on human nature and how it has endured, for better or worse, over the centuries. The novel is based on the horrifying true story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857 when a band of Mormons raided a “gentile” wagon train headed for California through Utah territory and slaughtered 120 men, women, and children—then blamed it on their Indian allies.

The story is told through the lens of three women and one little girl, all powerless and at the mercy of the men who control their lives: Katrina, a mother on the wagon train; Kahpeputz (Sally), a Native woman sold to a Paiute tribal leader that had converted to the Mormon religion; Lucy, a Mormon wife who finally learns the truth about that horrible day and her unwitting role in it; and Emma, an orphan fostered to a Mormon family.

Years of research went into the writing of the book, and this story is personal for Ihli, raised Mormon and descended from some of the families who perpetuated the crime. It’s a well-known fact of history that Mormons were persecuted and driven further and further west, many murdered in the process. But two wrongs don’t make a right, and the senselessness of tit-for-tat bloodshed is laid bare for all to see. Little rays of light poke through the darkness, though, especially near the end, which is surprisingly heartwarming.

Although few of the male characters are instigators of the massacre and many feel haunted and guilty about their participation, it does leave the reader wondering whether a world with more women leaders might be a more peaceful and compassionate place. Overall, this is a fast-paced, provocative and poignant read, and one that will be enjoyed by thriller enthusiasts as well as a wider audience.

The Big Thrill Recommends: NONE LEFT TO TELL by Noelle W. Ihli