Secrets of Sand Mountain


Fiction - General
417 Pages
Reviewed on 01/10/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Philip C. Elrod was raised in Crossville, a small town on top of Sand Mountain in Northeast Alabama. He served two years in the US Army, stationed in Germany and returned to attend college at the University of Florida and Florida Southern College Majoring in Industrial Engineering and Economics.

Mr. Elrod resides, along with his wife of many years, Linda, and two wonderful little canine friends: Kokko, a five and half pound male Japanese Chin, and Tinker, a seven and half pound male miniature Shih Tzu. Tinker served as the inspiration for the fictional character, Mitch the Bitch. His interests include astronomy, photography, outdoor cooking and travel, especially RV travel with his wife and pets.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Secrets of Sand Mountain is a coming of age novel written by Philip Elrod. Campbell Crossing is a tiny town nestled in the Appalachian Mountain Range on Sand Mountain in Alabama. Mostly it’s a farming community, and in 1944, at the time this story begins, there were two churches, a movie theatre and one main store, Mr. Thompson’s General Store, with a bright red gas pump out front. Philip Campbell loved that store; it was filled with interesting things to examine and having a store meant Campbell Crossing was indeed a real town. When he found some old boxes stored under the counters, he asked Mr. Thompson if he could see if there was anything in them that could be sold in the store. Mr. Thompson agreed and Philip set to work. One of the boxes had a small cloth bundle which he carefully unwrapped. There was a string of pearls inside; they had luster and shine and seemed real, even to his untrained eyes. When he showed them to Mr. Thompson, the man grew pensive and a bit sad. He told Philip a story about a young couple who had run out of money and gas on their way out to California to find work. She offered him the pearls as surety for gas and said they’d exchange the money owed and the necklace when they reached the coast. He never heard from them again, and he never felt they were his to sell. But, he would let Philip help around the store for a few weeks to earn them.

Philip Elrod’s historical coming of age novel, Secrets of Sand Mountain, is told from the perspective of Philip, his Aunt Violette and Karl, a German-English doctor, and the story they tell is a marvelous one. I loved every aspect of this novel which has as its background the final years of World War II and the sad legacy of dysfunctional fathers and the impact their harshness can have on the lives of their families. I was fascinated by the way the author blends traditional medicine and healing into his tale and loved the parts of the tale set in New Orleans, Cuba and England. Elrod is a masterful storyteller. I found myself staying up late into the night rather than tear myself away from a story that had completely captured my interest and my imagination. Secrets of Sand Mountain is literary fiction that delivers a powerful and compelling performance, and it’s most highly recommended.

Jessyca Garcia

I loved Secrets of Sand Mountain by Philip Elrod. The story is told in four parts and follows the lives of Philip Campbell and his aunt Violette Campbell. The story starts in the year 1944 when Philip was a young boy, and follows him through the years and many adventures.

The main thing that I loved about Secrets of Sand Mountain is that it takes place in Alabama. Roll Tide Roll! At first I thought that the character Philip Campbell’s name was a play on words for the town of Phil Campbell, Alabama. I’m still not sure if it was intended, but none the less it made me like the story even more. Elrod made me homesick with his descriptions of the different churches trying to compete with each other. The story itself is an easy, interesting read. Each of the four parts is told by a different person. The character of Violette was my favorite. She was a strong, independent woman who could think fast on her feet. Philip was innocent and I liked that he had a good heart.

At times the story was predictable, but Elrod was still able to surprise me in a few parts. This story definitely has a little bit of everything in it. There is romance, mystery, action, and murder. All of these things work well together in this story. I recommend this book if you like a read with southern charm. I look forward to reading more of Elrod’s work in the future.

Deborah Lloyd

Philip C. Elrod sets his novel Secrets of Sand Mountain in a small, fictional town named Campbell Crossing, Alabama, beginning in 1944. The book opens with young Philip Campbell narrating the first section; three other main characters continue the story from his\her own perspective. Although the town and its families seem idyllic and provincial at first, nothing could be further from the truth. Long-time secrets and new adventures involving war-related dilemmas soon emerge. Philip is faced with difficult family circumstances - an abusive father who enjoys white lightning (the local moonshine) frequently; a loving mother robbed of her independent spirit; an eccentric aunt living a life of avoidance and remorse. His adventures with Harlan, his best friend, and Charlie, a tomboy with the best throwing arm ever, provide an outlet for Philip’s inquisitive nature. Not only does he discover others’ secrets, he participates in creating a few new secrets himself!

Secrets of Sand Mountain by Philip C. Elrod is a captivating, intriguing read. The characters are believable and real. Soon the reader is totally involved in cheering for positive outcomes for Philip and the good people in his circle. And the reader will also be hoping for the corrupt characters to take their leave. Mr. Elrod is an excellent writer, as the four sections of the book (related by four characters) has its own unique tone. You can almost hear each person speaking in their own voice. There is a wonderful complexity in this novel, told in a seemingly simple way. This is truly a delightful book.